FA Carling Premier League, Wednesday, 22 February 1996, Old Trafford, Manchester
Previous League Match: Everton v Manchester City Next Match: Everton v Nottingham Forest
Manchester United (1) 2 Everton (0) 0
Giggs 82, Keane 30.
Manchester United (4-4-2): Schmeichel, Irwin, Bruce, Sharpe (Beckham 84), Pallister, Cantona, Giggs, Keane, Cole, Butt, P. Neville. Subs Not Used: G. Neville, Scholes.
Everton (4-5-1): Southall, Hinchcliffe, Unsworth, Watson, Stuart, Horne, Amokachi, Ebbrell, Kanchelskis, Grant (Branch 73), O'Connor. Subs Not Used: Short, Kearton. Booked: Horne, Ebbrell, O'Connor.
Att: 42,459
Ref: M J Bodenham (East Looe).
Steve Baker: I suppose we should be quite happy with last night's performance. Considering we were without seven first-teamers and had to give Jon O'Connor (an 18 year-old centre-half) his debut at right-back (a vote of no-confidence in Jackson if ever there was one) we did OK.
The first-half saw the Blues under quite a lot of pressure. Southall made two world-class saves in three minutes from Phil Neville, the second of which took a huge deflection off Ebbrell. However, we still had several chances. Kanchelskis cut the ball across the face of the United goal and Irwin and Schmeichel did well to clear the ball under pressure from Stuart. Hinchcliffe found his range with his corners almost immediately and one caused chaos in the United box. It was flicked on at the near post a nd in the ensuing scramble, with Schmeichel nowhere, Watson hooked the ball just over.
But by then we were already a goal down. Cantona, who until then had been very much a peripheral figure, played a one-two and managed to escape the attentions of Tony Grant. He ran unchallenged to within 30 yards of the Blues goal where he played a lov ely little ball into the path of Keane, whose run had not been checked by any Everton midfielders. He took the ball into his stride and flicked it over the advancing Southall.
The second-half saw Everton take the game to United but we couldn't break them down. Ebbrell had a 25-yard shot tipped over by Schmeichel and Amokachi's jinking run got him through the United defence but his near-post shot was well-saved by the 'keeper .
As time wore on - and as Royle put Branch on for his debut in place of Grant - United started to look more and more dangerous on the counter and one of these breaks saw United kill the game off in the 82nd minute. Cantona's ball found the useless Andy Cole in space on the United left and his ball inside found an unmarked Giggs. He lifted the ball over Southall and that was that. 2-0. End of story.
There was just time for possibly the most embarrasing moment of my life. I was sat in the United end about fifteen yards from the Everton bench. With a minute to go - by which time the ground was half-empty with all the fans leaving early - I walked ac ross to where Royle was standing in the dug-out. I said: "Joe! (he looks round) Bad luck mate...see you Saturday". He had a rather rueful look on his face but said nothing. Several points spring to mind: 1. Why did I say "see you Saturday"? 2. What must h e have thought? (probably "what a w*%$/r!") 3. Why did I say anything at all? I have a feeling this episode may appear in 'Beacon Cheeks' in a forthcoming edition of WSAG.
Ratings:
Southall 8 - Two great stops from Phil Neville and several other decent saves meant the score stayed at just two.
O'Connor 7 - (Booked) given the circumstances I thought he did brilliantly. He coped OK with Giggs though he got away with a bad foul on the edge of our box in the first-half which the referee didn't penalise at all. Looked comfortable on the ba ll and OK going forward. Better than Jackson anyway.
Watson 7 - Helped to keep Cantona and Cole quiet (apart from the Busby game, when has Cantona ever played that well against us?). Unlucky not to score.
Unsworth 7 - Beaten a couple of times but he looked more comfortable at centre-half than at left-back.
Hinchcliffe 7 - Coped fairly easily with the very ineffective Sharpe. Didn't get forward as much as I would have wanted him to but even when he did there was no-one to aim for in the box. His corners were OK.
