P: United 1 - 0 Spurs
PREVIEW: UNITED vs. SPURS
A first real test of the season awaits United in the home match against Spurs.
The Londoner’s have quality in their ranks from back to front and should offer greater resistance than United encountered in their three previous Premiership matches. That said, Spurs title credentials were hardly underlined by surprise defeats against Bolton and Everton, so United should be confident of overcoming the visitors.
United stars came through international week mostly unscathed. Rio Ferdinand should be fit to take his place in a solid defence and the team will look to the enterprise of Ryan Giggs and in form Cristiano Ronaldo to see them home. Louis Saha will also be conscious of the need to perform well and prove that he can also make a difference against the bigger teams.
Sir Alex certainly has faith in the Frenchman. ‘Given a full season there is no question Louis Saha will get over 20 goals,’ he claimed.’He has everything right in his game - pace, heading ability and two good feet. He did not really start playing until November last year but had a period when he scored 10 in 11 games, which is a great return.’
Sir Alex also confirmed that Spurs old boy will face his old team mates from the start today. ‘He will definitely start,’ said Ferguson. ‘Michael has had no problems settling in. It is easy in a sense because there are so many English players here. His training has been great. He owes a lot to Tottenham but, like any player coming up against his old club for the first time, I am sure he will be glad to get it out of the way.’
Dimitar Berbatov, a player Sir Alex rates, is unlikely to play due to injury but Spurs talisman Ledley King should be back. Add the pace of Aaron Lennon and the fast reactions of Jermaine Defoe and Spurs have a team to take the game to United. The presence of old boy Michael Carrick should give them enough motivation and with the astute Martin Jol on hand to challenge Sir Alex to a tactical dual, this should prove an entertaining evening’s contest.
PREMIERSHIP RESULTS:
Arsenal 1-1 Middlesbrough / Chelsea 2-1 Charlton / Newcastle 1-2 Fulham / Portsmouth 1-0 Wigan
Bolton 1-0 Watford / Sheff Utd 0-0 Blackburn / Everton 3-0 Liverpool / West Ham 1 - 1 Aston Villa
RESULT: United 1 - 0 Spurs Giggs 8
MATCH REPORT
A hard-earned victory over Spurs maintained United’s lead at the top of the Premiership and widened the gap over derby-losers Liverpool and Arsenal.
Sir Alex restored Evra to defence and O’Shea to midfield, whilst confirming Michael Carrick’s Old Trafford debut against his former team. Carrick showed glimpses of the passing range that persuaded Ferguson to spend more that £18 m for his services and was a heart of United’s best work in a first half played at the brisk tempo that has been a feature of United’s three previous Premiership outings.
Spurs, with several new or returning players on view, were ragged before the interval, yielding the advantage to United. With August player of the month Ryan Giggs, playing just behind Louis Saha, United were too cute for the sluggish Londoners and took the lead in the eighth minute.
Normally, spectators have more reason to worry than opposing goalkeepers when Cristiano Ronaldo steps up to take a free-kick. For once, the Portuguese winger’s effort was powerful and on target. England shot-stopper Paul Robinson could only parry the 35 yard shot but Giggs was on hand to head the ball into the unguarded net off the underside of the crossbar.
Fans must have thought the men in red were set fair for another goal feast but a flying Zokora arm which bloodied the nose of Giggs, seemed to take the fizz out of United. Richardson’s wasted shot on 37 minutes was United’s sole meaningful effort as the half drew to a close. Ominously, disarray in the centre of United’s defence threatened to be Spurs best route back into the match.
Martin Jol’s side gradually recovered its form, finishing the first half strongly and claiming the best of the second half’s early exchanges. Particular joy was had on United’s right, with two dangerous crosses in the 66th and 77th minutes provoking extreme danger among United’s defenders. Substitute Jermaine Defoe and later, the Egyptian Mido inexplicably failed to convert.
United were now less convincing, reduced to half chances from Saha and Ronaldo until a gloriously worked move on 82 minutes, saw Saha blaze over with the goal at his mercy. The Frenchman fluffed his lines again five minutes later with only Robinson to beat.
Despite late Spurs pressure, United hung on to claim all three points.
TEAM
United: Van der Sar; Evra; Brown; Ferdinand; Neville; Richardson (Park 70) O’Shea; Carrick (Fletcher 78); Ronaldo (Silvestre 90); Giggs; Saha
Subs: Kuszczak; Solskjaer
POST SCRIPT
Sir Alex: ‘We beat a good side who will make an impact in this league. I think Ryan has shown his experience and maturity. His ability’s always been there. He’s been a fantastic player for this club. He’ll go down as one of the greatest. But he’s using his experience. I’m pleased as we need players to do that.’
Martin Jol: ‘I think in the first half we probably lacked a bit of confidence.It was a new team again, we had Hossam Ghaly making his debut and Pascal Chimbonda was new. But I think he did terrifically well. First half they didn’t cause us a lot of problems. But at Old Trafford you get two or three chances at the most. And we had probably five today.’
