- 15 hours ago
United are six points behind leaders Aston Villa after their defeat at Hillsborough last weekend. Leeds have won their last three and are six games unbeaten.
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00:00Old Trafford in November 1998 saw Lancashire take on Yorkshire in one of football's great historic fixtures.
00:06Leeds United were the last club to win the Championship of the Football League in 1992,
00:10but six seasons into the Premiership there had been one dominant force.
00:14Manchester United had won it four times and been runners-up twice.
00:18Coming into this match, both teams were in sparkling form.
00:22The Red Devils beaten just twice in 22 and in third place.
00:25Manager Alex Ferguson decided to rest David Beckham, Jesper Bonquist and Dennis Irwin,
00:30replacing them with Nicky Butt, Phil Neville and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer,
00:34who was only making his fourth start of the season.
00:36Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank was Leeds' top scorer with seven goals.
00:40Beaten only once in 14, Leeds were sick.
00:43However, they were still without club captain Lucas Radderby, who was injured,
00:46Robert Molina and Lee Bowyer were suspended, Stephen McPhail, Alf Inger Haaland and Bruno Ribeiro deputised.
00:53A youthful-looking Graham Pohl was in charge.
00:56Commentary from Alan Parry.
00:59It'll be Leeds United in the white shirts, white socks and blue shorts, who get the game underway.
01:07Leeds United knowing that this has not been one of their better grounds over the years
01:12and knowing that this is the perfect day to change that record.
01:19Ribeiro, the Portuguese player, brought back into the midfield.
01:23It's only the second Premiership match he started.
01:25Wes Brown having trouble holding onto the ball for United's first throw.
01:29And finds Dwight York, who loses out to Hopkins.
01:32On to Hasselbank.
01:33Alf Inger Haaland keeps the attack going for Leeds United.
01:37Down that right-hand side.
01:38They've got Hasselbank well placed in the middle.
01:42Gunnar Heller closed down quickly by Phil Neville.
01:47Phil Neville playing at left-back today in place of the Republic of Ireland international,
01:52Dennis Irwin, a former Leeds United player.
01:55So, although I'm sure he welcomes the break after so many matches this season,
02:00equally I think he would have loved to have played today against his old club.
02:04Manchester United come forward then for the first time with Nicky Butt brought down.
02:09Free kick to United.
02:11Nicky Butt has been on the fringe of things this season.
02:15So many quality players in the squad here.
02:18And when you think Manchester United today have got Ryan Giggs and Teddy Sheringham
02:23on the substitutes bench, it underlines the depth of their squad.
02:27Dwight York out in the sunshine on a beautiful winter's afternoon.
02:30Incidentally, here in Manchester, weather conditions belying Manchester's reputation for rain.
02:37Dwight York in possession again here for United.
02:40Finding Solskjaer, eggs of the box, slides it into Cole.
02:43Scholes takes over.
02:44And still there.
02:46York goes down.
02:47A big appeal for a penalty from the United players.
02:49But Graham Paul, who is just behind that incident, has waved play on.
02:54And Leeds relieved to get away with that.
02:56It looked a reasonable penalty claim from United's point of view.
03:02McPhail now in possession for Leeds United.
03:05Plays it forward to Kuhl.
03:07Rivera with the knock-on.
03:08Got that a little bit too deep.
03:11And Dwight York unhappy here that the decision went against him.
03:17Hart.
03:18Flicked on by McPhail to Hopkins.
03:20Now Hasselbank, good football.
03:22Haaland beaten to it though by Neville.
03:26Gunahalla.
03:30Hasselbank's layoff.
03:31Excellent.
03:32Hopkins.
03:33And the ball certainly not travelling as you would expect.
03:37This surface well below the standard that Manchester United should have.
03:42Harry Kuhl.
03:44He's done well here against Brown.
03:46And Roy Keane perfectly placed to cut out the cross.
03:51That's a foul on Scholes by Ribeiro, who is going to be booked for that.
03:56He's got a pretty poor disciplinary record, the Portuguese player.
04:03And although he might have expected the referee to be lenient early on in the game,
04:08Mr. Paul is not known for leniency.
04:11So the first caution for Bruno Ribeiro.
04:16And it was a bad challenge.
04:18He couldn't complain about that.
04:22Twelve minutes gone.
04:23And the first entry into the referee's book is not a goal, but a caution.
04:29Leeds sixth in the table at the start of play.
04:31Twenty-three points from fourteen games.
04:33If they win, they'll go into second place on goal difference above West Ham.
