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MANCHESTER � Arsenal's English record unbeaten league run of 49 games was brought to a shuddering halt after a 2-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford yesterday. Ruud van Nistelrooy converted a 73rd-minute penalty after Wayne Rooney was upended in the Arsenal box by Sol Campbell. And Rooney added a second in injury time to wrap it up.
It was sweet revenge for Dutchman Van Nistelrooy, whose missed penalty in the last minute of the same fixture last season led to an unseemly melee between the two clubs players. In a fiercely contested first half it was Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo who enjoyed the greatest opportunity despite Arsenal's dominance. He blasted over from six yards after 22 minutes. Arsenal had appeals for a foul on Freddie Ljungberg by Rio Ferdinand, when the Swedish striker appeared clean through on goal, turned down when a red card would not have been a harsh verdict. But the game seemed to be heading for a draw when Rooney, the most expensive teenager in British soccer, jinked past Campbell and went down under the slightest of challenges.
It was the eighth time in eight games referee Mike Riley had awarded United a penalty at Old Trafford. Van Nistelrooy slotted the ball low to Jens Lehmanns left and the points were United�s. And just as Arsenal poured forward in search of the equaliser, substitute Alan Smith teed up Rooney to slam home the decisive second.
Newcastle moved up to sixth place after a scintillating 4-3 victory over Manchester City at St James Park. After a goalless first half, Newcastle took control with goals from Laurent Robert and Alan Shearer putting the home side 2-0 ahead after 56 minutes. But a brilliant Shaun Wright-Phillips effort on 65 minutes followed two minutes later by a Robbie Fowler penalty tied things up. Robbie Elliott restored the lead before Wright-Phillips again equalised but a brilliant 89th-minute volley from Craig Bellamy, who was earlier this week forced to apologise to manager Graeme Souness for swearing after he was substituted at Charlton last week, settled it.
Portsmouths search for a first away win of the season was thwarted after a 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough at the Riverside. After Diomansy Kamara had given Pompey a 4th-minute lead, Boro laid siege to the visitors goal before the impressive Stewart Downing levelled it with 18 minutes remaining.
A 0-0 draw at St Marys was enough to see Southampton move off the bottom of the table against Birmingham. Dexter Blackstocks first-half header for the hosts hit the bar in the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock.
Man Utd 3-0 Millwall
Ruud van Nistelrooy scored twice as Manchester United overcame valiant Millwall to win the FA Cup final. Lions keeper Andy Marshall had denied Roy Keane before Cristiano Ronaldo nodded in Gary Neville's cross. Dennis Wise headed off the line but Van Nistelrooy doubled United's lead from the penalty spot after David Livermore had brought down Ryan Giggs. Van Nistelrooy then tapped home a driven Giggs cross to ensure United's disappointing season ended on a high. Both Keane and Wise overcame their injury problems to make the final. But Ronaldo, often pilloried by critics for over-playing this season, was the game's outstanding footballer. His trickery and incisive runs hurt Millwall time and again, with full-back Robbie Ryan bearing the brunt of the youngster's repertoire of skills. Millwall settled quickly, enjoying plenty of early touches as United struggled to get the ball.
But Sir Alex Ferguson's team quickly unveiled their attacking threat. Ronaldo, wearing gold boots, crossed from the right after four minutes and Van Nistelrooy got across the Millwall defence only for his diving header to drift narrowly wide of Marshall's goal. More inventive work from Ronaldo again exposed Millwall shortly afterwards. The 19-year-old turned Ryan inside and out and crossed, but after the ball broke to Paul Scholes the England midfielder failed to make contact from six yards. United continued to press and Marshall made a brilliant one-handed save to deny Keane, who thought he had opened the scoring with a swerving long-range strike. Three minutes from the break Marshall only half saved a shot from Ronaldo and Darren Ward showed great positioning to hack the ball off the line. But Ronaldo's superb first-half display was eventually rewarded with a goal. United manoeuvred the ball crisply from left to right and Ronaldo attacked the far post to head Gary Neville's tempting cross past Marshall. The goal was slightly unfortunate on Millwall, who had blunted United's attacking threat for large periods while enjoying moments of their own. A cleverly taken short corner caught United flat in defence and Tim Howard had to punch the ball off Tim Cahill's head, while Paul Ifill broke down the right but had his shot blocked. But their situation could have been even worse at the break after player-manager Wise repeatedly tangled with Paul Scholes. Referee Jeff Winter however opted for a cautionary word with both players and ensured Wise left the field without further harming his team's cause. A driving run from Darren Fletcher in the opening minutes of the second half signalled United's determination to take the game beyond Millwall. Marshall also had to save from Scholes as United looked for a killer second goal.