Kanchelskis 6/7 - He wasn't great but again he had no-one to aim for on the rare occasions that he did find himself free from the impressive Phil Neville. The "Judas" chants didn't affect him - but would they affect you if you were on 13 grand a week?
Horne 6 - (Booked) all right but not spectacular. Saw quite a lot of the ball in the second-half but did nothing with it.
Ebbrell 7 - (Booked) but he got through a lot of work and his battle with the impressive Butt was a highlight.
Grant 6/7 - I thought he was very good in the first-half - his spell at Swindon seems to have given him confidence. He was very subdued in the second-half though.
Stuart 6 - his quitest game for a long time, though considering he was stuck on the left-wing with only Amo to aim at this is excusable.
Amo 6/7 - he played on his own up front and he didn't get much change out of Bruce and Pallister. He had one great run where he beat two men and forced Schmeichel into a smart save but a lack of support meant that he was not that hot.
Branch 6 - (Sub) not on for very long but he nearly connected with a Hinchcliffe cross at one-nil and he beat Pallister with one great burst of pace towards the end of the game. N/U: Short, Kearton.
Team: 7 - considering we were without seven first-teamers we were good but we never had the penetration to break them down. We badly missed Dunc's height, especially on the rare occasions that our widemen got to the by-line. Our five in midfield made them work hard and they got a lot of possession, which unfortunately they frequently gave away straight away.
Referee: Bodenham 6/7 - OK. He ignored O'Connor awful tackle on Giggs but five minutes later he booked him for a harmless push on the same man. Not the worst ref of the season but not the best either.
The Irish News: Manchester United stoked up the Premiership title race with a priceless victory to stay in touch with Newcastle, who lost 2-0 at Upton Park - but only after under-strength Everton gave United a sticky performance.
Goals in each half by Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs were enough to give Alex Ferguson's men a glimmer of hope in their bid to catch Newcastle.
United's early efforts lacked any real purpose and the visitors were eager to make the most of the scrappy start as Barry Horne and John Ebbrell harried and hassled in their usual fashion.
But gradually United eased themselves into the driving seat and young full-back Phil Neville saw two long-range drives spectacularly turned behind by Neville Southall, the second after taking a deflection off Ebbrell.
Skipper Steve Bruce then had a header from Giggs' corner nodded from under his own bar by Grant as Everton struggled to contain a United onslaught.
Eric Cantona who had been subdued in opening exchanges, found the key to unlock Everton's rearguard on the half-hour.
The Frenchman raced at full speed from the halfway line and his glided pass to the rampaging Keane was timed to perfection to allow the midfielder to ease a shot past Southall's left hand for his fifth goal of the season.
A heavy snowstorm descended on Manchester during the interval, but the Reds almost struck again immediately after the restart when derby hero Lee Sharpe flashed an 18-yard shot just wide.
Yet the home side went strangely off the boil and Everton began to believe in themselves.
The visitors, sensing unease in United's play, began to commit more men forward. But a 25-yard Ebbrell effort was the closest Everton came to an equaliser and the visitors paid for their over-commitment to attack when Giggs added a breakaway goal seven minutes from time to finally kill the contest.
Cantona's astute pass freed Andy Cole on the left, and the £7million striker advanced before sliding a perfect pass into the path of Giggs, who gave Southall no chance with a clipped shot that bounced over the prostrate keeper for his eighth goal of th e season.
By William Johnson, Electronic Telegraph
MANCHESTER United reduced the deficit at the top of the Premiership to a more manageable six points by overcoming a spirited challenge by Everton last night.
Cleverly worked goals by Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs helped conceal what was a far from vintage performance by the Old Trafford outfit.
Andrei Kanchelskis had been warned beforehand by United manager Alex Ferguson to expect a hostile reception back to Old Trafford and that forecast proved cruelly accurate as the Ukrainian was mercilessly jeered every time he touched the ball.
Not that it bothered the winger, who moved to Everton in a 5 million deal last summer. In a depleted Merseyside team, he was the most impressive contributor in a scrappy first half.
