United Win Effectively Puts Tractor Boys Down

Last updated : 27 April 2002 By Rob Cooper
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Van Nistelrooy's goal fired United Second
Manchester United convincingly defeated 1-0. The only goal of the game came on the stroke of half time from the penalty spot. Ruud van Nistelrooy, sandwiched between John McGreal and Titus Bramble went to ground and was awarded a somewhat dodgy penalty. United's top scorer made no mistake from the spot, firing past Andy Marshall in the Ipswich goal.

With Liverpool today losing to Tottenham, United rise to second in the table just two points behind Arsenal. However, the Gunners have a game in hand and need just six points from three games to win the title.

If the title is to head to Old Trafford for the fourth year in a row then the Read Devils will have to win their remaining games against Charlton & Arsenal and hope that the Gunners drop points against either Bolton or Everton.

Ipswich have just one game remaining and are placed three points behind fourth from bottom Sunderland. However, the Black Cats have a superior goal difference so barring a high scoring win for the Tractor Boys over Liverpool at Anfield in two weeks time they will be in the Nationwide League come August.

Ipswich will certainly hope to bounce straight back up, they played some impressive football. Martijn Reuser's header was stopped by Roy Carroll early on only for Marcus Bent to be prevented from tapping the ball into an empty net by fit again defender Wes Brown.

At the other end van Nistelrooy again showed his recent less than impressive touch in front of goal. He somehow managed to fire over the bar from just four yards on nineteen minutes.

Deigo Forlan played up front alongside van Nistelrooy, Solskjaer was rested. The £6.9 million signing is still without a goal despite having four or five decent half chances, unforunately he was unable to convert.

As the game went into the second half it opened up a bit with Ipswich pressing hard for an equaliser which could have saved them. Andy Marshall kept the Ipswich goal well, doing well to deny Forlan and Irwin in the second half. Roy Keane was unlucky not to beat him, his effort came off the underaide of the crossbar.

Sixto Peralta went closing to grabbing an equaliser dor Ipswich. Unfortunately for him his diagonal shot drifted just wide.