FERGIE’S FURY AT THRILLER
Everton 3 3 Pienaar 39 Fletcher 43 Cahill 90 (+1) Vidic 47 Arteta 90 (+2) Berbatov 66 PL, Goodison Park, Sept 11, 2010 Att: 36,556 BY THE most famous hairdryer in football was waiting for Manchester United players in the away changing room after they chucked away a certain victory in Sir Alex Ferguson’s 700th Premier League match.
United were 3-1 up after 90 minutes, but had to settle for a point.
Ferguson had left Wayne Rooney out of the side that played his former club after stories about his private life were splashed across the papers.
“We are not going to subject him to the abuse he gets here,” explained Ferguson, but United still went 3-1 up.
The lead might have been wider were it not for Everton keeper Tim Howard, playing against his old side.
He helped John O’shea’s shot onto the woodwork and kept out efforts from Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, the latter resulting in a corner that led to Everton’s 39th-minute lead.
Mikel Arteta latched onto Tim Cahill’s clearance and raced clear.
United keeper Edwin van der Sar saved his shot and the rebound ran to Leon Osman, who passed to Steve Pienaar and he swept the ball in.
The lead lasted only four minutes. Nani curled a cross in and Darren Fletcher volleyed past Howard.
Nani was the provider again on 47 minutes. This time it was Nemanja Vidic who arrived to head home.
Fergie (below) saw United go further clear after 67 minutes as Dimitar Berbatov took one touch to control Scholes’ pass and send his shot into the bottom corner.
The score stayed 3-1 after 90 minutes – but Everton had three minutes of injury time to save themselves.
Cahill gave them hope, meeting Leighton Baines’ cross with a firm header past Van der Sar.
Another Baines cross was teed up by Cahill for the unmarked Arteta to lash a right-foot shot goalwards and Scholes could only divert the ball past the unsighted Van der Sar.