Everton, however, trailed at the interval after Roy Keane rounded off the best passing movement an anxious-looking United managed to put together in the first period.
The Republic of Ireland midfielder timed his run perfectly to profit from a neat one-two involving Nicky Butt and Eric Cantona to steer the ball past the advancing Neville Southall.
United, before that breakthrough on the half-hour, had been restricted to two Phil Neville shots which produced smart saves from Southall and a break by Andy Cole, courtesy of an error by David Unsworth which Everton captain Dave Watson tidied up super bly.
Everton, who on paper looked ripe for the slaughter, were surprisingly the more creative in those early exchanges and Graham Stuart should have given them the lead when a Kanchelskis cross found him in space on the six-yard line. Denis Irwin, however, made an impeccable intervention.
Daniel Amokachi, Everton's lone striker, should also have scored from a similar position resulting from Andy Hinchcliffe's corner, while Kanchelskis startled Peter Schmeichel with the speed of a first-time shot from the edge of the area which only just flashed wide.
Everton continued to make more of the running in the second half before Giggs put the game beyond them and Joe Royle's side were denied an equaliser by Schmeichel's brilliant diving save from a rising drive by the industrious John Ebbrell.
Schmeichel was also well placed to block a jinking run by Amokachi as the pressure intensified and the clinching goal from Giggs came against the run of play.
It came from another superb passing movement, Giggs launching a speedy counter-attack by taking Lee Sharpe's pass and releasing Eric Cantona. The Frenchman, in turn, set Andy Cole free and Giggs had kept on running to flick the resulting low cross over Southall.
Electronic Telegraph is a Registered Service Mark of The Telegraph plc
By Peter Ball, The Times
THE race is on. Manchester United took advantage of Newcastle United's slip last night, their seventh consecutive victory cutting the gap at the top of the FA Carling Premiership to six points.
"It has been a big night for them," Joe Royle, the Everton manager, said afterwards. "For the first time, Newcastle have come under a bit of pressure."
United's visit to Tyneside on March 4 is suddenly assuming great significance, but they will need to play a lot better than last night if they are to trouble the leaders. They scored two outstanding goals, but otherwise were distinctly below par.
"It was an important win, but we were well away from our best," Alex Ferguson, the United manager, said. "I don't think 2-0 was a fair reflection of the second half, which was a real long night."
United's supporters are usually generous to returning former players. They made an exception for Andrei Kanchelskis, booing him roundly from start to finish. For a time it looked as if his former colleagues were embarrassed and had decided to compensat e by giving Everton possession. Pallister and Bruce had a shaky evening and only last-ditch interceptions by Irwin and Philip Neville came to their rescue.
In contrast to Everton's buzzing energy, United's pressure came in flurries, like the snow which swirled around the ground. In one burst, Southall made two acrobatic saves to deny Philip Neville and the next burst brought the goal on the half-hour.
Cantona at last came into the action, beating two men and releasing Keane, who surged through a gap in the Everton defence to leave Southall helpless.
But complacency or torpor set in again. Everton might have equalised before the interval as a Hinchcliffe corner caused havoc, and they dominated long periods of the second half, although only one shot from Ebbrell troubled Schmeichel. But, as the pres sure grew, United roused themselves again.
The second goal was breathtaking. Begun by Sharpe just outside his own penalty area, the move was carried on by Giggs and Cantona, who released Cole to gallop clear down the left. The cross was perfect, and met by Giggs all alone in the penalty area. " I couldn't really miss," Giggs said.
CarlingNet: Man United stoked up the FA Carling Premiership title race with a priceless victory - but only after under-strength Everton had given the Old Trafford faithful an uneasy evening.
Goals in each half by Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs were enough to give Alex Ferguson's men a glimmer of hope in their bid to catch runaway leaders Newcastle.
News of the Magpies' 2-0 defeat at West Ham raised the roof at another packed Old Trafford but even the most ardent of Reds supporters would admit that United rarely looked like a team of champions.
