Manchester United crashed to their sixth Premier League defeat of the season
as hard-working Sheffield Wednesday dominated today's game at Hillsborough and
cut the champions' lead at the top of the table to nine points.
Goals from Peter Atherton (27) and Paolo Di Canio (88) gave the Owls the
perfect revenge for the 6-1 drubbing United inflicted on them at Old Trafford in
November.
It was also another famous victory for Wednesday boss Ron Atkinson over the
club who sacked him in 1986.
United appeared to be moving into a comfortable position after stand-in
goalkeeper Raimond van der Gouw had almost single-handedly weathered the early
Wednesday storm.
But Wednesday were not to be denied and the three-pronged attack of Benito
Carbone, Andy Booth and Di Canio wreaked havoc with the champions, who looked
jaded after the excellent midweek performance in Monaco.
United soaked up the early pressure and could have taken a 17th-minute lead
themselves when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, on his first start for a month, was denied
by the agility of Wednesday goalkeeper Kevin Pressman from just three yards
out.
But United, seemingly ready to adopt their accustomed offensive role, were
shocked when Wednesday scored after a brilliantly worked set-piece in the 27th
minute.
David Beckham proved to the capacity Hillsborough crowd that it is not his
defensive qualities which will take him to the World Cup in the summer when he
failed to control the ball and conceded a corner.
Mark Pembridge nudged the ball to Carbone. The Italian looked up once before
floating a wonderful cross into the six-yard area. Ronny Johnsen had coped with
such aerial threat against Monaco with accomplishment alongside Henning Berg but
he failed to match the leap of Wednesday skipper Peter Atherton who powerfully
headed home his second goal of the season.
It was scant reward for Van der Gouw who was making his first Premiership
start of the season in place of Peter Schmeichel. The Dutchman had denied Andy
Booth twice with his speed of thought in the first half.
Wednesday were without midfielders Graham Hyde through suspension and Petter
Rudi through a hamstring injury. But their absence did not affect Wednesday as
Booth comfortably slotted into a third-man striking role.
But the loss of Denis Irwin after a calf injury in Monaco hurt United and the
defensive partnership of David May and Johnsen looked nowhere near as
comfortable or reliable as the Champions' League pairing with fellow Norwegian
Berg, who had moved to Irwin's left-back role.
Ferguson switched Johnsen for Paul Scholes at the break and the impact was
almost immediate.
Beckham found Andy Cole with a short pass before the former Newcastle striker
flicked on to Scholes. The England international took aim from 20 yards but his
well-struck half-volley only rattled Pressman's bar.
Three minutes later, Van der Gouw proved again just how capable a deputy he is
for Schmeichel. Carbone crossed over the heads of Gary Neville and May to Di
Canio. The Italian appeared certain to add Wednesday's second but the Dutchman
reached out a long left arm to save brilliantly.
It was the signal Wednesday needed to move forward. And the home side should
have taken at least a three-goal advantage.
In the 58th minute, Carbone found Di Canio wide on the right. His cross
avoided May and Berg but Dejan Stefanovic failed to connect properly.
Then, just a minute later, an astonishing scramble in the United area ended
with a very un-United punt away from danger. Booth headed against the post
before Carbone headed the rebound across goal where Di Canio's acrobatic bicycle
kick crashed against the underside of the bar before being cleared.
Scholes should have gained an undeserved United equaliser in the 66th minute
but fired Teddy Sheringham's header over from just four yards.
But the Owls hit back again in the 76th minute. Second-half substitute Guy
Whittingham found Di Canio on the right and he crossed for Booth. But the
striker's header was cleared by May's face.
Two minutes later, Scholes was again guilty of a wasted opportunity when he
sliced Solskjaer's excellent cross well wide of Pressman's goal after cleverly
finding space behind Jon Newsome.
In the 88th minute, Di Canio sealed the victory with a copy of his previous
overhead kick from Carbone's cross.
Teams/B>
Sheff Wed: Pressman, Atherton, Pembridge (Whittingham 49),
Newsome, Walker, Carbone, Booth, Di Canio (Oakes 89), Stefanovic,
Hinchcliffe, Barrett.
Subs Not Used: Clarke, Nicol, Mayrleb.
Booked: Barrett.
Goals: Atherton 26, Di Canio 88.
Man Utd: Van Der Gouw, G. Neville, May, Johnsen (Scholes 45),
Beckham, Butt, Cole (McClair 77), Sheringham,
P. Neville (Curtis 60), Solskjaer, Berg.
Subs Not Used: Thornley, Pilkington.
Booked: May.
Att: 39,427
Ref: P Jones (Loughborough).
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