Silvestre almost scored from United's 10th corner of the match, but Wise brilliantly headed off the line and Ryan booted the ball clear. The decisive second goal did eventually come though in the 65th minute, and in emphatic style too. Livermore fouled Giggs after a jinking run from the Welshman, and Van Nistelrooy smashed home the resulting penalty. The prolific Dutchman was then in the right position to score United's third, sliding the ball home after more good work from Giggs. With the game now beyond Millwall's reach, Ferguson made three substitutions - including goalkeeper Roy Carroll for Tim Howard - to give as many players as possible a slice of the glory. Millwall also had time to make a significant substitution - Curtis Weston replacing Wise to become the youngest ever FA Cup finalist. But while their fans will have enjoyed their day out, the match itself and celebrations afterwards certainly belonged to United as they wrapped up their 11th FA Cup triumph.
Man Utd: Howard (Carroll 84), Gary Neville, Brown, Silvestre, O'Shea, Ronaldo (Solskjaer 84), Fletcher (Butt 84), Keane, Giggs, Scholes, van Nistelrooy. Subs Not Used: Phil Neville, Djemba-Djemba.
Millwall: Marshall, Ryan (Cogan 74), Ward, Lawrence, Elliott, Sweeney, Livermore, Wise (Weston 89), Ifill, Cahill, Harris (McCammon 75). Subs Not Used: Gueret, Dunne.
Booked: Wise.
Attendance: 71,350
Referee: J Winter (Cleveland).
ROY CARROLL - Age: 26 - Position: Goalkeeper
Carroll has struggled to establish himself in the first team since joining from Wigan for �2.5m in July 1997. The Northern Ireland international deputised for Fabien Barthez and then Tim Howard, but finished the season as first choice.
TIM HOWARD - Age: 25 - Position: Goalkeeper
Howard started the season in great form after joining from New York/New Jersey Metrostars last summer, but his form dipped as the season progressed. Dropped shortly after his error against Porto in the Champions League.
GARY NEVILLE - Age: 29 - Position: Defender
Neville is a proven performer for club and country and one of the most respected figures at United. An accomplished right-back, Neville can also fit into the centre of United's defence and is a dangerous crosser of the ball.
PHIL NEVILLE - Age: 27 - Position: Defender
Like his brother, Phil came through the junior ranks at United to make his mark in the first team and at international level. Not a regular first choice but a capable performer either at left-back or in a holding role in the centre of midfield.
WES BROWN - Age: 24 - Position: Defender
Tipped for great things from an early age, Brown's career has been plagued by a series of injuries that have hampered his progress and development. Possesses all the natural attributes to succeed at the highest level in the centre of defence.
JOHN O'SHEA - Age: 23 - Position: Defender
O'Shea matured as a defender during loan spells at Bournemouth and Royal Antwerp before establishing himself at United during the 2002-03 season. Most comfortable at left-back, O'Shea is a dangerous customer pushing forward.
MIKAEL SILVESTRE - Age: 26 - Position: Defender
France international Silvestre joined United for �4m from Inter Milan in 1999 after a mixed spell in Italy. A fixture in United's defence, Silvestre is a solid performer with good pace and the ability to play anywhere across the back line.
CRISTIANO RONALDO - Age: 19 - Position: Midfielder
Joined United from Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon last summer following David Beckham's departure. Ronaldo has shown mesmeric stepovers and a full complement of attacking skills during an exciting first season at the club.
