Manchester United, Chelsea win at Premier League (Agencies) Updated: 2005-12-27 09:25
But, following Albion's enforced reshuffle, United's first attack saw Park
slip the ball wide for Ferdinand, overlapping on the right, and the
centre-half's resulting cross was touched by Park into the path of Scholes.
The former England man produced a perfectly-placed, unstoppable shot into the
bottom right-hand corner of the Albion goal.
Halfway through the six minutes added on for Robinson's injury, United
doubled their lead after van Nistelrooy won a right-hand corner.
Ryan Giggs's centre was met by Ferdinand who acrobatically steered a superb
header into the top corner.
The second-half opened with van Nistelrooy having a near post shot blocked by
Gaardsoe and former United pair Jonathan Greening and Ronnie Wallwork combined
with the former crossing for the latter to head at Edwin van der Sar.
But Albion would never look remotely like scoring thereafter.
Instead, Rooney might have added to United's advantage when he drove forwards
and sent a fearsome 20-yard shot rising over the Albion bar, before van
Nistelrooy did, indeed, add a third.
Park played a pass wide to substitute Alan Smith who, with his first touch of
the ball, swung over a cross which the Dutch striker headed in, clinically, from
eight yards.
Kuszczak saved his team from further embarrassment when he saved van
Nistelrooy's 70th minute shot low at the foot of his post but a miserable Albion
afternoon was summed up when former Red Wallwork bore down on goal but struck
his shot directly at van der Sar from six yards.
Crespo goal gives Chelsea 3-2 win over Fulham
LONDON, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Hernan Crespo struck in the 74th minute to
give Chelsea a 3-2 win over Fulham on Monday that maintained their 100 percent
home record in the Premier League.
The champions stay nine points clear
of Manchester United, who crushed West Bromwich Albion 3-0 at home, and 15 in
front of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur who both notched up 2-0 home victories.
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