THE INDEPENDENT - LETHAL SCHOLES PUTS GLOSS ON IT
The time had long past for Manchester United to get their skates on to catch Chelsea - they need rockets under their boots to do that. But at least they lit the fuse last night with a win that fairly crackled and fizzed with energy, incident and, yes, goal after goal, but never exploded into anything utterly convincing.
In fact, you would need the opposite adjective to describe the United defence, who simply do not seem to know when a game is won. Twice they allowed Palace to equalise and if it had not been for two goals from the irrepressible Paul Scholes, as well as a vintage Ryan Giggs performance, the points they managed to throw away against Fulham last Monday could conceivably have been in danger of being replicated here.
Indeed, despite the overwhelming scoreline, it was anything but glory, glory on a day when Ruud van Nistelrooy's injury was revealed to be worse than first feared. "It was the calf but now it's the Achilles," said Sir Alex Ferguson. "The recommended treatment is therapy and doing a complete rehab on his injury. Hopefully, it's four weeks or six weeks at the very most but we don't know for certain."
And then there was Wayne Rooney, who was forced to continue his long education yesterday (amazing - he is still learning at 19). Yesterday's lesson was "how to miss a penalty" and didn't he he do well when he stepped up in the eighth minute and weakly sidefooted into the corner of the goal where Gabor Kiraly's outstretched arm happened to be? Cue the red mist, which seems to be precariously positioned just above Rooney's eyes, ready to drop at the slightest rattling. Within a few seconds, Rooney was leaping on to the back of Gonzalo Sorondo, who had the effrontery to stand in his way.
Fortunately for United, the ball did not go near the vicinity of their boy blunder for 10 minutes but when it did he showed us why he is who he is with a wicked ball across the box that was too good even for his own attackers. He was chasing quickfire redemption, but when the goal arrived after 22 minutes, it was that old favourite Scholes who reminded us why he is who he is with a silky piece of footwork in the six-yard box to escape his markers and fire high into Kiraly's goal. He had started the move too, his short corner played to Giggs, who fed Roy Keane, the captain then anticipating Scholes's run into the box with a perfectly-weighted pass.
In true Old Trafford fashion the floodgates were thus opened, but strangely the tide was not heading in one direction. Palace had not managed a goal here since someone called Iain Dowie scored, and perhaps still tasting the elixir of that strike all those years ago, he urged his men forward to grab their own slice of south-east London history. The unexpected equaliser came from an equally unexpected source. Danny Granville, the full-back who crudely brought down Darren Fletcher to concede the penalty, was on a giddying excursion upfield in the 27th minute when he managed to follow up his own deflected header off Wayne Routledge's cross to drill past Roy Carroll. Joy unrestrained.
It was all very Christmas-sy.
THE SUNDAY TIMES - UNITED PUT PALACE IN THEIR PLACE
All together now: "So this is Christmas and what have you done . . ." Well, everybody exchanged presents at Old Trafford and Palace, it has to be said, were even more generous than their hosts, but what the hell, we all had a good time. There won’t be a better party this side of Boxing Day.
United scored five, could have had seven or eight, but then it could have worked out tougher than it did. Palace scored an exquisite goal immediately after the restart to tie the match at 2-2, but just when they needed to consolidate they presented United with two goals and the game. All in the festive spirit, and say what you will about poor defending, it is never boring.
Ruud van Nistelrooy was again an injured absentee and from United’s medical department there was disquieting news. The centre-forward’s calf injury has caused a problem in the Achilles tendon and the most optimistic prediction is for a return in four to six weeks. United are hopeful that complete rehabilitation can be achieved without an operation.
But even without their principal goalscorer, United remain a vibrant attacking side. Paul Scholes was magnificent. This was the old Scholes; always on the scent of a goal chance and sharp as a razor when they came. Roy Keane was not far behind his midfield partner. All this talk about United’s oldest soldier fading away is just that, talk. Keane ran the show.
There were other parts of United’s game worthy of commendation. Playing his 600th game for United, Ryan Giggs ran with the enthusiasm of a boy making his first start and it was not inappropriate that right at the death, he should have supplied the cross for John O’Shea to score his team’s fifth goal.
But we tell just one side of the story. Palace contributed handsomely and asked questions about United’s defence that weren’t answered with any authority. What you liked about Palace was the speed of their counter-attacking and the intelligent way they went about things.
THE OBSERVER - REVITALISED SCHOLES LEADS PALACE RAID
It was a strange coincidence that, with Manchester United's players due to be surrounded by heavy security at their Christmas party after the game to keep them out of trouble, the one player Sir Alex Ferguson could be certain would stay out of mischief had the most to celebrate.
Paul Scholes, a man whose abilities in front of goal appeared to have deserted him totally, has become his club's leading scorer in the Premiership in the space of less than a month. It's been quite a transformation for Scholes, long acknowledged as a model professional and whose two goals here took his total to six in his past six matches.
The rediscovery of his form could hardly have coincided with a time when United needed it more, with Ruud van Nistelrooy's calf problem having now turned into an Achilles injury.
Scholes is now reaping the benefits of his decision to retire from international football, and his zest for the game appears fully restored after his sluggish displays following Euro 2004.
'He was always going to come good,' said Ferguson. 'I called them back into training too early and that's my fault. He had a topsy-turvy start but he's back now.'
How Ferguson needs Scholes and Ryan Giggs, another of Fergie's original fledglings back to his inspirational best, to maintain this type of form.
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH - UNITED JOY TEMPERED BY INJURY SETBACK
For the final half-hour it was one United attack after another as they threatened to submerge the spirited visitors and add humiliation to what was turning into a heavy defeat. But the home team had to earn the right to swagger, twice they led and twice Crystal Palace equalised.
Early on Wayne Rooney had missed from the penalty spot but with Paul Scholes scoring two goals and Ryan Giggs dazzling with some of his wing play, the 19-year-old's aberration was never likely to be the compelling line from an exhilarating evening. In the final minute John O'Shea made it five to underline the difficulties faced by the promoted sides on the day West Brom and Norwich conceded four.
The victory, their fifth in six Premiership outings, took Sir Alex Ferguson's team to within a point of Arsenal who play today. But they are still nine points adrift of Chelsea and that is the differential that will most concern the United faithful.
Ruud van Nistelrooy's injury is causing Ferguson increasing concern and the United manager revealed afterwards that the problem in his calf has now spread to his Achilles tendon, putting the Dutch striker out for anoher four to six weeks. "It's not great news,'' Ferguson said. "He will have to have complete rehabilitation and although we are not talking about an operation yet, you never know.''
With Louis Saha also sidelined until the New Year it is just as well that United are not short of cover. Rooney and Alan Smith are perfectly adequate replacements.
Rooney has been relatively quiet in front of goal. His chance to add to his four league goals came with just eight minutes on the clock. Giggs executed a one-two with Smith and after Emmerson Boyce had intervened Darren Fletcher gathered possession. Danny Granville blocked his path and down he went.
Rooney's tame penalty enabled Gabor Kiraly to make the save down to his right.