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Tuesday 20 January 1998
Issue 970


United are off-colour again as Davies hits early goal
By Henry Winter


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          Southampton (1) 1 Manchester Utd (0) 0
          
          HOW Manchester United must hate travelling to The Dell.
          No matter what colour strip they wear here, grey, blue or last
          night's white, United have had no joy here now in three years.
          
          This defeat, secured by Kevin Davies's early strike and
          Southampton's ensuing defensive determination, prevented United
          from stretching their five-point Premiership lead and will give
          the chasing pack a degree of hope.
          
          Southampton were grateful to Paul Jones, the goalkeeper who
          produced a string of saves. Carlton Palmer, a figure seemingly
          from another age, will have loved dominating the
          central-midfield tussle with England's young lions, Paul
          Scholes and Nicky Butt, whose second-half booking triggers a
          suspension. Palmer's vibrant performance, full of tackles and
          running, embodied Southampton's spirit of defiance.
          
          United should have expected the early jolt. This cramped ground
          was made even more claustrophobic by the pressing tactics of
          Dave Jones's industrious side, who kept harrying their
          illustrious guests into conceding possession. United were
          flustered, patently missing the ball-holding, steadying
          influence of Teddy Sheringham, absent with a calf problem.
          
          Every one of Jones's players, including the restored Matthew Le
          Tissier, kept up a phenomenal tempo in the first half. From Ken
          Monkou in defence through to Kevin Richardson, such an
          experienced presence in midfield, Southampton defended with
          conviction.
          
          And when David Beckham and Ryan Giggs looked like causing
          problems down the flanks, Francis Benali and Jason Dodd
          intercepted well or snapped at ankles like dogs greeting
          postmen. Before the interval arrived, Beckham and Giggs had
          both been cautioned for expressing their frustration too
          vocally for Mike Riley's liking.
          
          Throughout the half, particularly in the opening stages, United
          struggled to combat Southampton's forward movement. With Le
          Tissier and Davies deployed behind David Hirst, Jones set
          United's defence a tactical quandary they failed to solve. Alex
          Ferguson's defenders appeared unsure whether to push into
          midfield and pick up Southampton's deeper-lying strikers.
          
          And so the hosts, confidence bolstered by five Premiership
          matches without defeat, went to work. Within three minutes,
          Southampton were ahead, the goal as much to do with poor
          prevention as inspired invention. Andy Cole, chasing back,
          succeeded only in fouling Claus Lundekvam 40 yards out. How
          Cole and his colleagues were made to pay.
          
          Le Tissier, addressing the free-kick with those bright red
          boots, lifted the ball to the far post, the trajectory
          perfectly judged to meet Davies's run. When Butt, tracking
          Davies, slipped, the way was clear for the Southampton striker.
          Unmarked and with time on his side, Davies rose to meet the
          ball, which he guided neatly past Peter Schmeichel.
          
          The powerful running of Davies, still only 20, continually
          worried United until he limped from the fray, following a
          legitimate challenge from Denis Irwin. Poor United. On strode
          Egil Ostenstad, who hit a hat-trick in this fixture last year.
          
          Gradually, United began to find a semblance of their normally
          regal rhythm. Yet they resembled a team without focus,
          particularly as Monkou was clinging to Cole like mist rolling
          in from the sea. On the half-hour, when Cole enjoyed his first
          sight of Jones's goal, Monkou killed the moment.
          
          United's best efforts emanated via runs from the deep. Jones
          did well to stop Giggs's low cross, after a neat interchange
          between Nicky Butt and Beckham. Then Lundekvam misjudged a
          back-pass and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer raced through, rounded Jones
          but could not keep the ball in play.
          
          This was a period of real hope for United. Giggs was denied by
          Jones and then Cole, found brilliantly by Giggs, headed over as
          Southampton stood firm.
          
