/ 21 September 2004

Ferdinand back in action for Man United

Mikael Silvestre’s two headers handed Manchester United their first win in five games on Monday and gave Rio Ferdinand a winning return in a 2-1 victory over Liverpool.

A Premier League record crowd of 67 857 saw the French defender, the only United man to play in all 10 league and cup games this season, score his first two goals of the campaign. His second came in the 66th minute after John O’Shea’s own goal had given Liverpool an equaliser early in the second half.

The victory came after four ties in a row — three in the league and one in the Champions League — and lifted United five places to eighth. Liverpool slipped to 12th.

United manager Alex Ferguson decided to recall Ferdinand at the first opportunity after his eight-month ban for failing to take a drug test to shore up a defence that had again wobbled in the previous four games.

”I thought he was superb,” Ferguson said. ”He brings a composure and a sureness that transmits itself right through the team, and considering he’s not played for eight months you have to say he was absolutely fantastic.”

Ferdinand said he was pleased to get back to competitive soccer, having spent eight months training.

”It’s all new again,” he said after the game. ”Eight months out is a long time. It was nice to get out there, defending again.”

Ferguson also decided to drop American goalkeeper Tim Howard after his blunders against Bolton in the league and Lyon in the Champions League meant United tied each match 2-2 instead of winning them.

”It could be that the second season is always a test for everyone,” Ferguson said. ”They go through a period when they’re flying high. They don’t see the bad days ahead. When you have that blip the only way to get out of it is to come out of it altogether. And that’s what we’ve done with Tim.”

Players on both side wore black armbands as a mark of respect to Brian Clough, the former Nottingham Forest and Derby County manager who died age 69 on Monday. Clough, who led Forest to back to back European Cup titles, had been suffering from stomach cancer.

Badly needing a victory to spark their season into life, United’s stars outplayed Liverpool in the first half and could have gone into half-time 3-0 ahead.

In the 10th minute, Cristiano Ronaldo went on an amazing circular run, beating three Liverpool men on the way and fired a 25-yard shot that beat goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek and thudded against his right-hand post.

A minute later, United appealed for a penalty when Ruud van Nistelrooy turned Sami Hyypia and the Finnish defender appeared to pull him back by the shoulder to prevent him shooting.

But the home side went ahead in the 21st minute when Hyypia needlessly fouled Paul Scholes near the right touchline. Ryan Giggs curled in the free kick and Silvestre timed his run perfectly as he rose at the far post to head powerfully home.

United went close four more times before the interval, Ronaldo shooting wide with his left foot from 12 yards and Argentina defender Gabriel Heinze seeing a long-range header tipped over the bar by Dudek. Van Nistelrooy stretched to head just past the near post from a left-wing cross and O’Shea headed straight at the ‘keeper from close range from Ronaldo’s cross.

Liverpool had produced little to threaten Ferguson’s men and lost influential midfielder Steven Gerrard when he limped off five minutes before the break with what manager Rafael Benitez says is a foot injury that could sideline him for up to eight weeks.

”We lose Gerrard for six or eight weeks,” the former Valencia coach said. ”We will have to see the X-rays, it’s a problem with the fifth metatarsal bone. We will have to talk with the doctor.”

Having had little to do in the first half, United’s defence suddenly started to shake at the start of the second and, when Ferdinand, Wes Brown and Silvestre all failed to clear, Liverpool was awarded a free kick 35 yards out on the left.

Xabi Alonso’s floated free kick found three unmarked teammates wide of the far post and goalkeeper Roy Carroll was caught off his line. The ‘keeper managed to half-stop Steve Finnan’s angled shot but the ball went in off O’Shea’s toe and was over the line before he managed to clear it.

United reacted with Giggs going on a weaving run down the right and earning a corner. When he floated the ball into the centre, Silvestre was first to get there and head home from close range.

Xabi went close to equalising again with an audacious shot from 40 yards when he spotted Carroll off his line. But the ‘keeper got back to stop the ball dipping into the net. — Sapa-AP