The Dell still holds few delights for Manchester United. Last night Southampton defeated them there for the third successive season and this time the champions' waltz to another Premiership title was interrupted by a Paul Jones.
The former Stockport County goalkeeper made a series of outstanding saves as United searched for goals after Kevin Davies had given Southampton an early lead with his 12th of the season. In the closing minutes of the match Jones denied Alex Ferguson's team the minimal satisfaction of a point as he kept out first a ricochet off Andy Cole's knee and then a point-blank shot from Ole Solskjaer.
Southampton's victory was a reward for hard work and sound organisation, particularly in midfield and defence where Kevin Richardson and Andy Monkou were outstanding. "We knew that if we could deny them space we had a chance," said their manager, Dave Jones, and so it proved.
United enjoyed the bulk of the possession, certainly enough for Ferguson to ask later: "Somebody tell me how they won that game." But for once United were unable to exploit the advantage that their passing and movement created. The closest they came to scoring was when David Beckham's free kick hit the angle of post and bar midway through the second half.
Had a calf injury not forced Teddy Sheringham out of the United attack, breaking up his prolific partnership with Cole, it might have been different. For all their possession United clearly missed Sheringham's accuracy in the air and his ability to link attacks.
With Carlton Palmer, Matthew Oakley and Richardson tireless in their pursuit of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and Nicky Butt, whose booking last night after a spat with Matthew Le Tissier has brought him a two-match ban, United's rhythm was always likely to be disturbed. Before besieging the Southampton goal towards the end of the match they had only managed to maintain serious pressure in the 15 minutes before half-time.
During this spell the game could so easily have slipped away from Southampton. Two saves from Jones, one to cut out a dangerous short, low centre from Giggs and another to block the Welshman's close-range shot, stopped this happening and an offside flag against Butt, after Cole had put the ball in the net, added to United's frustration. In between times Claus Lundekvam's aberrant back pass might have given Solskjawr, a fellow-Norwegian, an easy goal had the striker been able to keep the ball in play.
A surge out of defence by Lundekvam led to Southampton scoring in the third minute. With United backing off, Cole's shove brought Lundekvam down from behind and Le Tissier swung the free kick sharply towards the far post.
Butt should have been tracking Davies's late run to meet the ball but lost his footing, allowing the Southampton player a free header. Peter Schmeichel was beaten by a sharp nod down past his left hand. Davies departed after 20 minutes, having turned an ankle in a tackle with Denis Irwin, but his job, as it turned out, had been done.
The result means that United's lead at the top of the table remains at five points instead of increasing to a virtually unassailable eight. It gives some encouragement to their immediate pursuers, especially Blackburn and Liverpool, who will go third, six points behind, if they beat Newcastle at Anfield tonight.
Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Benali, Richardson (Spedding 87), Monkou, Lundekvam, Davies (Ostenstad 19), Palmer, Hirst, Le Tissier (Slater 80), Oakley. Subs not used: Dryden, Moss. Booked: Dodd, Le Tissier. Goal: Davies 3.
Manchester Utd: Schmeichel, G Neville (Nevland 85), Irwin, Scholes, Johnsen, Pallister, Beckham, Butt (McClair 80), Cole, Solskjaer, Giggs. Subs not used: P Neville, Berg, Pilkington. Booked: Giggs, Beckham, Butt.
Referee: M A Riley (Leeds).
