Aston Villa 0 Man Utd 1
David Beckham ensured Manchester United kept the pressure on Premiership leaders Arsenal with the only goal in a hard-fought win over Aston Villa at Villa Park today.
His 12th-minute winner cuts Arsenal's lead at the top of the table to two points, pending the outcome of the their match at Blackburn this afternoon.
Beckham, Fabien Barthez, Ryan Giggs and Ruud van Nistelrooy, who were all rested for the Champions League clash with FC Basel in midweek, were restored to the starting line-up.
Beckham could have killed off the game with a hat-trick inside the first 22 minutes.
Villa goalkeeper Stefan Postma, brought in for the dropped Peter Enckelman, prevented the first chance being converted with a superb point-blank save after Beckham got on the end of a Ole Gunnar Solskjaer cross.
The offside flag then denied van Nistelrooy what would have been his 30th goal of the season before Beckham atoned for his earlier miss by getting on the end of a Ryan Giggs cross to sweep the ball home at the back post.
Villa tried to hit back immediately but Lee Hendrie failed to get any power into his shot which Barthez saved comfortably.
Beckham spurned another chance mid-way through the opening period and that proved to be the catalyst for a spirited Villa fightback.
Barthez had to be at his best after the interval when he produced two top-quality saves to keep out a Dion Dublin header and, seconds later, tip Alan Wright's rising drive over the bar.
AFP