Everton gave a debut to 19-year-old full back John O'Connor and also threw 17-year-old YTS striker Michael Branch into the fray for his first taste of senior action 18 minutes from time.
And Joe Royle's side - without the services of seven key players - matched United stride for stride until they submitted to the home side's greater striking know how.
United's early efforts lacked any real purpose and composure and the visitors were eager to make the most of the scrappy start as Barry Horne and John Ebbrell harried and hassled in their usual fashion.
Judas was one of the more complimentary chants directed at Andre Kanchelskis, returning to Old Trafford for the first time since his £5million move to Merseyside in the summer.
And the Russian winger's trickery almost brought the opening goal on 12 minutes when his low near-post cross was hurriedly swept against the body of Peter Schmeichel and over by Graham Stuart, who was unlucky to be distracted by team-mate Tony Grant's initial miskick.
But gradually United eased themselves into the driving seat and young full
back Phil Neville saw two long-range drives spectacularly turned behind by
Neville Southall, the second after taking a massive deflection off Ebbrell.
Skipper Steve Bruce - making his 800th senior appearance - then had a header from Giggs' swinging corner nodded from under his own bar by Grant as Everton struggled to contain a United onslaught that was building up an ominous head of steam.
Eric Cantona who had been subdued in opening exchanges, found the key to unlock Everton's rear guard on the half-hour.
The Frenchman raced at full speed from the halfway line and his glided pass to the rampaging Keane was timed to perfection to allow the midfielder to ease a shot past Southall's left hand for his fifth goal of the season.
Everton, however, are not a side to be easily brushed aside, even though they were missing the likes of talisman striker Duncan Ferguson.
Skipper Dave Watson hooked a close-range effort over after an Andy Hinchcliffe corner had caused panic in United's ranks.
And then Daniel Amokachi was only inches away from connecting with Kanchelskis' cross after the winger had finally escaped the shackles of Neville.
A heavy snowstorm descended on Manchester during the interval, but the Reds almost struck again immediately after the restart when derby hero Lee Sharpe flashed an 18-yard shot just wide.
Yet the home side went strangely off the boil and Everton began to believe in themselves.
The visitors, sensing unease in United's play, began to commit more men forward in support of Amokachi, whose breaks through the middle were keeping Bruce and Gary Pallister stretched.
Ebbrell, for once finding himself in an advanced position in the 70th minute, unleashed a 25-yard drive that was arrowing towards the top corner until Schmeichel flicked up an arm to claw the ball over.
That was the closest Everton came to an equaliser and the visitors paid for their over-commitment to attack when Giggs added a breakaway goal seven minutes from time to finally kill the contest.
Cantona's astute pass freed Andy Cole on the left, and the £7million striker advanced before sliding a perfect pass into the path of Giggs, who gave Southall no chance with a clipped shot that bounced over the prostrate keeper for his eighth goal of th e season.
It was far from a classic show by United, but it sets the scene perfectly for the showdown with Newcastle at St James' Park on March 4.
Daily Mail SoccerNet: Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs gave Manchester United's title charge a massive boost by scoring the goals that beat Everton and cut the gap on leaders Newcastle to six points. With Kevin Keegan's men going down at West H am, Irishman Keane's fifth goal of the season after 30 minutes took on extra significance.
Eric Cantona played a one-two with Nicky Butt then produced a perfectly-weighted pass for Keane, who calmly slotted it past Neville Southall.
Eight minutes from the end Giggs picked up a pass from Lee Sharpe, knocked it to Cantona, who found Andy Cole in space on the left. Giggs raced into the area to meet the low cross and scooped his shot inside a post. Former United favouri te Andrei Kanchelskis was given a hot reception on his return to Old Trafford.
The 27-year-old winger, booed every time he touched the ball, is regarded as a villain following his £5.5million move to Goodison early in the season.There were howls of protest when Giggs went down in the area under a challenge from deb utant Jon O'Connor after 19 minutes but referee Martin Bodenham waved play on.
Philip Neville forced Neville Southall to two superb saves from fierce drives in the space of a few minutes as United turned up the pressure.