          Threatening increasingly, United's best moments remained from
          dead-balls. A Beckham free-kick was held by Jones, who then saw
          another Beckham special crash against the bar. When the
          otherwise excellent Matthew Oakley fouled Scholes, another
          Beckham free-kick curled past Jones but found only the angle of
          bar and upright.
          
          United kept probing but lacked their usual organisational
          discipline, allowing Ostenstad to lurk with intent. Twice
          Schmeichel had to come out to thwart the Southampton attacker.
          __________________________________________________________
          
          Southampton (1) 1 Man Utd (0) 0
          Davies 3.

          Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Benali, Richardson (Spedding 87),
          Monkou, Lundekvam, Davies (Ostenstad 19), Palmer, Hirst, Le
          Tissier (Slater 80), Oakley. Subs Not Used: Dryden, Moss.
          Booked: Dodd, Le Tissier.

          Man Utd: Schmeichel, G. Neville (Nevland 85), Irwin, Scholes,
          Johnsen, Pallister, Beckham, Butt (McClair 80), Cole,
          Solskjaer, Giggs. Subs Not Used: P. Neville, Berg, Pilkington.
          Booked: Giggs, Beckham, Butt.

          Att: 15,241
          Ref: M A Riley (Leeds).
          __________________________________________________________

     Manchester United suffer Southampton jinx again
     
     LONDON, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Manchester United fell to their
     Southampton jinx again as a third minute Kevin Davies strike sent
     the English champions crashing to a 1-0 defeat on Monday.

     It was the third consecutive season United had lost at Southampton
     in the league, following a 3-1 setback in 1995-96 and a 6-3 defeat
     in an extraordinary match in 1996-97.

     This latest loss will have given the teams chasing premier league
     leaders United fresh hope.

     The Manchester side have 49 points -- five ahead of second-placed
     Blackburn and seven in front of third-placed Chelsea, each having
     played 23 games. Liverpool are fourth, eight adrift with Tuesday's
     game against Newcastle in hand.

     Southampton seized their early lead after Andy Cole gave away a
     free kick on the left.

     Matthew Le Tissier's dead-ball kick found the unmarked Davies,
     whose downward header inside the far post beat Peter Schmeichel as
     he dived to his left.

     United, having been largely ineffectual in the first 30 minutes,
     began to make more impact as halftime approached, Cole having a
     close range shot deflected narrowly wide and heading just over the
     bar.

     The league champions sustained their pressure into the second half,
     with England midfielder David Beckham three times threatening from
     dead-ball situations.

     His first free kick was saved by 'keeper Paul Jones, who turned the
     second over the bar but was beaten by the third as Beckham hammered
     the ball against the left hand upright from just outside the
     penalty box.

     Jones remained unyielding as United produced a furious late
     assault, the value of his outstanding performance subsequently
     being acknowledged by his manager Dave Jones.

     "Paul took a couple of weeks to settle in the premier league but it
     did not knock his confidence and he is now showing real authority,"
     said the Southampton boss.
     
                           © Reuters Limited 1998

          __________________________________________________________

   January 20 1998 FOOTBALL
   
   Premiership champions suffer defeat for third successive season at The
   Dell
   
   Davies stoops to conquer United
   BY ROB HUGHES
   
   Southampton ...1 Manchester United ...0
   
   THE artisan work ethic of Southampton did for Manchester United last
   night as it had done for Chelsea two weeks ago. True, United are still
   five points clear in the FA Carling Premiership, but this is the third
   year in succession that they have come down to the South Coast full of
   imperious notions and been subjected to defeat. 
   
   No excuses this time and none sought. "Can somebody tell me how they
   won that game?" Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, said. 
   "We had enough possession, enough chances, but, when we did get on
   target, their goalkeeper was outstanding. Still, we make it difficult
   for ourselves as usual, give hope to everybody else . . . it's the
   real Christian thing to do." 
   
