Leeds United 3 Manchester United 4
Manchester United clambered back to the top of the Premiership this afternoon, but only after surviving a furious late fight-back from Leeds United at Elland Road.
Manchester United clambered back to the top of the Premiership this afternoon, but only after surviving a furious late fight-back from Leeds United at Elland Road.
The visitors seized the lead after only eight minutes, when Mickael Silvestre brushed aside a weak Danny Mills challenge and delivered a precise centre which Paul Scholes turned in with his usual style.
Leeds, however, rallied and drew level on 19 minutes. Lee Bowyer, who had just come on as a substitute for the injured Harry Kewell, charged forward from inside his own half and slipped an excellent ball behind Gary Neville. Mark Viduka took one subtle touch which prompted keeper Fabien Barthez to commit himself early, and then slotted into the back of the net.
Manchester United then surged into a lead which many thought would be unassailable, when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hit two goals in two minutes. The first came in the 37th minute when he hammered home the rebound from another Scholes shot, and the second followed almost immediately - after Ryan Giggs miscued horribly, the ball fell to the Norwegian’s feet and his eight-yarder flew in with the aid of a huge deflection.
In the 55th minute, David Beckham burst down the right flank and sent a cross into Giggs who, unmarked, side-footed the ball past Nigel Martyn. Leeds were then facing humiliation, a fate that would have been certain if Ronny Johnsen’s header had have gone in rather than cannoned back of the crossbar.
Ian Harte triggered the Leeds revival when he rifled a 25 yard free-kick into the top corner. David O’Leary then introduced another Republic of Ireland international, Robbie Keane, and Leeds had the Mancunians on the backfoot. Robbie Keane should have closed the gap almost instantly, but he headed a Mills cross inches wide.
The Dubliner compensated for that miss when, in the 78th minute, he charged past Silvestre down the right wing and drove into the box. He crossed for Robbie Fowler who, from just 8 yards, scuffed his shot but was rescued by Bowyer who dived to head the ball past the prostrate Barthez.
Harte almost equalised two minutes from time with another free-kick, but this time the shaved the outside of the post as Barthez was marooned on the far side of the goal.