Rousing win rejuvenates Newcastle's title hopes
By Vic Mills
LONDON (JP): Smiles replaced tears at St. James Park on Sunday as Newcastle United put its title challenge firmly back on course.
A pursuit that was helped immeasurably 24 hours earlier as Manchester United crashed to a shock 3-1 defeat against Southampton.
With Gillespie ruled out with injury on Friday, Keegan selected the side that had lost to Blackburn with Lee again playing wide on the right and Beardsley adopting his more favored central role.
Yet for much of the first half, against a confident Aston Villa side, Newcastle reflected the subdued, hesitant mood of its fans.
The past weeks have not been good for the fanatical Tyneside supporters, a 12 point January lead having turned into a six point April deficit.
The reasons why were easy to see, too, as Newcastle failed to close Villa down in mid-field, only to compound the error by some careless marking at the back.
Realizing the need for greater pressure, or any pressure in Newcastle's case, Keegan reverted to three center backs at the restart thus freeing Watson to press forward on the right.
The response was immediate as Lee, Beardsley and Ginola all went close with shots. As Newcastle increased the tempo so Villa was forced more and more on the defensive.
The game hinged on a 60 second passage of play just beyond the hour mark when first Milosevic, freed by Yorke, shot wide of the left hand post with only Hislop to beat.
A minute later, Beardsley, scampering down the right whipped in a cross, the previously under-achieving Ferdinand arrived fractionally ahead of Ehiogu and Bosnich to head fiercely into the net. The goal was greeted with a roar that could, one suspects, be heard in Manchester.
Joy
At the final whistle Keegan's face was the picture of joy. For he, along with the sell-out crowd and millions watching on television knew that the title race was still far from over.
This had been an unlikely scenario 24 hours earlier until the unthinkable -- defeat for Manchester United, 3-1 at the hands of lowly Southampton.
While statistics play their part in the game of soccer, there are occasions when they only act to deceive.
Going into the game, Manchester United had not been beaten since New Year's Day. A run that had brought 15 victories in the last 16 games. Southampton, languishing among the dead men in the Premiership, had lost six of its last nine games.
Yet on the day, Southampton played its more illustrious visitors off the park, scoring three; the reply a solitary strike from Giggs in the last minute.
On a day that could have put the championship all but out of Newcastle's reach, United appeared strangely disinterested; even the reliable, Schmeichel, blotted his copybook by palming a cross to Le Tissier for Southampton's third.
Manager, Alex Ferguson, was not happy with his side. "A poor performance, no doubt about it," he growled. "We defended terribly and were well beaten. We've no complaints."
As a contest the game was over by the interval, Southampton having established a deserved three goal lead courtesy of Monkou, Shipperley and Le Tissier.
Indeed, it was Le Tissier who completely overshadowed his more celebrated rival, Cantona, forever turning United's defense with astute passes.
On the rare occasions that Cantona threatened he was immediately closed down by the vigilant Benali.
With Beasant, back for the erratic Grobbelaar, and Monkou, steady as a rock in the defense, Southampton had little difficulty in holding a curiously below par United attack.
As a reward for its victory over Manchester United, Southampton faces a long journey north on Wednesday together with the small matter of ninety minutes against Newcastle United.
Sadly, no last gasp heroics for Bolton, which went down to a Tony Cottee goal at West Ham. However, it may yet influence the relegation outcome, as its penultimate game is at home to Southampton.