Rising above his ridiculous pantomime villain status in these parts, David
Beckham returned to his East End roots to inspire Manchester United to a
mesmerising win that effectively summed up their season.
Having put the lowest point of their campaign in losing at home to West Ham
firmly behind them, United were not about to let the setbacks of twice falling
behind at Upton Park to interrupt their recovery.
Then again, they were still vulnerable at the back and having stormed into a
4-2 lead, still had to survive a frenetic final spell after substitute Jermain
Defoe's strike with 12 minutes left.
However, after a tumultuous game of wildly contrasting fortunes, extreme
emotions and sheer drama, it was appropriately enough left to Beckham to settle
the outcome late on.
Having previously put his side level at 1-1 with an exquisite lob and been
intricately involved in two other goals, he struck the penalty which confirmed
that United moved back above Liverpool to the top of the table.
In doing so, they managed to overcome a notorious stumbling block for their
title hopes, having been tripped up at Upton Park in both 1992 and 1995.
West Ham, whose victory at Old Trafford in December left United being written
off by some observers, exploded into action again in this encounter.
With just seven minutes gone, Steve Lomas met Vladimir Labant's deep cross
with such power at the far post that Fabien Barthez could only claw the ball
onto the bar and back down into his own net.
Paolo di Canio, meanwhile, who was courted and then spurned by United
recently, started the game like a man possessed - tackling ferociously, harrying
opponents and delivering a fierce long-range drive just over thebar.
However, if di Canio had a rival for exquisite natural talent it was Beckham
and he provided a memorable riposte on 17 minutes.
Joe Cole, who has yet to fully harness his own mercurial ability, needlessly
gave the ball away as he attempted an over-ambitious cross-field ball.
Paul Scholes, who had been restored to the side, sent Beckham scurrying away
and as keeper David James came out, the midfielder nonchalantly lobbed him.
Upton Park was, to put it mildly, unimpressed by his wild celebrations but
Frederic Kanoute soon answered back as he swept home Sebastien Schemmel's low
cross.
This time, West Ham's lead lasted all of 60 seconds as Beckham turned provider
to deliver a free-kick from which Nicky Butt headed home from close range.
Tomas Repka and Roy Keane threatened thereafter but otherwise the frantic
tempo finally, and perhaps inevitably, dipped after that unforgettable 20-minute
explosion of action.
Indeed, while both defences still struggled to cope in teeming rain, United
slowed the pace down and finally started to exert a measure of control in
midfield.
They even seized the lead 10 minutes after the break as Solskjaer evaded the
attentions of two markers on the byline and cut the ball back for the unmarked
figure of Scholes to convert from close range.
West Ham were now regularly being pulled apart and they self-destructed
completely in failing to cut out Beckham's cross as Solskjaer struck United's
fourth at the second attempt.
James redeemed himself with a superb save from Keane and with 12 minutes left,
West Ham gave themselves hope of an unlikely comeback of their own.
Substitute Jermain Defoe, who had struck the winner at Old Trafford back in
December, had only been on the pitch for four minutes when he converted
Kanoute's cross.
However, then referee Mark Halsey deemed that Repka had brought down Scholes
and up stepped Beckham to round off an unforgettable afternoon with a flourish.
Teams:
West Ham: James, Schemmel, Repka, Dailly, Winterburn (Defoe 74), Labant, Lomas, Carrick, Cole, Di Canio, Kanoute.
Subs Not Used: Hislop, Moncur, Pearce, Garcia.
Booked: Schemmel, Repka.
Goals: Lomas 8, Kanoute 20, Defoe 78.
Man Utd: Barthez, Gary Neville, Blanc, Johnsen, Silvestre, Beckham, Scholes, Keane, Butt, van Nistelrooy (Fortune 87), Solskjaer (Forlan 84).
Subs Not Used: Carroll, Irwin, Phil Neville.
Booked: Gary Neville, Solskjaer.
Goals: Beckham 17, Butt 22, Scholes 55, Solskjaer 64, Beckham 89 pen.
Att: 35,281
Ref: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).
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