When Kevin Keegan asked Alex Ferguson which of his players he wanted to rest
for England's friendly in Hungary, the Manchester United boss did not hesitate
for a second.
David Beckham was his immediate answer and as the winger tormented Aston Villa
at Old Trafford to send his side back to the top of the table above Arsenal, it
was easy to see why.
Villa may not be the imposing side which led the Premiership before Christmas
but they still managed to equalise Steve Watson's early own goal with a strike
by Julian Joachim.
But although his team-mates' aching limbs showed as they began the month of
May which holds the key to their treble destiny, Beckham scored a sublime
30-yard free-kick two minutes into the second-half.
United were even able to survive a missed penalty, as keeper Michael Oakes
brilliantly denied Denis Irwin. But their victory was mainly down to Beckham,
who has played the large majority of United's games this season, and the week's
rest he has benefited from along with Gary Neville clearly showed as he ran the
show at Old Trafford.
United were without Ryan Giggs, Andy Cole and Jaap Stam through injury, while
Roy Keane was suspended, but still they came out of the blocks fuelled with
self-belief on their first return to Old Trafford since their success against
Juventus.
Colin Calderwood tangled with Paul Scholes in the area but no penalty was
given, Scholes and Nicky Butt both aimed efforts straight at Oakes and Jesper
Blomqvist fatally hesitated before having a shot deflected wide.
Villa seemed hypnotised by United's fluid movement and pace, and were penned
back, offering absolutely nothing at this stage as an attacking force.
Beckham's first attempt at a free-kick, this one from 22 yards out, was bound
for the top corner until Gareth Southgate, who had sneaked back almost unnoticed
onto the goal-line, rose to head it over the bar.
Little over a minute later United were ahead, even if their goal owed much to
some desperately poor defending by the visitors. Blomqvist's visionary
through-ball picked out Scholes and the midfielder headed the ball across goal
for Watson, under pressure from Dwight Yorke, to apparently put the ball into
his own net. Yorke nevertheless celebrated against his former club and the Old
Trafford crowd promptly awoke from its slumbers - but so too did Villa.
Scholes placed a chance just wide soon afterwards yet by now Paul Merson, who
had been a peripheral figure, was roaming menacingly all over the pitch and
arrived in the box to head a cross from Steve Stone straight at Peter
Schmeichel.
In contrast, United became lethargic, almost over-confident against a side who
had failed to score on their previous four League visits to Old Trafford, as
their crosses went astray and their movement dulled.
When Stone again crossed from the right flank, the home defence even seemed to
freeze and Joachim nipped in ahead of them. His effort may have been mis-hit but
Schmeichel was still beaten and even though Merson had been offside as the cross
came over, referee Keith Burge ruled that he had not been interfering with play
as he was running away from goal.
Villa were by now looking a different side, with the half-fit Dion Dublin
trying a cheeky lob which went just wide and Merson's shot from the edge of the
area being plucked out of the air by Schmeichel.
Beckham was forced to try his luck from long-range, Yorke tried to go it alone
and United were forced to rethink, Ferguson's side can never be discounted
though and Teddy Sheringham forced Oakes into a fine diving save to deny him
just before the break, while Scholes headed over the top.
And within two minutes of the restart, they were ahead through Beckham's quite
sublime free-kick, which gave Oakes absolutely no chance as it curved and dipped
its way unerringly into the top corner.
Scholes powered a drive just a yard wide of the upright soon afterwards and
Villa were again chasing shadows, conceding a 65th-minute penalty when Stone
needlessly pushed substitute Phil Neville.
It took a tremendous save from Oakes to deny Denis Irwin from the spot,
flinging himself to his right and tipping the ball around the post as he arched
his outstretched arm above him. Scholes headed the resulting corner just wide
amid a melee of players but as United then started to tire, there was Beckham,
still full of running and even dropping into central midfield on occasions to
orchestrate moves from there.
While their natural urges demanded a third goal, the tightness of the league
table and their aching muscles urged caution. England debutant Wes Brown came on
for David May to counter the pace of Villa strikers Joachim and substitute
Darius Vassell.
United were perhaps fortunate that Villa's own creative touch deserted them,
with a string of passes going astray just as they started to dominate possession
again.
But while United's limbs may be tiring, there is no disputing their strength
of mind or the brilliance of Beckham.
Over to you, Arsenal.
Teams:
Man Utd: Schmeichel, G. Neville, May (Brown 79), Johnsen, Irwin,
Beckham, Scholes, Butt, Blomqvist (P. Neville 63), Yorke, Sheringham.
Subs Not Used: Wilson, Greening, Van Der Gouw.
Goals: Watson 20 og, Beckham 46.
Aston Villa: Oakes, Watson, Southgate, Calderwood, Wright, Stone,
Draper (Thompson 67), Taylor, Merson, Joachim,Dublin (Vassell 75).
Subs Not Used: Barry, Enckelman, Ehiogu.
Booked: Taylor.
Goals: Joachim 33.
Att: 55,189
Ref: K Burge (Tonypandy).
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