Manchester United (a) Premiership
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Date: Saturday 23rd November 2002, 12.15pm Venue: Old Trafford Conditions: Grim up
north |
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| Manchester United | 5 - 3 | Newcastle |
| Half time: | 3 - 1 | |
| Score Sheet: | ||
(25) Scholes (38)
van
Nistelrooy (45)
van
Nistelrooy (53)
van
Nistelrooy (55)
Solskjaer
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Bernard (35) Shearer (52) Bellamy (75)
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Teams |
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Barthez Blanc Brown O'Shea Silvestre Scholes Fortune Giggs van Nistelrooy Forlan Solskjaer |
Given Hughes Dabizas O'Brien Griffin Bernard Jenas Speed Dyer Bellamy Shearer | |
| Substitutes: | ||
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(64) Richardson for van Nistelrooy (69) Roche for Blanc (79) Veron for Forlan |
Solano for Bernard (72) | |
| Subs not used: | ||
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Ricardo Chadwick |
Harper Elliott Acuna Ameobi |
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| Bookings: | ||
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Solskjaer (52) tripping Bernard and snarling at
the referee. van Nistelrooy (57) kicking Bernard. |
Speed (56) protesting at 5th goal Dabizas (58) foul on van Nistelrooy | |
| Sendings off: | ||
| None | None | |
| Referee:
Steve Dunn (Bristol) Having overseen six wins and three draws in our previous ten away
games (plus the Howay 5-0 game), Dunn couldn't do anything to help us. One or two dodgy offsides and a failure to spot the assault on Hughes for their fifth, but the burden of responsibility has to fall on the linesmen to spot both infringements. Dunn did show some restraint in not booking Alan Shearer for protesting, although Gary Speed went straight in the book after the Solksjaer goal. |
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| Attendance:
67,619 - a figure that took us through the one
million barrier home and away for the season. Support from the Toon contingent was unstintingly excellent, and aside from the usual anti-red sentiments expressed, the final few minutes were enlivened by some renditions of "taxi for London" as "home" fans vacated areas adjacent to wor lot. The players did acknowledge the efforts of the away fans at the end of the game, with the likes of Harper etc. also taking time to join his colleagues on the field applauding the away section. However Jenas was so desperate for the sanctuary of the dressing room that he was long gone from view by the time his colleagues turned to leave the field. |
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Goals |
25 mins Aaron Hughes
uncharacteristically dived in on Solskjaer who had seemingly mesmerised him with
some ball juggling. This left the route to goal clear and when the ball
was played back, Paul Scholes lashed it into the top corner leaving Shay
helpless. 0-1
35 mins Fluke or no fluke it was great to see the balding
Frenchman floundering and flapping more than his Arsenal counterpart ever
has in all the recent hullabaloo about goalkeeper's that can't jump. It
was also a double-whammy for John O'Shea who had been felled
with Olivier Bernard's first attempt at a cross from the left wing facing
the Stretford end. Shame that the goal wasn't
ultimately more costly for them. 1-1
38 mins Jermaine Jenas was having an awful day and this was possibly his lowest point. The challenges on Silvestre were surprisingly poor and when he finally got a boot in the way all it did was deflect the ball perfectly onto van Nistelrooy's head. The Dutchman wasn't going to miss from two yards out, especially with Given stationary. 1-2
45 mins Another example of exactly why Forlan was such an inspired signing and not just a spiteful act of revenge by Fergie towards Steve McClaren. The straggly-haired South American showed great foresight by scuffing his shot directly to an unmarked van Nistelrooy who couldn't miss from close range with Given waving like a infant who wanted to be excused. 1-3
Half time: Man United 3 Newcastle 1
52 mins A cowardly trip on
Olivier Bernard by Solksjaer prompted one of the best
strikes of the ball you'll ever see. The swerve and ferocity that Alan
Shearer
gained on the centrally-placed free kick from the outside of his right boot rendered Barthez useless
as the
ball smacked in off the bar.
This was very similar to another landmark goal he got
against Arsenal a few seasons back. Despite what the scorer said, it was a fantastic
effort and a great place to get his 100th Premiership goal for the Toon,
even if the result wasn't memorable. 2-3
53 mins Andy O'Brien had a
nightmare when trying to catch Forlan offside - it would have been a great
bit of defending had there not been three or four players nearer the goal
than he. Funnily enough one of those in an offside position was van
Nistelrooy and he obviously wasn't interfering with play, apart from
scoring....
