A nightmare returned for Chelsea at Old Trafford as Diego
Forlan left them on their knees for the second time in a month.
Just as he had done in the Worthington Cup quarter-final on their previous
visit to the Theatre of Dreams, Forlan rendered a defiant Chelsea performance
worthless, and this time the rewards are so much greater.
As the game went into stoppage time, Arsenal looked set to be the only winners
as the Premiership heavyweights continued to slug it out, still locked together
after Paul Scholes had levelled Eidur Gudjohnsen's opener by netting for the
fifth successive game.
But a moment of inspiration from Juan Sebastian Veron set fellow substitute
Forlan away in the box. The Uruguayan set his aim, pulled the trigger and hit
the bullseye by blasting a shot beyond Carlo Cudicini.
As so often in the past, Forlan celebrated by removing his shirt. The goal
came so late, he barely had time to put it back on.
It left Chelsea reeling and visitors boss Claudio Ranieri could barely believe
his luck after watching his team start brightly, overcome the early loss of
their leading striker and then battle back after seeing their lead snatched away
by Scholes.
Any Barcelona scouts running the rule over their intended £6million investment
had a short afternoon as Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink - reportedly in serious talks
with the Catalan giants - left the field after just 16 minutes, failing to
recover from Phil Neville's robust early challenge.
Neville had kept his place in an unchanged United side, even though Ferguson
had Ryan Giggs and Veron available, and the England international was one of the
few red shirted heroes to shine in a poor first-half from which the home side
were fortunate to emerge on level terms.
Petit was the outstanding midfielder on view, Mario Melchiot led a rock solid
Chelsea defensive effort and with Graeme le Saux, Hasselbaink, and then his
replacement Gianfranco Zola, all causing Fabien Barthez problems with inswinging
corners, the only surprise about the Londoners going in front was that it took
so long to get there.
Le Saux had one shot saved by Barthez after he stepped inside Gary Neville on
taking Jesper Gronkjaer's cut-back, then Petit fired wide after Roy Keane and
Phil Neville had messed up a routine clearance.
With Petit pulling the strings, Chelsea seemed to pick holes in United at will
and after the French international had robbed Phil Neville on halfway, he found
a gap wide enough to drive a bus through, pushing the ball on for Gudjohnsen to
finish with a clever flick over the advancing Barthez.
United's only threat had come through Beckham's penalty appeal for handball
against Celestine Babayaro which on first glance looked optimistic but replays
revealed to be far more obvious.
Either way, referee Paul Durkin turned it down and, for all the industry of
Keane, Beckham and Scholes, United would probably not have drawn level had Carlo
Cudicini not suffered a mental lapse when he raced back to hoof a backpass away
from danger, finding Beckham by the touchline instead of smashing it into the
stand.
The England skipper needed no second invitation and after steadying himself,
dropped a superb curling cross onto Scholes' head and the flame-haired goal
machine did the rest.
Giggs' introduction at the interval brought a standing ovation from the home
supporters who had been so critical of the Welshman's last fitful appearance
against Blackburn.
More importantly for Ferguson, it also brought an extra edge to United's
attacking play.
Giggs forced a corner and sprinted to take it short to Beckham and he swung
the ball onto Solskjaer's boot - the Norwegian's volley coming crashing back off
a post.
Briefly, Chelsea wobbled. Jesper Gronkjaer deflected a Scholes drive wide,
then Desailly blocked a Beckham cross with his chest which again brought howls
of 'handball' from the Stretford End.
Gudjohnsen led the visitors' revival, sucking Scholes and Wes Brown into
tackles he easily evaded before launching a venomous 20-yard effort which
Barthez could only beat away.
Rio Ferdinand managed to get in the way of Frank Lampard's powerful drive
before the home side swept upfield with a slick passing move which ended when
Cudicini atoned for his earlier error by turning Ruud van Nistelrooy's downward
header round his post.
The Italian went into credit shortly afterwards with another full length save
from Forlan's bobbling effort, the Uruguayan having replaced van Nistelrooy as
Ferguson looked to inject fresh life into his attack.
Forlan looked to have wasted United's last chance when he failed to control
David Beckham's knock-back just six yards out. But Veron's brilliant pass
offered a reprieve and this time the South American emerged a hero.
Teams:
Man Utd: Barthez, Gary Neville, Ferdinand, Brown,
Silvestre (Veron 85), Beckham, Keane, Scholes,
Phil Neville (Giggs 45), van Nistelrooy (Forlan 71), Solskjaer.
Subs Not Used: Carroll, O'Shea.
Goals: Scholes 39, Forlan 90.
Chelsea: Cudicini, Gallas, Melchiot, Desailly, Le Saux,
Gronkjaer (De Lucas 56), Petit, Lampard, Babayaro,
Hasselbaink (Zola 16), Gudjohnsen (Zenden 84).
Subs Not Used: de Goey, Morris.
Goals: Gudjohnsen 30.
Att: 67,606
Ref: P Durkin (Dorset).
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