04:38A huge incentive for them.
04:46Woodgate, one of many youngsters in this Leeds United team today.
04:52Looking for one of the more experienced players in Hasselbank.
04:55Ribeiro wins it back for Leeds.
04:57Stam with the challenge.
04:59Ribeiro's in there again.
05:00And again.
05:01Did well.
05:02Hasselbank.
05:03The cross.
05:04A tester.
05:05And Phil Neville had to get there.
05:07Because he knew that Harry Kuehl was coming in behind him.
05:10And there would have been real danger to United.
05:18Here's McPhail.
05:20Cut out by Nicky Butt.
05:31Ian Hart with the throw.
05:33Good movement from Kuehl.
05:35And a useful looking ball.
05:36But in the end, nobody went to that near post.
05:38And Schmeichel made an easy catch.
05:40But a poor throw out by United's goalkeeper.
05:43Hopkin now finding Hasselbank.
05:47Haaland.
05:50Heidem winning it back.
05:51Gunnar Haller on the Leeds United right.
05:56Asking a lot of Halfinger Haaland there.
06:01Nicky Butt for United.
06:02That is a glorious ball.
06:06Solskjaer gets there too.
06:13And has got round Woodgate.
06:17And in the end, commits the foul.
06:21It's a great run though by Solskjaer.
06:24From a glorious Nicky Butt long ball to release him.
06:30Only his fourth start in the Premiership this season.
06:33The Norwegian International.
06:39Foul by Neville.
06:41Well, they've got a couple of excellent left-footed players in the line-up today.
06:52Leeds who might fancy a pop on target even here.
06:56Ian Hart.
06:58Principal amongst them.
06:59A 21-year-old Irishman backing off here.
07:03It's a long way out.
07:09He was never going to be beaten by that.
07:12A very poor effort.
07:23Huge kick there by the United keeper.
07:26Headed away by Martin Hyden.
07:28But Manchester United back in possession.
07:31Wes Brown for them now.
07:32Looking for Andy Cole.
07:34And it's found its way through to Cole.
07:36Must be.
07:37Surely.
07:38Oh, what a save by Martin.
07:39That's it.
07:41Defensive errors by Leeds United.
07:43But their goalkeeper to the rescue.
07:46Lovely little ball over the top by Brown.
07:49Awful defending then.
07:59And the corner has come to nothing for Manchester United.
08:05Well, no wonder his fellow professionals voted him the best keeper in the Premiership last season.
08:11And he's continued in that kind of form this time round.
08:15Now, Wes Brown.
08:17That's a clever little ball.
08:18Scholes.
08:25And again, Wes Brown.
08:29Another awkward clearance by Woodgate.
08:31But he got away with it.
08:32And now the ball has been given back to Keane.
08:34And Dwight York.
08:36And Andy Cole.
08:39Unlucky again, Cole.
08:41Nigel Martin denies him once more.
08:46Wonderful combination again between York and Cole.
08:49But still, Alex Ferguson's team haven't achieved the breakthrough.
08:53Manchester United nil.
08:54Leeds United nil.
09:01Here's York.
09:03Good ball too for Neville.
09:07Pulls it back towards Nicky Butt.
09:09What a save by Nigel Martin.
09:12He's hurt himself doing it.
09:14But that was fantastic goalkeeping.
09:18To deny Nicky Butt.
09:20Well, it's going to be such a shame here if Nigel Martin has hurt himself badly.
09:24It was his back that was the problem because this was a stupendous save.
09:30That was on its way right into the top corner.
09:33How did he get there?
09:34And he might have struck his back on the base of the post as he fell to the ground.
09:39Lovely ball from Neville.
09:41And Nicky Butt here must have been thinking that he was about to celebrate his first goal of the season.
09:45That was incredible goalkeeping.
09:53Oh, well played Nicky Butt.
09:55He was unlucky there.
09:57But Leeds have suddenly got a man over in this attack.
10:00Hopkin in possession.
10:01Haaland.
10:03Ahead of him is Kuehl.
10:06This is Hasselbank.
10:11Good effort.
10:12It's gone in.
10:13Jimmy Floyd.
10:14Hasselbank has scored.
10:15Totally against the run of play.
10:17Leeds United are in front.
10:20And what a goal by Hasselbank.
10:26Almost half an hour gone.
10:28So much pressure from Manchester United.
10:30Two wonderful saves by Nigel Martin.
10:34But isn't this football all over?
10:36Leeds break.