   That United feel cramped in this, a stadium less than one third of the
   capacity of their own, is a matter of established record. Why then,
   they should leave such space as to gift Southampton a goal inside
   three minutes only the dreamy Gary Pallister can know. 
   
   The goal had begun with a sweeping run out of his own defence by
   Lundekvam. Cole, a forward attempting to do a defender's job, simply
   barged him from behind. Up stepped Matthew Le Tissier, once the Saint
   but now having to work overtime in training to even gain a place in
   the side. He has new red boots and, when he applied the right one to
   the ball 30 yards out, he directed it with precision, angled from left
   to right, towards the far post. As the ball was delivered, Nicky Butt
   slipped and, with Pallister completely static and Schmeichel rooted to
   his line, young Kevin Davies was allowed too much room and time to
   score with a falling, rather than a diving, header.
   
   He has been some purchase, this 20-year-old. His fee, £750,000, is
   less than the new annual contract apparently being offered to Butt to
   bring him in line with the other United millionaires. Davies, with his
   ninth goal in the FA Carling Premiership since stepping up to this
   level in the summer, proved, with his movement and burly presence,
   that he has the appetite to take on the best team in the land.
   
   In the twelfth minute, when Hirst flicked the ball on, Davies again
   found that neglected space behind Pallister, but this time he was
   off-balance and the ball brushed his hairline before bouncing to
   safety. Alas, Davies was granted only three minutes more when, from an
   unpunished tackle by Irwin, he became a casualty, his right ankle
   damaged beyond immediate repair.
   
   Gradually, the sheer quality of United did begin to wash over
   Southampton. The home team's astute amalgam of experience and youth
   stood firm in a composed fashion, until betrayed by carelessness
   towards half-time.
   
   Lundekvam began the betrayal, lazily stroking a back-pass that went
   straight into the path of his countryman, Solskjaer. He, deputising
   for Sheringham, who has a calf injury, looked certain to score, but
   Paul Jones, the Southampton goalkeeper, came quickly towards the
   Norway forward, who took his eye off the ball and ran it over the
   goalline.
   
   Moments later, Giggs won the ball from Richardson in the centre
   circle. The counter-attack was rapid and elegant as Giggs and
   Solskjaer exchanged ground passes. Eventually, Giggs, attempting to
   flick the ball past Jones, found again that this is a goalkeeper of
   reflexes and reach and, when Jones blocked the ball, Cole hit the
   rebound against Lundekvam. It was the second time that Jones had
   denied Giggs for, when the Welshman produced a stunning cross from the
   right edge of the penalty area, Jones suddenly jack-knifed to the lush
   turf to hold the ball one-handed.
   
   United undoubtedly missed the cerebral work of Sheringham - indeed,
   they failed to keep their heads altogether as half-time approached.
   Cole had the ball in the net, but the flag was up, Butt was offside
   and Giggs was booked for his protest, Beckham receiving another yellow
   card for petulance after claiming that Benali had fouled him.
   
   Tempers remained fragile and frayed. Dodd was booked for body-checking
   Giggs off the ball and, from the free kick, Beckham attempted to
   deceive Jones with his bend on the ball. The goalkeeper read the
   intentions and was perfectly positioned to catch the ball. However,
   Beckham, despite a sore neck after colliding in mid-air with Benali,
   came back cheekily, inventively and ultimately unluckily.
   
   Another free kick from him, from an acute angle, obliged Jones to
   twist and turn and push the ball on to his bar. From another one
   midway into the second half, after Oakley had fouled Scholes, Beckham
   comprehensively outwitted the goalkeeper, but the ball came out to
   safety off a post.
   
   David Jones, who is purposefully building his Southampton squad and
   proving that managers and men can come through from the lower
   divisions, said that his players had probably enjoyed their best
   half-hour of the season "but when Manchester United started to come on
   to us a little bit, the players showed all the qualities I expect,
   they dug down really deep and I've just told them they've set the
   standard for the rest of our season."
   