Forlan did his best to make a mess of the gift but
unfortunately abdicated responsibility and crossed for van Nistelrooy
to complete his hat-trick and register his 50th goal for the reds. 2-4
55 mins Solskjaer managed to negate the challenge of Hughes with something resembling common assault (wrestling fans later confirmed this was a move known as the clothes line). Obviously these things are judged relatively at Old Trafford and in comparison to something the absent eejit might have done, it was deemed fair play. The Norwegian dwarf raced clear and finished easily for his first ever goal against us. 2-5
75 mins Shearer won a header from a Solano corner taken in front of the toon section and nodded on for an unmarked Craig Bellamy a few yards from goal. A simple nod past Barthez and a defender on the line was all that was required. 3-5
Full time: Man United 5 Newcastle 3
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We Said |
Sir Bobby said:
"Alan (Shearer) might say
it was a shambles but I'm the manager so I can't. Mind you that's what I
told them it was in the dressing room. It was insipid and something that only seems to happen away from
home. We don't play offsides yet today one of our defenders decides we
do.
"It is about being aware of danger and applying yourself. I'm sure
anybody sitting at home will have been thoroughly entertained -
unfortunately I'm in the dug-out with a black and white shirt on.
"I would think that free kick was one of the best goals Alan Shearer has ever scored in a wonderful career.
"It was a brilliant strike. He could not have placed it any better and it was destined to be a goal from the moment the ball left his right foot.
"I know Alan will say he would have preferred not to score and for the team to win but I think you can still separate what is a fantastic achievement from the disappointment of losing. And I know people recognise what a superb player Alan Shearer is.
"We can be
inconsistent I know that. We can keep a clean sheet at home to Juventus
but away from home in the Premiership we can be fragile from time to
time."
"Our defence stands firm at home but we have a fragile look on our
travels. We begin to think we're good at the back but then suddenly we
look vulnerable again and it's something I will have to look at.
"I hope the players will be quite angry about our defensive performance because I am. One or two will have to put their thinking caps on and improve or else they won't be in the team.
"It's going to be a great championship race and people should sit back and enjoy it. I wish we were a little bit closer.
"I
told the players that if we want to be considered as a big club we have to
come to places like Old Trafford and compete. At the moment we're not able
to do it.
"The only consolation is that now we don't have to go to Arsenal,
Liverpool, Chelsea or Manchester United in the league this season and
those teams have to come to our place."
Ton up man Shearer commented:
What you have seen today is
two very good attacking sides and two very poor defensive sides. It was crazy. You don't expect
to defend like that and win. We came here and scored three goals and if
someone had said `you'll score three goals at Old Trafford' we would have
snapped their hand off.
"We got ourselves back into the game (at 1-1) and gave two crazy goals away. We said at half-time the next goal is important. It went to 3-2 but straightaway they went down the other end and scored and it was another shambles."
"It was nice to get the goal at
Old Trafford but I would prefer to be on winning side. I can't enjoy it
which is annoying."
Olivier Bernard said of his goal:
"I didn't mean it.
"It was supposed to be a cross and it just looped in. In the end it didn't matter. All the time we were trying to come from behind and it was a hard match for us. Defensively we made too many mistakes.
"We could have played so much better. Manchester United are a quality team and they punish you if you're not at your best.
"One mistake leads to a goal at Old Trafford and we made at least five.
"Manchester United are famed for their attacking football and yet we still defended poorly. Van Nistelrooy, Giggs and Solksjaer made our lives very difficult but we also made theirs too easy.
"We have to forget about Saturday and concentrate on Inter Milan. We're going into the second phase of the Champions' League full of confidence and believe we can qualify for the quarter-finals.
"When we started in the competition we lacked self-belief but we've learnt and know what needs to be done."
|
They Said |
Ferguson said:
"Overall, it was one of our most effective performances of the season.
Today was confirmation of our scoring ability."
Treble-up van Nistelrooy drooled:
:"It was fantastic - a great day for football. Everyone enjoyed it very much.
"It is hard to say what has been missing. But it happened for us today and we scored five. I hope it is a boost and that we can go on from here."
"The header came after great
play. Mikael crossed and it was a good goal. It gives us a great
confidence with so many big games coming up.
"I like Bobby (Robson) so much I wish I didn't have to score
against him. He has been
really influential in my career. He passed on his passion, his desire for
football and his vision for the game.
"It's amazing how he passes on fighting spirit and great feeling to the players. He did that to me and I'm very grateful for that."
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Match Stats |
Manchester United conceded three goals at home in
a match twice in 2001, when Deportivo edged past them 3-2 and Chelsea
walloped them 3-0. However today was the first time in the Premiership
that a team has come to Old Trafford, scored three times and not claimed
at least a point.
Something of a rare scoreline for the toon - this was our first
Premiership 5-3 win or loss and the last one that springs to mind
is a 5-3 home win over Charlton in 1979.
