Man. United slides to seventh loss

Press, 10 November 1986, Page 21

Man. United slides to seventh loss

NZPA-Reuter London Alex Ferguson. was made fully aware of the size of the job confronting him when Manchester United slid to its seventh English first division soccer defeat of the season by losing, 0-2, at Oxford yesterday.

Less than 48 hours after replacing Ron Atkinson in the Old Trafford manager’s office, Mr Ferguson, the former Aberdeen and part-time Scotland boss, saw United turn in the latest in a long list of disappointing displays. United, looking nervous and hesitant, offered little in the way of attacking ideas and Mr Ferguson must have been left wondering how a club which had spent around $19.8 million in recent years could perform so ineptly. The lowly Oxford always looked the more likely outfit and the only surprise was the fact it took it 16 minutes to go ahead, the $2.97 millionrated striker, John Aldridge, converting a penalty. With the United players casting anxious glances in the direction of Mr Ferguson, who left the directors’ box to be nearer the action on the touchline, Oxford assumed total control and Neil Slatter put the issue beyond doubt when he scored a second goal 10 minutes from time.

United’s plight at the foot of the table overshadowed the happenings at the top where Liverpool moved ahead of Nottingham Forest on goal difference after a smooth 3-1 away win against Queen’s Park Rangers.

In recent seasons, Coventry has waged a never-ending battle to avoid relegation but victory against Forest left it in the unaccustomed position of being just three

points from the top of the table.

The news that Liverpool had returned to the top was probably received with a resigned sigh throughout England

English league Division one: Arsenal 0, West Ham 0; Coventry 1, Nottingham Forest 0; Everton 2, Chelsea 2; Leicester 1, Newcastle 1; Manchester City 3, Aston Villa 1; Norwich 2, Tottenham 1; Oxford 2, Manchester United 0; Queen’s Park Rangers 1, Liverpool 3; Sheffield Wednesday 3, Southampton 1; Watford 4, Charlton 1; Wimbledon 0, Luton 1.

Division two: Birmingham 1, Oldham 3; Blackbum 0, Sheffield United 2; Crystal Palace 0, Grimsby 3; Derby 2, Ipswich 1; Huddersfield 2, • Brighton 1; Hull 0, Stoke 4; Millwall 1, Leeds 0; Portsmouth 2, Bradford 1; Reading 0, Barnsley 0; Shrewsbury 1, Plymouth 1; Sunderland 0, West Bromwich 3.

Division three: Blackpool 1, Rotherham 0; Bolton 0, Newport 1; Bournemouth 2, Carlisle 1; Bristol Rovers 1, Bury 1; Chester 1, Brentford 1; Darlington 0, Middlesbrough 1; Fulham 0, Bristol City 3; Mansfield 0, Swindon 0; Notts County 2, Walsall 1; Port Vale 0, Wigan 1; York T, Chesterfield 1; Doncaster 2, Gillingham 0.

Division four: Cambridge 3, Burnley 1; Cardiff 0. Southend 2; Crewe 1, Wrexham 1; Exeter 1, Peterborough 1; Hereford 0, Lincoln 0; Northampton 3, Preston- 1; Rochdale 0, Hartlepool 2; Tranmere 1, Swansea 1; Colchester 0, Orient 0. , Scottish league

Premier division: Aberdeen 0, St Mirren 0; Clydebank 0, Hearts 3; Dundee United 0, Dundee 3; Hamilton 1, Celtic 2; Hibernian 1, Falkirk 0; Rangers 0, Motherwell 1.

Division one: Airdrieonians 3, Montrose 0; Clyde 3, Partick 3; Dumbarton 2, Morton 1; East Fife 2, Dunfermline 1; Forfar 0, Brechin 1; Kilmarnock 3, Queen of South 2. Division two: Arbroath 4, Queen's Park 1; Ayr 3, Raith 3; Cowdenbeath 1, Alloa 0; St Johnstone 3, East Stirling 0; Stenhousemuir 0, Albion 0; Stirling 2, Berwick 2;, Stranraer 2, Meadowbank 0.