P: Sheffield United 1 - 2 United
PREVIEW: Sheffield v United …
A trip to the city of steel ought to see United return with all three points. But which United will be on show this afternoon? The United who have run riot against Fulham, Newcastle and Bolton or the team that took its eye off the prize at Reading?
As if to counter the complacency which has affected his side more than once this season, Sir Alex has spoken again about the need for consistency and the requirement to take a three point lead into the match against champions Chelsea next week.
“There has been a real increase in momentum from us and the performances on the field are justifying a lot of people’s optimism at the club,” the manager said. “But I don’t want them to get too confident because there are a lot of potholes ahead and they will trip up somewhere.”
The game against Sheffield is set up as being just such a banana skin for United, as it might prove impossible for the players to get next week’s matches against Celtic and Chelsea out of their minds.
“The game with Chelsea will be a massive one and we want to be going into it with a three-point lead,” Ferguson added. “Chelsea’s excellent starts to the last two league campaigns are the main reason why they’ve won the title. They have left us all catching our breath, but thankfully we have enjoyed a good opening to the season this time round.
“After the game with Chelsea you then go into the December programme - which is always congested, tense and exhausting for everyone.”
The manager, appearing dangerously to focus on the future rather than the present, will hope that his players do not follow his lead. Sheffield earned a point against Liverpool in the opening match of the season. At least the manager knows that in Hulse, they have a striker who can find the net and in Neil Warnock, a Sheffield fan himself, the team has motivator with the power to get every player to scrap to the last.
“When you look at the bottom of the league, there are eight or nine teams down there all within two or three points of each other,” Ferguson said. “It must give them optimism they can stay up. He [Warnock] is passionate about football and passionate about Sheffield United. He always has sides with a good team spirit.””
Warnock, like Ferguson is already looking past today’s match. He said: “Our three games after this one against West Ham, Watford and Charlton are in some ways more vital than this match. Not being disrespectful to Manchester United, but they are far more important games. I know for the fans and the players this is the biggest game, but from my point of view, we have some bigger ones coming up.”
Despite the distractions on both sides, United should come out ahead with ease, setting up one humdinger of a match with Chelsea
PREMIERSHIP RESULTS:
Manchester C. 3 - 1 Fulham; Arsenal 1 - 1 Newcastle; Chelsea 1 - 0 West Ham; Everton 1 - 0 Bolton; Portsmouth 2 - 1 Watford; Reading 2 - 0 Charlton; Middlesbrough 0 - 0 Liverpool; Wigan Athletic 0 - 0 Aston Villa; Blackburn R. 1 - 1 Tottenham RESULT: Sheff U. 1 - 2 United Gillespie (13) / Rooney (30, 75)
BBC : Wayne Rooney scored twice as leaders Manchester United came from behind to beat Sheffield United.
The Blades took a surprise lead when Keith Gillespie headed in Derek Geary’s cross against his former club. But Rooney hauled the visitors level when he coolly found the net from a Gary Neville cross.
Rooney won it on 75 minutes when he drilled in Patrice Evra’s cross before Cristiano Ronaldo hit the crossbar and then blazed over from just three yards.
In the end, United should have won by a far bigger margin after they wasted a string of late chances but the victory was enough to maintain their three-point advantage over champions Chelsea. Rooney’s form is a major bonus for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side who should have taken an early lead when Neville should have done better than drive straight at Paddy Kenny’s legs when clean through on goal.
Sheffield United went ahead with virtually their first attack on 13 minutes after Rio Ferdinand failed to clear his lines wide on the right and Geary crossed for Gillespie to direct a perfect header back across Edwin van der Sar from eight yards.
The leaders almost hit back instantly when Neville’s cross was headed at goal by Rooney and was brilliantly scooped away for a corner by Kenny. Referee Mark Clattenburg rejected strong appeals from Manchester United for a penalty - when Louis Saha appeared to be unfairly shoved in the back by Rob Kozluk - and booked Ryan Giggs for protesting.
Manchester United pressed hard and the equaliser on the half-hour came when Neville crossed from the right for Rooney, who needed two touches before clinically dispatching the ball past a helpless Kenny.
There was a second appeal for a penalty when Paul Scholes claimed he was held back by Alan Quinn just before half time, but again the referee disagreed. The Blades were in no mood to allow United to take the upper hand after the interval as they were spurred on by the biggest crowd of the season so far at Bramall Lane.
Neil Warnock’s side closed United down and their relentless work rate meant the title hopefuls were unable to enjoy as much possession as normal until the final 20 minutes. The Blades suddenly found themselves back-peddling as United attack down both flanks with the much-improved Patrice Evra particularly effective down the left. And it was from his pin-point cross that Rooney cracked home a rasping low shot to give Manchester United the lead.
Ronaldo should have settled it but he failed to properly connect just five yards from goal as a gilt-edged chance went begging. The Portuguese then headed against the bar from a Giggs cross and the follow-up from Scholes was cleared off the line by Phil Jagielka.
Manchester United were rampant in the closing stages but Ronaldo’s afternoon was capped off by the most embarrassing miss of the season when he scooped over a Giggs cross from three yards with the goal at his mercy.
In the end, it didn’t matter as Sheffield United never looked like clawing their way back for a point. United now look forward to two mouth-watering fixtures against Celtic in the Champions League followed by the visit of Chelsea.
TEAM
United: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra (Heinze 80), Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Saha
Subs: Kuszczak, O’Shea, Fletcher, Silvestre.
POST SCRIPT
Sir Alex: “”It was [a big win]. Obviously we saw the pattern of the game as SheffieldUnited used a system to make it difficult and they had the benefit of an early goal to try and hang on to.
“They made it difficult for us, but we had fantastic possession, made some chances and you always hope to make the breakthrough before half time.
“The goal gave us confidence and patience to wait in the second half. I think we played very well in the game. In the second half we had lots of chances it was good.
Neil Warnock : “Our season starts now. When I saw the fixtures at the start of the season, I thought the games after this one would be crucial to us. I thought we might have been a few more points adrift, but we are not. We are in the mix and we can start scrapping for points from now on.”