   SOUTHAMPTON (4-3-1-2): P Jones - J Dodd, K Monkou, C Lundekvam, F
   Benali - C Palmer, K Richardson (sub: D Spedding, 87min), M Oakley - M
   Le Tissier (sub: R Slater, 81) - D Hirst, K Davies (sub: E Ostenstad,
   20).
   
   MANCHESTER UNITED (4-4-2): P Schmeichel - G Neville (sub: E Nevland,
   85), R Johnsen, G Pallister, D Irwin - D Beckham, N Butt (sub: B
   McClair, 81) P Scholes, R Giggs - O G Solskjaer, A Cole.
   
   Referee: M Riley.

   Copyright 1998 The Times Newspapers Limited. 

          __________________________________________________________

                   Southampton v Man United 19/01/98 8.00
                                      
Southampton             (1) 1 Man United              (0) 0 FT
Davies 3

   Whatever it is in the South Coast water, the rest of the Premiership
   will surely be on to David Jones and ask him to bottle some of it for
   them.
   
   Two years ago, United's championship bid had been almost derailed on
   the afternoon of the grey shirt fiasco, Southampton shocking them with
   a 3-1 triumph that nobody could see coming.
   
   Last term, the scale of the reverse had been crystal clear, Alex
   Ferguson's side hammered 6-3 in 90 minutes that seemed more and more
   incredible as they went on.
   
   And tonight the established order of English football was turned on
   its head all over again as the Old Trafford aristocrats were sent back
   with another bloody nose at the hands of the relative paupers.
   
   To add insult to United's injury, their fourth league defeat of the
   campaign was inflicted by a 20-year-old plying his trade with lowly
   Chesterfield this time last year.
   
   Kevin Davies has become the new hero of The Dell since his arrival as
   Graeme Souness' 750,000 parting shot.
   
   And no goal will have been celebrated more gleefully than his 12th in
   Southampton colours, a third minute header from the recalled Matt Le
   Tissier that left Peter Schmechel rooted to the spot.
   
   It was the narrowest of advantages for Saints, yet somehow one they
   managed to cling onto, despite a host of opportunities for the
   champions.
   
   With Claus Lundekvam and Ken Monkou giving the outstanding Paul Jones
   brilliant protection, poor finishing, and sheer bad luck, left United
   cursing their luck.
   
   Too vehemently at times, David Beckham running his disciplinary luck
   to the limit and Nicky Butt facing up to a two-match ban after an ugly
   clash with Le Tissier.
   
   But for all their efforts the equaliser would not come, United's plans
   of relently moving eight points clear of the chasing back torn to
   shreds as their rivals were given unexpected hope.
   
   Yet after the last two visits, perhaps United should have feared the
   worst, especially when they were forced to travel without calf victim
   Teddy Sheringham.
   
   It meant Andy Cole was partnered by Ole Solskjaer, with Butt back in
   midfield, and before the champions had the chance to impose themselves
   they were a goal down.
   
   Cole's clumsy halt of fit-again Lundekvam's advance from deep showed
   why he is a striker by trade, yet there was a sense of slow-motion
   about the action that followed.
   
   Le Tissier - looking like the beneficiary of a visit to a health farm
   - floated in and when Butt lost his footing, Davies stooped to send a
   header past the flat-footed Schmeichel.
   
   Davies, all power and pace despite his tender years, was unsettling
   the United backline every time he went near the ball, and with Carlton
   Palmer and Kevin Richardson not scared to put their feet in either the
   champions were rocking.
   
   Jones blocked with his legs from Solskjaer, yet it was Davies who was
   looking more likely to get the next, and if he had seen David Hirst's
   flick earlier when Matthew Oakley played in, United might have been
   really in trouble.
   
   But his evening was to last just 20 minutes, when, after turning into
   space and surging forward again, he was downed in uncompromising style
   by Denis Irwin.
   