Our last triple salvo at Old Trafford in a first team game was a 7-3
reverse in January 1960. At one stage 42 years on, it looked as if
the home side would do better than their score that day...
No Newcastle player had scored in the
away end at Old Trafford since Mirandinha back in September 1987,
including our two FA Cup semi finals today was our 13th attempt to do so -
lucky for Shearer.
That memorable effort from Shearer for his 100th Premiership goal in
our colours, matching his feat for Blackburn Rovers (he went on to
get 112 for them).
The player was presented with a framed toon/blackburn shirt by Barclaycard
to mark the achievement but looked rather less than delighted with
proceedings. I know how he felt.
Interestingly Shearer was interviewed in the tunnel area behind a
badly-whitewashed bare wall with a light switch and some dangling cable
visible, rather than the MUTV branded panelling just a few feet away -
wonder if that was deliberate on his part?
|
Waffle |
another Manchester disaster then, and
elements of Deja-vu as van Nistelrooy plundered our defence in a manner
reminiscent of Cole before him, while Dabizas and O'Brien invoked memories
of Peter Jackson. Or possibly the Easter island statues.
We weren't alone in pedalling a pre-match line that this was our chance to
end the thirty year run of misery, but unfortunately we decided that today
would be one of our off days. When we're hot we're hot, but when we're not
it's like going for a stroll with Captain Oates....
Despite the home side being in something of a downturn before the game, we
obliged by allowing them to rebuild their confidence to such an extent
that second choice players like Forlan could be replaced by children in
the closing stages of the game.
Christ knows what a full strength side would have done to us. We really
did flounder and panic at times, and the heads dropped in the second half
once that Dutch bloke completed his hat trick. It's not often you see our
lot give up thankfully, but had we had something white to wave or a towel
to throw in we might have used it.
But again it's too easy to blame our defence for conceding the goals.
Leaving aside the controversial fifth, the home side swept upfield towards
our goal with scarcely an eyelid being batted, never mind a meaningful
challenge or interception being offered.
While both Hughes and Griffin showed weakness on the flanks, the fact
remains that we had an alleged numerical advantage of one in midfield but
were constantly stretched to breaking point. While Speed again did his
best to put out fires, Dyer, Bernard and Jenas all flounced around to
differing degrees.
JJ looked to have been swallowed up by the occasion to be honest, while
the increasingly barrel-like Bernard scored a scabby goal but did little
else, failing to find Bellamy or Shearer with a forward pass all
afternoon. I'll need to watch the video again to spot Dyer's
contribution to proceedings.
At 5-2 and Newcastle looking likely to concede more the game seemed dead
and gone. With the Milan test on the horizon, other folks would doubtless
have been tempted to withdraw Bellamy for the last 35 minutes but not Sir
Bobby. He did see the Welshman come into the game more with a rasping shot
and his 18th goal for the club, but that back header meant this was to be
the first time he'd scored and Newcastle had lost.
A truly pointless record of course, but an extra 35 minutes that perhaps
could be better directed against the Italians or even allow him to make a
cameo appearance against Everton. Time will tell.
While there was a certain gloom as the away supporters left the ground,
one can only imagine what a certain former England number nine had to say
behind the closed dressing room door. Given the tone of his after-match
comments it's a fair bet that one or two of his colleagues got the
Gosforth equivalent of the Ferguson "hairdryer".
Never mind Bobby being embarrassed by his defence - if the captain is half
as p'd off as he looked, then there will be changes, arrivals and
departures. The centurion goalscorer has a habit of getting his way more
often than not.
Being realistic, the fact remains that we've now negotiated most of our perennial grounds of misery for the season, with Stamford Bridge, Anfield, Old Trafford and Highbury all survived for the gain of one point. We also lost here by two goals last season, albeit in slightly less spectacular fashion.
With only Southampton to go and all of the first four sides still to
come to Tyneside it's not quite the end of the world losing here and
certainly no great shock. Winning our game in hand will take us sixth and
maintaining our good home habits would still keep us there or thereabouts.
It's just slightly depressing to be standing in a Manchester bar
post-match bemoaning yet another loss and knowing that again we've made
their players look like the kings of football, something they aren't.
Today it was Blanc, Fortune and Forlan but in times past it's been McClair,
Olsen, Moses and far too many others to mention.
For the black and whites meanwhile, the names of the players (and manager)
may change but the familiar failings remain. Is Manchester replacing
London as the new hoodoo?
Let's hope we can avoid a repeat visit this season in the cup, unless it's
an FA semi...... or the champs league final. With our defence neither seem
particularly likely, but anything is possible with this lot. Except
beating Man U on this ground.
Biffa
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