Coventry secured a club record seventh successive victory as they outclassed
Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park and condemned the Eagles to the bottom of the
Premiership table.
Midfielder Paul Telfer opened the scoring within the first minute during a
blistering opening spell after a mistake by full-back Dean Gordon, and Viorel
Moldovan doubled the advantage five minutes before the break.
Then after 76 minutes, Dion Dublin completed the rout as he went up from the
back to head home a free kick, thereby becoming the club's all-time leading
goalscorer during their 31-year spell in the top flight, overtaking boyhood hero
Cyrille Regis with his 63rd goal.
With Barnsley winning 2-1 at Oakwell against Selhurst Park tenants Wimbledon,
Palace dropped ominously to the bottom of the table for the first time this
season and were booed off the pitch.
Millionaire businessman Mark Goldberg will hold talks with former Palace boss
Terry Venables on Monday after completing the first stage of his proposed
£30million takeover.
But even if Venables signs, he will find himself in the midst of a desperate
relegation struggle with an out-of-form team crippled by injuries to star
players.
Today, current manager Steve Coppell turned to a more attacking 4-4-2
formation in a bid to find the Eagles' first Premiership home win of the
season.
But they simply could not cope with Coventry's committed display, especially
Darren Huckerby's trickery and pace as Palace were blown apart in the opening 15
minutes.
Huckerby, their chief tormentor all afternoon, turned Marc Edworthy inside out
on the left wing with ease before crossing into the box for the opening goal.
Gordon should have cleared it, but allowed the ball to slip between his legs and
Telfer nipped in to place his shot into the corner of the net with the clock
reading just 54 seconds.
Six minutes later, Coventry almost scored a second goal as Huckerby dummied
Dublin's through-ball, letting Moldovan in on goal but goalkeeper Kevin Miller
saved with his fingertips and Noel Whelan failed to convert the rebound.
Then Whelan hit the crossbar after Dublin had laid the ball back to him and
Edworthy had to produce a last-gasp sliding tackle to deny Trond Soltvedt.
Thomas Brolin finally started to come into the match but Palace's final ball
seemed more hopeful than measured, with Dublin in commanding form at the back.
Jamie Fullarton went closest to scoring for Palace with a dipping 25-yard shot
that skimmed the crossbar.
But after 40 minutes, Moldovan scored the second goal Coventry clearly
deserved as Huckerby played him through Palace's static defence with marker
Valerien Ismael rooted to the spot, and the Romanian calmly shot past Miller.
Palace were given hope by recent signing Matt Jansen's introduction at
half-time for his first Premiership appearance, as substitute for Simon Rodger.
He revitalised the side with his energy, while Brolin moved back to his more
comfortable and influential position as midfield playmaker.
But when the chance to get back into the match came, Ismael spurned it by
volleying over the crossbar from six yards as he latched onto Jamie Smith's
hopeful lob forward.
Yet if that miss was bad, Moldovan's at the other end a minute later was
almost unbelievable.
Huckerby was again the creator, breaking away to send George Boateng clear on
the left and his cross found Moldovan, who turned his marker, dummied the
goalkeeper then somehow shot wide of the open goal.
Palace worked increasingly hard and sent on Marcus Bent and Leon McKenzie to
boost their attacking options but always appeared toothless in front of goal.
Dublin showed them how with Coventry's third goal 14 minutes from time as he
flicked on a free kick from Telfer to beat Miller.
And in the closing stages, the Palace goalkeeper had to save his side from
further embarrassment with fine saves from Telfer and then Boateng.
Teams
Chelsea (0) 0 Man Utd (1) 1
Chelsea: Kharine, Petrescu, Leboeuf, Clarke, Vialli (Flo 78),
Hughes, Wise, Duberry, Le Saux, Di Matteo, Zola.
Subs Not Used: Hitchcock, Lambourde, Newton, Nicholls.
Booked: Wise, Zola, Leboeuf.
Man Utd: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Irwin, Johnsen,
Pallister (Berg 28), Beckham, Butt, Cole, Sheringham, P. Neville,
Scholes.
Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, McClair, Solskjaer, Thornley.
Booked: Butt, Beckham, Cole.
Goals: P. Neville 31.
Att: 34,511
Ref: S W Dunn (Bristol).
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