10:37Hasselbank got into a great position here.
10:40And beat Peter Schmeichel on the near post.
10:43And I guess question marks will be raised once again about the Manchester United goalkeeper here.
10:49It was a beautifully struck shot.
10:50But Schmeichel's positioning has to carry a question mark.
10:55This is McPhail.
10:56And Kuehl's onside here.
10:58Chance to make it two.
11:00What a glorious opportunity for Harry Kuehl to give Leeds United a 2-0 lead before half-time.
11:08Manchester United expected the flag and it never came.
11:13And when the ball went through to Kuehl, he looked to the linesman and suddenly realised he was onside.
11:19Schmeichel did well to close him down so quickly.
11:21And made himself even bigger, the United goalkeeper.
11:25And he couldn't lob it over him and into the net.
11:32Stam helping in all the way back and Hasselbank closed down.
11:36Schmeichel quickly did the right thing there Schmeichel, just got air on the ball.
11:41Cole.
11:42Cole.
11:43Paul Scholes.
11:45That's a great ball for Nicky, but it was intercepted well by Wetherill.
11:50Roy Keane.
11:52Dwight York.
11:53Brilliant skill from York.
11:55And a set-in Solskjaer.
11:57Who has scored!
12:00Manchester United are level in the last minute of the first half here at Old Trafford.
12:06And maybe even a fully fit Nigel Martin would have had trouble keeping that one out.
12:12Lovely move by Manchester United.
12:15And the accuracy of Solskjaer's shot beat Martin and found the corner of the net.
12:22And the little Norwegian gets his seventh goal of the season.
12:27Right across the face of the goalkeeper.
12:30And United, deservedly you have to say, are on level terms.
12:38Done well here, Hart.
12:40He's still going.
12:41And in the end, when the shooting opportunity came, it was on his wrong foot really.
12:46A naturally left-sided player.
12:58The half-time whistle at Old Trafford.
13:01A half that began and ended in fine style for the home team.
13:06And the major problem now for Leeds at half-time
13:09is deciding whether Nigel Martin, their goalkeeper, can continue in the second half.
13:14Somehow, I doubt it.
13:16The half-time score.
13:17Manchester United won.
13:19Leeds United won.
13:26And United must be feeling they've got to test out the young goalkeeper as quickly as they can.
13:32Hasn't even played that many games in the reserve team, incidentally, for Leeds.
13:35Their number two, their normal number two goalkeeper, has been injured.
13:39That's how he got his chance.
13:40And he might have his chance to shine straight away here.
13:43As Scholes gets into the penalty area.
13:44And it's a goal by Keane, almost straight from the kick-off before young Paul Robertson had got a touch.
13:51He's got to kick the ball out of the back of the net.
13:5430 seconds gone in the second half.
13:57And Manchester United have gone from a goal down to a goal in front.
14:03Roy Keane's first Premiership goal for 14 months.
14:08What a staggering start.
14:12Wonderful skill there by Scholes.
14:14And he pulled the ball back beautifully.
14:17And Roy Keane's side-footed effort high into the roof of the net.
14:22What a setback for David O'Leary.
14:27Well played Dwight York.
14:30And Gary Neville again.
14:32That's a good-looking ball for Nicky Butt, but it was headed clear by Wetherall.
14:37Only as far as Phil Neville.
14:42He's done well here, Neville.
14:46The pullback, not the best ball, though.
14:49Hopkins for Leeds has given it away to Dwight York.
14:53Lovely skill by him.
14:55Phil Neville drives it into the far post.
14:59Well, that would have been something if that had been on target,
15:02because Phil Neville has only managed two goals in over 100 appearances
15:06in his Manchester United career.
15:11Stam beaten to it there by Hasselbank.
15:14And the ball breaks for Kuehl.
15:16Mistake by young Wes Brown.
15:17And this time, Kuehl makes no mistake.
15:21He missed a wonderful opportunity just before half-time.
15:24But now Kuehl has brought Leeds United level.
15:29His fifth goal of the season.
15:33And I'm afraid the fingers have to be pointed at young Wes Brown,
15:39the Manchester United defender, who made a hash of that.
15:42Kuehl didn't.
15:44And it's 2-2 here, with only seven minutes gone in the second half.
15:50What a game we've got now.
15:55Scholes.
15:56He's been outstanding.
15:57And there's a lovely ball to Sulkshire.
16:01Ooh, that could easily have deflected off any one of the number of players
16:05between him and the goal when he hit it.