NICKY BUTT - Age: 29 - Position: Midfielder
Butt joined United as a trainee in 1991 and made his first-team debut on 21 November 1992. A combative midfielder who has often found himself in Roy Keane's shadow, Butt is nevertheless a regular performer for his country.
ROY KEANE - Age: 32 - Position: Midfielder
An Old Trafford legend, Keane is the team's driving force and Sir Alex Ferguson's leader on the pitch. Keane no longer covers every blade of grass during a match but remains a midfielder with an unswerving will and desire to win.
PAUL SCHOLES - Age: 29 - Position: Midfielder
Scholes' technical ability is the envy of most of the Premiership and his late runs forward are near impossible to mark. Scored the winner in the semi-final against Sunderland with one such foray, but is clumsy in the tackle.
ERIC DJEMBA-DJEMBA - Age: 23 - Position: Midfielder
The Cameroon international has found it difficult to force his way into the United midfield since arriving for �3.5m from Nantes last summer. Very much a squad player this season, Djemba-Djemba has yet to find his feet in England.
DARREN FLETCHER - Age: 20 - Position: Midfield
Fletcher made his first-team debut in the Champions League against Basle in March 2003 and has not looked back. A creative midfielder who has managed to force his way into United's congested midfield on a regular basis.
RYAN GIGGS - Age: 30 - Position: Midfield
Giggs made his first-team debut at the age of 17 in March 1991 and the rest is history. The left-winger has won a treasure trove of medals during a glittering career. His mazy runs down the left are the stuff of nightmares for opposing defenders.
LOUIS SAHA - Age: 25 - Position: Striker
Saha joined United from Fulham in the January transfer window and made an immediate impression, scoring on his debut against Southampton. The France international was signed as support for Ruud van Nistelrooy.
RUUD VAN NISTELROOY- Age: 27 - Position: Striker
The toast of Old Trafford, Van Nistelrooy is one of the most highly-rated strikers in Europe. Joined United from PSV in 2001 after recovering from a serious knee injury and has excelled ever since. United's most potent attacking weapon.
DAVID BELLION - Age: 23 - Position: Striker
Bellion joined United from Sunderland last summer but has yet to play more than a fringe role for Sir Alex Ferguson's team. The French youngster has loads of pace but has yet to show the sort of quality in front of goal to feature regularly.
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER - Age: 30 - Position: Striker
The Norway international has proved himself to be a clinical accumulator of goals since joining United from Molde in 1996. Solskjaer had an operation on a knee injury last September but is now fully recovered.
DIEGO FORLAN - Age: 25 - Position: Striker
Forlan's United career got off to a stuttering start after his �7.5m move from Independiente of Argentina. He failed to score in his first season after joining during the January transfer window in 2002 but has shown signs of improvement.
Roy Keane is to play again for the Republic of Ireland, the FAI confirmed on Tuesday.
The Manchester United captain met with Irish boss Brian Kerr and insisted he wanted to play for his country again. Keane has not played for Ireland since quitting the national team after rowing with former coach Mick McCarthy just before the 2002 World Cup. "It cannot have been an easy decision for him but his desire to represent his country is immense," said Kerr.
The player flew home from a training camp just before the 2002 World Cup and said he would not play for Ireland again while McCarthy was in charge. McCarthy's resignation later that year sparked speculation that Keane would return under new manager Kerr. At that stage, Keane appeared to be on the verge of agreeing to return. However, influenced by United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, Keane eventually announced his international retirement, saying his main focus was on prolonging his club career.
Republic boss Kerr, describing Keane as one of the Republic's greatest ever players, said United's approval had been a sticking point. Kerr added: "We met last week and discussed everything about his decision in great detail. "He had addressed the issue with his club before that meeting and they are aware of his decision to make himself available for international duty with immediate effect." FAI chief executive Fran Rooney also welcomed Keane back into the fold with open arms.
He said: "We look forward to Roy Keane playing for Ireland again. "It is important that we should have all our top players available for the forthcoming World Cup campaign." McCarthy's club Sunderland said he would not comment on the situation. Keane's return will be a boost to the Republic's World Cup qualification campaign which starts with a home game against Cyprus in September. There may be concerns, though, about what impact Keane's dramatic return will have on team morale.
