Sunday September 2, 2007 06:36
Man Utd Earn Second Win At Keane’s Expense
Posted by The Soccer Blogger as English Premiership
Manchester United managed to secure their second win of the season yesterday at Old Trafford. Roy Keane had to endure a losing return to his former home as his Sunderland lost 1-0 to Manchester United in what was yet another scrappy game involving the current Champions.
The winning goal took a long time in coming. It finally arrived with only 20 minutes left as substitute Louis Saha marked his first appearance of the season by heading home Nani’s corner at the near post.
Louis Saha celebrates his winner against Sunderland
It wrecked Keane’s return but salvaged another unconvincing win for Alex Ferguson, his side are struggling in front of goal. He won’t have cared though as Saha’s header provided relief that was all too evident at Old Trafford.
However, in the cold light of day over his breakfast Sir Alex will realise that the Frenchman’s first strike of the season did little to mask his team’s forward line problems that have so far marred the defence of the Title.
Meanwhile before kick-off, Keane was given a, not unsurprisingly, rousing reception from the Old Trafford crowd as he emerged from the tunnel for the first time as a manager of an opposing team. However Keane, in his usual manner, totally ignored the reception as he walked to the dugout. Perhaps it had more to do with underlining that he was there on business and not to soak up the plaudits, or is there another reason? I’ll leave that up to you to decide but I would have thought you could spare a couple of seconds before kick-off to raise a hand and to smile, if ever so slightly, in acknowledgment of the fans who paid his wages for 12 years. Perhaps it’s just me again!
Anyway, elsewhere in the Premier League, Everton’s Yakubu needed just 11 minutes to pay back the first instalment of a club record fee as he tapped home from Andy Johnson’s cross in Everton’s win at Bolton. Alonso, Mikel not Xabi, struck the bar for the home side before Nicolas Anelka celebrated signing a new contract with a superb volley on 55 minutes. An end-to-end game was decided in the last minute as Joleon Lescott rose highest to head home Thomas Gravesen’s corner.
Yet more problems for Tottenham manager Martin Jol as his Spurs team’s dominance was not reflected in the scoreline against Fulham at Craven Cottage. The game ended in a 3-3 draw. Poor goalkeeping from the returning Antti Niemi enabled Younes Kaboul to score his first goal for Spurs from close range after 10 minutes. Dimitar Berbatov then got his first goal of the season, racing on to Robbie Keane’s pass before thumping a volley past Niemi. Fulham pulled a goal back two minutes before half-time when Simon Davies’ corner was headed home by Clint Dempsey. Gareth Bale restored Spurs’ two-goal advantage with his first goal for the club before Alexei Smertin’s shot took a wicked deflection and looped over Paul Robinson. And in the last minute Fulham snared a point when a long throw-in was not cleared and Diomansy Kamara produced an excellent overhead kick.
Michael Owen, remember him? Little guy, used to score lots of goals. Yes, that’s right, him! Well he scored his first Premier League goal since December 2005 as Newcastle edged a 1-0 win at home to Wigan. The visitors had Kevin Kilbane harshly sent off at the start of the second half before Owen headed home Obafemi Martins’ cross at the near post late on after Steven Taylor had earlier had a goal disallowed.
Andrew Taylor had an influential role at The Riverside as he created both goals in Middlesbrough’s 2-0 victory over Birmingham City. Not a great start for Steve Bruce and his men on their return to the Premier League so far is it? The full-back darted into the box and clipped in a cross for David Wheater to head Boro into the lead on 12 minutes. Taylor’s cross on 37 minutes was nodded back by George Boateng for Stewart Downing to finish after the Birmingham defence went missing.
Meanwhile, West Ham enjoyed a dream start at Reading as former Liverpool and Newcastle striker Craig Bellamy drilled home the opening goal on six minutes after being released by Lee Bowyer. Matthew Etherington then made it 2-0 early in the second period after a neat one-two with Bellamy on the edge of the box. And Etherington completed the scoring in the final minute as he raced from the halfway line to flash a shot beyond Marcus Hahnemann. Reading had started the season quite brightly but it would appear that my prediction that the second season might prove a little tougher than the first might be starting to come true for Steve Coppell and his Reading team.
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