Man U manager gets winning sendoff
MANCHESTER, England — Alex Ferguson was given a fitting sendoff in his final home game in charge of Manchester United as his club of nearly 27 years scored a trademark late winner against Swansea on Sunday, capping an emotional day of celebrations at Old Trafford.
Rio Ferdinand slammed in an 87th- minute volley to seal United’s 2- 1 victory, before Ferguson joined his players in lifting the Premier League trophy for a 13th and final time.
“It’s fantastic,” said Ferguson, whose haul of 38 trophies at United makes him Britain’s most successful football manager.
“What a sendoff. I was bubbling there for a bit. The atmosphere was unbelievable.”
Ferguson’s replacement at United, David Moyes, was also feted by fans in his last home match as manager of Everton, with his side beating West Ham 2- 0 thanks to a double from Kevin Mirallas to guarantee a sixth- place finish.
Tottenham climbed provisionally to fourth — two points above Arsenal — courtesy of Emmanuel Adebayor’s late winner in a 2- 1 victory at Stoke, while Newcastle and Norwich secured their Premier League survival with victories over Queens Park Rangers and West Bromwich Albion, respectively.
Sunderland could still go down after conceding an equalizer to draw 1- 1 at home to Southampton, leaving Paolo Di Canio’s team four points in front of third- from- bottom Wigan ahead of the newly crowned FA Cup winners’ visit to Arsenal on Tuesday in their game in hand.
Realistically, the three teams still battling against the drop are Sunderland, Aston Villa and Wigan.
Daniel Sturridge scored a hat trick as Liverpool came from behind to defeat Fulham 3- 1 in the day’s other match.
Ferguson’s last home match as United manager was always going to steal the script, however, and the game was given even more prestige as it was the final appearance by Paul Scholes at Old Trafford before the midfielder headed back into retirement.
Ferguson, who dropped Wayne Rooney from the starting lineup and later confirmed the club had rejected the striker’s transfer request, started Scholes in central midfield and brought him off after 66 minutes to a standing ovation.
“He is unbelievable, one of the greatest players this club has had or ever will have,” Ferguson said of Scholes, who signed professional terms with United in 1993.
With the game approaching what is widely known in British football as “Fergie Time” — coined due to the amount of injury- time goals scored by United in Ferguson’s tenure — a corner from Robin van Persie crept through to Ferdinand, who volleyed home high into the net.
Ferguson jumped out of his seat and punched the air in delight, before making his way to the centre circle after full time to deliver an emotional, five- minute speech in the rain.
“If you think about it, those last- minute goals, the comebacks, even the defeats, are all part of this great football club of ours,” Ferguson said. “It’s been an unbelievable experience for all of us.”