Man United v Nottm Forest 14/09/96 3.00Man United (2) 4 Nottm Forest (1) 1 FT Solskjaer 22 Haaland 4 Giggs 43 Cantona 82,90 (pen) Eric Cantona shrugged off his torment in Turin by steering Manchester United to victory and the top of the Premiership today. The French star capped a superb display, full of delightful flicks and touches, by scoring twice and setting up the other two goals. It was just the result United were looking for following their 1-0 defeat by Juventus in the Champions League in midweek. Yet Forest gave them a number of anxious moments, not least of all in the third minute when Alf Inge Haaland opened the scoring. United equalised 19 minutes later through Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ryan Giggs put them ahead three minutes before the break. The second half in particular belonged to Cantona who struck twice to kill off Forest's challenge. 
The tactics of United manager Alex Ferguson were brought into question in Italy but what is not in dispute is his club's enormous appeal. Today's match at Old Trafford drew a crowd of 54,948 - the highest league gate in England this season. Forest arrived at the ground in good heart despite a poor start to their Premiership campaign. Frank Clark's side were the last visiting team to win a league fixture at Old Trafford 31 games and 21 months ago. They could not have made a better start either, thanks to Haaland's second goal of the season. The Norwegian international swept the ball home after a long ball from Stuart Pierce to the far post caused United all kinds of problems. The champions drew level in the 22nd minute and Pierce was the villain of the peace. He was on hand when Cantona played the ball through, only to carelessly lose possession and Solskjaer steered the ball beyond keeper Mark Crossley. United suffered a scare after 38 minutes when Republic of Ireland defender Denis Irwin cleared off the line after Colin Cooper had headed on a corner from Ian Woan. Cantona set up United's second in the 42nd minute with a delightful back heel which released Karel Poborsky. The Czech Republic international raced to the by-line and delivered the perfect cross for Giggs to head home. 
United keeper Peter Schmeichel then did marvellously well to tip over a 30-yard thunderbolt from Woan but United killed the game off in the last seven minutes. Giggs rolled a free kick across the face of the area into the path of Cantona and he cracked the ball home from 25 yards, the ball going in off the post. Then in injury time Poborsky was tripped up by Chris Bart-Williams in the penalty area. Cantona stepped up and completed a perfect afternoon's work by firing the ball sweetly home. Forest striker Dean Saunders did find the net after Pierce's shot went across the face of the goal but it was ruled out for offside. Forest have now won only one match this season, on the opening day, and on this evidence they face a long hard winter. 
Man United: (4-4-1-1) Schmeichel, Neville, Irwin, Pallister, Cantona, Butt (McClair, 41), Beckham, Giggs, Poborsky, Johnsen, Solskjaer (Cole, 75). Subs not used: May, Cruyff, Van Der Gouw. Nottm Forest: (4-4-2) Crossley, Lyttle, Pearce, Cooper, Chettle, Bart-Williams, Phillips, Saunders, Lee, Woan, Haaland. Subs not used: Gemmill, Fettis, Jerkan, Allen, Roy. Booked: Woan, Bart-Williams, Haaland. Attendance: 54,984. Referee: P Jones (Loughborough). |
