Dwight Yorke ended his barren run in spectacular fashion as he scored a
hat-trick to rescue Manchester United against Derby at Old Trafford.
Yorke came into the match with his first-team place under threat after his
leanest spell in front of goal since his £12.6million move from Aston Villa in
August 1998.
He had not scored since January 6 against Necaxa in the World Club
Championship and only this week he had admitted that he could no longer take his
place for granted.
However by the end of the game he had reclaimed his status as United's top
striker with a lethal display of finishing to take his tally for the season to
16 and stretch the Treble winners' lead to seven points.
He bagged his first after 12 minutes, following a mistake by Derby goalkeeper
Mart Poom, before he scored twice in just over a minute in the second half to
kill off the Rams' hopes of snatching a point after substitute Branko Strupar
had equalised.
Once again United had struggled for much of the game and but for Yorke's
second and third strikes, Derby might have left Old Trafford with what would
have been a deserved point.
Yorke was one of seven changes Sir Alex Ferguson made to his starting line-up
as United played their fourth game in 11 days.
Jaap Stam, Denis Irwin and Andy Cole were given the weekend off, while Ryan
Giggs - who has injured his hamstring in this fixture for the past two seasons - Nicky Butt, Teddy Sheringham and Raimond Van der Gouw started on the bench.
This was one rest Van der Gouw probably did not want and it smacked more of
demotion following his howler against Bordeaux on Tuesday as Mark Bosnich took
over in goal.
Paul Scholes recovered from his hip injury to play, while Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer, Henning Berg, Phil Neville and Quinton Fortune were the other players
to come in.
Most of the record Premiership crowd of 61,619 were still settling into their
seats when Derby went close to opening the scoring after just 20 seconds.
Rory Delap crossed from the right and lone striker Malcolm Christie's shot was
saved by Bosnich.
Back came United and Solskjaer - the hero of Bordeaux - curled a teasing
effort just over the bar.
The Norwegian then felt he should have had a free-kick on the edge of the area
after he went down under a challenge from Poom, but referee Jeff Winter, who had
a perfect view of the incident, gave nothing.
Poom was not so fortunate in the 12th minute when he dropped a huge clanger to
gift United the lead.
Poom dallied over a clearance, which allowed Yorke to charge down his kick and
then tap the spinning ball into the empty net as the Rams goalkeeper desperately
tried to get back.
Winter rightly had a word with Christie and Gary Neville, who were barging
each other as they jostled for position for a Derby throw-in.
The pair's little battle continued despite Winter's warning and Christie gave
away a 27th-minute penalty when he knocked over Neville in the box.
Up stepped Scholes to take the spot-kick, but the normally reliable midfielder
was denied as Poom saved well diving to his right to be transformed from zero to
hero.
Poom thwarted Scholes again four minutes later when he blocked his stunning
volley before saving Solskjaer's effort from the rebound.
Derby boss Jim Smith changed his formation at half-time when he brought
Strupar on for Stefan Schnoor and played the striker up front alongside
Christie.
Scholes' bad day in front of goal continued five minutes into the second half
when Phil Neville set him up in the box only for the England international to
miscue his shot wide to his frustration.
Yorke then forced a decent save from Poom at his near post before Scholes
fired wide from 25 yards out.
But United were not in control and Derby almost equalised in the 58th minute
when Strupar found Christie 12 yards out only for Bosnich to block the striker's
shot.
United looked edgy at the back and Roy Keane made a vital clearing heading
after Stefano Eranio had lifted the ball over Bosnich, before Horacio Carbonari
saw his shot deflected wide.
It came as little surprise then when plucky Derby levelled midway through the
half.
Georgi Kinkladze, on his first return to Manchester following his departure
from City, played a delightful ball through to Strupar who knocked it past
Bosnich for his fourth goal for the Rams.
Cue Yorke's rescue act and in the 70th minute the Trinidad and Tobagan headed
home Fortune's cross to restore United's lead.
Then a minute later as Derby were still reeling, Keane slid the ball through
to Yorke on the left and he planted the ball beyond Poom to complete his
hat-trick.
To their credit Derby kept going and Bosnich saved well from Strupar and there
was even time at the end for substitute Ronnie Wallwork to hit a post.
Teams
Man Utd:
Bosnich, G. Neville, Berg, Silvestre, P. Neville,
Beckham, Keane (Wallwork 75), Scholes, Fortune (Butt 71),
Yorke, Solskjaer.
Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Sheringham, Giggs.
Goals: Yorke 12, 70, 72.
Derby:
Poom, Laursen, Carbonari, Elliott,
Dorigo (Sturridge 74), Delap, Eranio, Johnson,
Schnoor (Strupar 46), Christie, Kinkladze.
Subs Not Used: Oakes, Prior, Jackson.
Booked: Johnson, Dorigo.
Goals: Strupar 66.
Att: 61,619
Ref: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees).
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