Van Nistelrooy Ends 7-Goal Thriller at Goodison


101 Goals

By David Hobbs
February 7 2004

Ruud van Nistelrooy and Louis Saha both struck twice to save United's blushes at Goodison park today. After going 3-0 up at half-time, Everton came back to level it 3-a-piece on the 75th minute but van Nisteltooy was on hand to strike in his 101st goal seconds before the end to make it 4-3 United New Page 1

Everton 3 - Manchester United 4 - Match Report
The magic of the Premiership produced a fantastic 7 goal thriller at Goodison Park today as Ruud van Nistelrooy had to save Manchester United's blushes right at the last minute.

United were 3-0 up and cruising at half-time but Everton fought back to go 3-a-piece with The Red Devils after 75 minutes. But United stole it right at the end with a goal from Ruud van Nistelrooy.

The game got off to a stormer with Louis Saha scoring just before the 9th minute with a fantastic left-footed volley from 18-yards. 1-0 United.

14 minutes later Ruud van Nistelrooy struck his was into the Manchester United record books with his 100th goal for Manchester United, being only the 15th person to reach that landmark. 2-0 United.

Louis Saha then got his first United double from a Paul Scholes ball. The Frenchman beautifully struck the ball from the edge of the penalty area past Nigel Martyn. 3-0 United.

United produced a vintage first-half performance and looked as if they had all three points in the bag. But Everton set out to spoil United's party in the second half.

Half-time: Everton 0 - Manchester United 3

David Moyes' made 3 changes at half-time bringing on Wayne Rooney, Naysmith and Radzinski; they replaced Watson, Pistone and Francis Jeffers.

The comeback was on just two minutes after the interval when Gary Naysmith's corner was headed in by David Unsworth, returning from injury, and put hope back into the souls of Everton. 3-1 United.

Another Gary Naysmith corner resulted in a goal when his in-swinging ball met the head of John O'Shea to put it past his own team-mate Tim Howard. The come-back was nearly complete. 3-2 Everton.

A foul by Darren Fletcher on an Everton player ended up in a goal from deadly free-kick taken by Gravesen. His set-piece was headed in by midfielder Kevin Kilbane to equalized for The Toffees. 3-3.

But that wasn't the end of the thriller, Sir Alex Ferguson sent on Cristiano Ronaldo to spice up the match and it was his cross that set up Ruud van Nistelrooy to knock in his 101st goal for Manchester United and to grab all three points from David Moyes' side.

Full-time: Everton 3 - Manchester United 4

Everton: Martyn, Hibbert, Stubbs, Unsworth, Pistone (Naysmith 45), Watson (Rooney 45), Gravesen, Carsley, Kilbane, Ferguson, Jeffers (Radzinski 45).

Man Utd: Howard, Gary Neville, Brown, Silvestre, O'Shea, Fletcher (Ronaldo 80), Keane, Scholes, Giggs, Saha (Fortune 73), van Nistelrooy.

Attendance: 40,190

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