   The Irish defender did get some of the ball, but even more of Davies,
   and although he tried to walk it off, it was to no avail.
   
   Not that Saints were without options, and it was Egil Ostenstad,
   scorer of two in last season's epic, who entered the fray.
   
   Yet while the Norwegian worked hard, he lacked Davies' sheer physical
   intensity, and with the danger quelled, United started to make some
   inroads at last, Lundekvam and Monkou less assured.
   
   Unfortunately for Ferguson's side, they came up against a keeper in
   prime form, Jones' handling immaculate, never more so than with a
   one-handed grab after Giggs had centred from the right.
   
   Even so, he needed a bit of fortune when Lundekvam sold him horribly
   short with a no-look back-pass. Solskjaer latched onto it, but Jones'
   rush forced the striker to touch the ball too far.
   
   Lundekvam redeemed himself a minute later. Ryan Giggs robbed
   Richardson and suddenly was 50 yards up the field, taking Solskjaer's
   return.
   
   Jones bravely blocked as the Welshman shot on the turn, yet Cole
   seemed certain to convert, only for Lundekvam's desperate lunge to
   deflect the ball wide.
   
   They were creaking however, Cole's blushes spared by a flag after he
   had headed over from point-blank range, before Solskjaer's over-eager
   advance when Giggs took up the ball meant another raised flag long
   before Cole tucked home.
   
   Giggs' angry response provoked the otherwise decidedly lenient Michael
   Riley into action, his caution for dissent followed seconds later by
   the increasingly-ratty David Beckham for the same.
   
   Beckham did not calm down after the break, seemingly trying to talk
   his way into a first red card of his career, showing his unhappiness
   at Francis Benali's attentions.
   
   Yet the England ace's dead-ball delivery looked the most likely way
   United were going to get back on terms.
   
   Jones moved smartly to save one bending effort after Richardson had
   been booked for cleaning out Giggs, but only just got there to tip his
   next try onto the top of the bar.
   
   United's domination of possession was now almost total - a
   double-figure corner count clocked up before the hour - yet for all
   that control they struggled to really test the home keeper.
   
   The frustration was shown with a flare-up which saw Butt and Le
   Tissier booked - Butt now faces a two match rest - and when the luck
   went against United again in the 69th minute they surely knew it was
   not to be.
   
   Oakley was adjudged to have fouled Paul Scholes in ideal Beckham
   territory 20 yards out, and the England man caressed over the wall and
   beyond Jones' despairing dive.
   
   Down it arced, but a fraction late, coming away off the angle of post
   and bar and somehow not falling for either Solskjaer or Cole.
   
   After all that defending, Saints suddenly broke away, Benali of all
   people threading through to Ostenstad, who picked his spot in the far
   corner but drilled across goal.
   
   Hope for United, yet Jones was inspired, plunging to his right to
   parry instinctively as Giggs' centre struck Cole's knee to divert the
   other way.
   
   Anxiety was the order of the day, Saints' clearances hurried as the
   nerves were shredded, although Hirst spooned over in the final minute.
   
   Not a miss he was to regret, with Jones the hero once again in the
   final seconds to foil substitute Brian McClair. Jones deserved to have
   the final act.
   
   Southampton: (4-4-2) Jones, Dodd, Benali, Richardson (Spedding, 87),
   Monkou, Lundekvam, Davies (Ostenstad, 19), Palmer, Hirst, Le Tissier
   (Slater, 80), Oakley.
   Subs not used: Dryden, Moss.
   Booked: Dodd, Le Tissier.
   
   Man United: (4-4-2) Schmeichel, G. Neville (Nevland, 85), Irwin,
   Scholes, Johnsen, Pallister, Beckham, Butt (McClair, 80), Cole,
   Solskjaer, Giggs.
   Subs not used: P. Neville, Berg, Pilkington.
   Booked: Giggs, Beckham, Butt.
   
   Attendance: 15,241.
   Referee: M A Riley (Leeds).


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