Soccer United beats Arsenal

Press, 21 August 1989, Page 23

Soccer United beats Arsenal

NZPA-Reuter London Manchester United repaid the faith of their new owner with a 4-1 home win over the titleholders, Arsenal, in an exciting start to the English league championship yesterday. United, the subject of a record £2O million ($54 million) takeover on the eve of the new season, went one goal up in less than two minutes as they set out in pursuit of the title which has evaded them for 23 years. Liverpool, pipped at the post for last year’s title, and Tottenham also earned useful wins but another former champion-ship-winning side, Everton, were beaten 2-0 at Coventry. Manchester United’s victory at Old Trafford included a debut goal from the England midfielder, Neil Webb, a close-season signing from Nottingham Forest.

Webb and fellow-new-comer Mike Phelan slotted easily into the team, much to the satisfaction of the manager, Alex Ferguson, who had feared his job could be in jeopardy under the new ownership unless United improved on last season’s

disappointing results. With businessman Michael Knighton, the club’s new owner, watching, Steve Bruce wasted no time in putting United in the lead with a header before the reigning champions had even settled into the game. In an action-filled first half, the Arsenal goalkeeper, John Lukic, saved an eighteenth-minute penalty by Brian McClair after a foul on Bruce by the London side’s captain, Tony Adams.

Seconds later Adams was substituted in defence by Gus Caesar, who was barely on the pitch before the England midfielder,. David Rocastle, had equalised with a header from a Brian Marwood corner.

The referee, David Hutchinson, had to be replaced himself in the first half because of a pulled leg muscle.

The Welsh international striker, Mark Hughes put United, who last won the English title in the 196667 season, ahead again in the second half before Webb and McClair added two more goals in the space of four minutes.

Webb chested the ball

the club has been under discussion, scored in the eightieth minute after a shot by Lineker had been blocked.

Paul Wright, a new signing from Scottish club Aberdeen, celebrated his debut for Queen’s Park Rangers with two goals to give them a 2-0 victory over recently promoted Crystal Palace.

Chelsea, another newcomer to the first division, had a happier time, beating Wimbledon 1-0 with an eighty-first minute goal by the substitute, Kevin Wilson.

Results of British soccer matches played at the week-end. — Division one: Charlton 0, Derby 0; Coventry 2, Everton 0; Liverpool 3, Manchester City 1; Manchester United 4, Arsenal 1; Nottingham Forest 1, Aston Villa 1; Queen’s Park Rangers 2, Crystal Palace 0; Sheffield Wednesday 0, Norwich 2; Southampton 1, Millwall 2; Tottenham 2, Luton 1; Wimbledon 0, Chelsea 1.-Division two: Blackbum 1, Oldham 0; Bradford 2, Port Vale 2; Brighton 2, Bournemouth 1; Hull 1, Leicester 1; Ipswich 3, Barnsley 1; Middlesbrough 4, Wolverhampton 2; Newcastle 5, Leeds 2; Plymouth 2, Oxford 0; Stoke 1, West Ham 1; Swindon 0, Sunderland 2;

Watford 1, Portsmouth 0; West Bromwich 0, Sheffield United 3.

Division three: Birmingham 3, Crewe 0; Blackpool 0, Wigan 0; Bristol Rovers 1, Brentford 0; Bury 1, Bristol City 1; Cardiff 0, Bolton 2; Chester 0, Mansfield 2; Fulham 1, Tranmere 2; Huddersfield 1, Swansea 0; Leyton Orient 0, Notts County 1; Reading 3, Shrewsbury 3; Rotherham 3, Preston 1; Walsall 1, Northampton 0. Division four: Chesterfield 1, Colchester 1; Exeter 1, Doncaster 0; Gillingham 0, Aidershot 0; Grimsby 0, Cambridge 0; Halifax 4, Hartlepool 0; Hereford 2, Carlisle 2; Lincoln 1, Scunthorpe 0; Peterborough 1, Maidstone 0; Rochdale 2, Burnley 1; Scarborough 2, Wrexham 1; Southend 2, York 0; Stockport 1, Torquay 1. Scottish premier division

Celtic 1, Dunfermline 0; Dundee 4, Dundee United 3; Hibernian 2, Rangers 0; Motherwell 0, Aberdeen 0; St Mirren 1, Hearts 2.

Division one: Airdrieonians 1, Hamilton 0; Ayr 1, Forfar 1; Falkirk 0, Raith 2; Meadowbank 1, Alloa 3; Morton 0, Clyde 1; Partick 4, Albion 0; St Johnston 2, Clydebank 1.

Division two: Arbroath 1, Kilmarnock 1; Brechin 4, Dumbarton 0; Cowdenbeath 0, Montrose 1; East Fife 2, Stenhousemuir 3; Queen of the South 4, Berwick 2; Queen’s Park 3, East Stirling 2; Stranraer 0, Stirling 2.