16:08To Leeds, massive relief it didn't.
16:10And travel wide.
16:12Looks sharp today, though, Sulkshire.
16:14Really taking the opportunity of a rare start in the first team.
16:22There's been a slight movement in tactics here for Manchester United.
16:27Come back to that in a moment.
16:29As Hasselbank goes forward for Leeds.
16:32Hopkins.
16:36It's Michael chasing there.
16:38And he took a terrible risk.
16:39Got away with it in the end.
16:42Scholes.
16:45Certainly juggle things around here, Manchester United,
16:47because Wes Brown has now gone into a central defensive position.
16:50He is really a central defender.
16:52He's only been used as a right-back in recent games.
16:55So Gary Neville has gone back out wide
16:58into his normal right-back role.
17:00With Phil Neville on the left.
17:07Tactical change that seemed to be working for Manchester United
17:09until that Leeds equaliser.
17:17Leeds on the back foot for the moment.
17:192-2 the score.
17:23Hasselbank did really well then to control that.
17:26But a great tackle by Nicky Butt wins it back.
17:30Scholes.
17:34Oh, that was an important clearance by Gunnar Haller.
17:37But they're still under pressure, Leeds.
17:40Nicky Butt.
17:41Dwight York.
17:43And on to Phil Neville.
17:46Four United men in the box.
17:48The cross was poor, but it still finds its way through.
17:50And then another penalty claimed by Manchester United.
17:54And their skipper, Roy Keane, is furious with opponent and referee alike.
18:00But it's not been given.
18:02The verdict is a Manchester United throw.
18:05Not the penalty they were hoping for.
18:09And Dwight York trying to get Roy Keane to calm down.
18:12Andy Cole as well intervening.
18:16And King could be in trouble here for dissent.
18:23Always had a short temper.
18:25And feels that his views were justified then.
18:31And he's still having a go there at Haaland.
18:33Who's also involved in that little altercation.
18:40Is it just going to be a warning?
18:42Or is it going to be a card?
18:44It looks like he'll get away with a rap on the knuckles, Keane.
18:48As he talks himself into further trouble.
18:50Well, let's see exactly what he was complaining about.
18:54That challenge from Wetherall.
19:02Hasselbank.
19:05And he's there again.
19:07Haaland was checked in his attempt to run onto that ball by Phil Neville.
19:12Who is shown the yellow card.
19:17And the breaking play here will enable Manchester United to make their next substitution.
19:23Teddy Sheringham, who's been out six weeks with a knee problem, will replace Paul Sculls.
19:32Sheringham has missed 11 games in that time.
19:44Hopkins free kick.
19:46Touched on by Hasselbank, but straight through to Peter Schmeichel.
19:53Manchester United to lead United to the scoreline here.
19:57And plenty of time for a winner in this game.
20:01And quite a forward line Manchester United to have here now.
20:04Giggs, Saltshire, York and Sheringham.
20:07All out there in the attacking half.
20:10But it's Hasselbank attacking for Leeds United.
20:12And there's a lovely ball for Cuell.
20:17Well, it's the third time in this game that Cuell has been in a great position.
20:21He scored once and missed the other two.
20:25Might have fancied that more if it had been on his left foot perhaps.
20:29Lovely ball from Hasselbank to release him.
20:31And that was a real opportunity.
20:37And suddenly Leeds are threatening again with Cuell here.
20:41And Hasselbank now.
20:43And in the end, Neville's tackle was good enough.
20:46And then an incident involving Keane and Haaland.
20:49Two players who'd been involved earlier.
20:53And the referee's going to have a word with them both.
20:55Or certainly with the Leeds man initially anyway.
20:59Haaland's been called across.
21:01Keane has gone away from the incident.
21:05Obviously entertaining game of football has ended in a 3-2 victory for Manchester United.
21:11Leeds, I'm sure, will feel hard done by and maybe did enough to merit a point here today.
21:17But Manchester United take all three to move into second place in the premiership table.
21:23And the final score at Old Trafford, Manchester United 3, Leeds United 2.
21:29A tightly fought contest with the Red Devils just having the edge.
21:33But it would end in a season of total domination for United.
21:36As Boxing Day saw them click into gear going on a 20-match unbeaten run.
21:41Come May, they took the Premier League title, the FA Cup and the Champions League.
21:45And Alex Ferguson was rewarded with a knighthood.
21:48David O'Leary, in his first season in charge of Leeds, steered the club to fourth and a UEFA Cup
21:53place.
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