Keane, who has 58 caps, last played for Ireland in the final World Cup warm-up match in May 2002 when the Republic lost 2-1 to Nigeria.
3 april 2004
Paul Scholes ended Arsenal's hopes of the treble and a third successive FA Cup triumph with a first-half winner.
Scholes fired home Ryan Giggs' cross from close range after 31 minutes to seal an FA Cup final place against either Sunderland or Millwall. Arsenal and Manchester United started without Thierry Henry and injured Ruud van Nistelrooy at Villa Park. Edu and Patrick Vieira hit the woodwork for Arsenal while Roy Carroll saved from Dennis Bergkamp and Kolo Toure. But United held Arsenal in their grip in the second half, despite the introduction of a host of attackers, wrecking their rivals' hopes of repeating their 1999 feat of winning the league, FA Cup and Champions League. It means United travel to Cardiff for the final with hopes of salvaging their season with silverware. Arsene Wenger, meanwhile, will turn his attention to the Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea on Tuesday and maintaining their lead in the Premiership.
Arsenal's talisman Henry was restricted to a substitute's role, while Van Nistelrooy was ruled out by a knee injury. And the Gunners almost started in sensational fashion as they did everything but score in the third minute. Carroll dived at Bergkamp's feet as he raced clear, and from the rebound Wes Brown was forced to head the Dutchman's shot off the line. The resulting corner saw Edu chip on to the bar with Carroll beaten, only for the goalkeeper to recover miraculously to block Kolo Toure's header. Arsenal were dominating the opening stages, and Robert Pires should have put them ahead after 24 minutes, heading over an open goal from Bergkamp's cross. Pires was then fortunate to escape a red card for flooring Gary Neville before United took the lead. United's confidence was rising, but Arsenal almost equalised on the stroke of half-time when Vieira's header glanced off the outside of a post. Arsenal, inevitably, stepped up the pace after the interval but United held firm at the back.
Hot-headed Gunners goalkeeper Lehmann was lucky not to be sent off after 51 minutes when he inexplicably got involved with Cristiano Ronaldo, pushing the Portuguese teenager to the ground. And it was no surprise when Wenger made a double substitution after 57 minutes, sending on Jose Antonio Reyes for Jeremie Aliadiere and Henry for the disappointing Pires. But this time there was no brilliance from Henry and United ended Arsenal's 18-match unbeaten FA Cup run stretching back to their defeat in the 2001 final against Liverpool in Cardiff.
Arsenal: Lehmann, Lauren, Campbell, Toure, Clichy, Ljungberg, Vieira, Edu (Kanu 76), Pires (Henry 57), Bergkamp, Aliadiere (Reyes 57). Subs Not Used: Keown, Stack. Booked: Pires, Lehmann, Toure, Lauren.
Man Utd: Carroll, Gary Neville, Brown, Silvestre, O'Shea, Ronaldo (Bellion 84), Fletcher, Keane, Scholes, Giggs, Solskjaer (Phil Neville 75). Subs Not Used: Butt, Howard, Djemba-Djemba. Booked: Scholes.
Referee: G Barber (Hertfordshire).
Attendance: 39,939.
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27feb 2004 Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has admitted that the club's loss of form is down in part to David Beckham's transfer to Real Madrid. United lost ground to Premiership leaders Arsenal following a 1-1 draw at home to lowly Leeds on Saturday.
And Van Nistelrooy said that Beckham's influence in midfield has been missed. "Becks is a missed here at United as a player as well as a person," he said. "From what I've seen of him in Spain, he's doing really well."
He added: "With the language barrier, it's not easy for a player to make a move like that.
"But Becks has put in some great performances for Real." Dutchman Van Nistelrooy has continued to find the net regularly for Manchester United, who trail Arsenal by seven points in the league.
But the Old Trafford club have still faltered and face a minor injury crisis ahead of Wednesday's Champions League game at Porto.
