Ruud double lifts United spirits

LONDON – Ruud van Nistelrooy punctured the gloom that has descended around Manchester United over the last week with two goals in a 3-2 win over Fulham on Saturday.

The win lifted United up to fourth in the table. Charlton blew the chance to move within three points of Chelsea by allowing Spurs to come back from two goals down to claim a 3-2 victory courtesy of Robbie Keane’s late winner at The Valley.The fans who had jeered the Manchester United players off the pitch after last weekend’s Old Trafford defeat by Blackburn got what they wanted with manager Sir Alex Ferguson reverting to the club’s traditional 4-4-2 line-up for a match they simply could not afford to lose.Ferguson refused to accept he had had a change of heart, but he was certainly pleased with the verve of his side’s attacking play.United’s revamped line-up, with Park Ji-Sung and Ryan Giggs flying down the flanks, ultimately delivered the goods in terms of performance and result, but not before they were given an early scare with Collins John giving Fulham a shock lead inside two minutes.Park initiated United’s response with an exhilarating direct run that ended with the Korean midfielder being upended by Moritz Volz for a penalty that Van Nistelrooy dispatched with customary aplomb.Park was involved again a minute later as Wayne Rooney was teed up to fire the visitors into the lead.United were running the show by now but they found themselves back on level terms when a rare error by van der Sar allowed a looping Claus Jensen free-kick to fly into the net.Van Nistelrooy restored the advantage on the stroke of half-time, tapping in a Park cross to settle the match with what was his ninth goal of the season in all competitions.Charlton had looked set to make it six wins out of seven when Darren Bent curled a shot beyond Paul Robinson for his second goal of the afternoon three minutes after half-time.The on-form striker had put his side ahead mid-way through the opening period after being sent clear by Danny Murphy’s through ball.But Spurs rallied impressively.Ledley King deflected a Pedro Mendes free-kick into the net and Egyptian striker Mido cut in from the left wing to equalise just after the hour mark.Keane then came off the bench and combined superbly with Jermain Defoe before finishing off a slick counter-attack with a right-foot shot ten minutes from time.The Irish striker has reportedly been unsettled at Spurs because of a lack of first team opportunities.But manager Martin Jol insisted he was very much part of his plans.West Ham claimed a scarcely deserved point against fellow Premiership newcomers Sunderland thanks to a second half equaliser from Israeli playmaker Yossi Benayoun.Mick McCarthy’s side had been set to follow up last week’s win over Middlesbrough, the club’s first in the top flight in 27 games, with another solid victory following Tommy Miller’s close-range goal just before half-time.But Benayoun pounced after Sunderland’s centre backs made a hash of dealing with a Marlon Harewood flick-on, racing clear to beat Kelvin Davis from just inside the area.Blackburn’s climb up the table continued with a hard-fought 2-0 win over West Brom at Ewood Park.Newcastle, who were without the injured Michael Owen, came away from struggling Portsmouth with a point thanks to a fine performance from goalkeeper Shay Given in a goalless draw.-Nampa-AFPCharlton blew the chance to move within three points of Chelsea by allowing Spurs to come back from two goals down to claim a 3-2 victory courtesy of Robbie Keane’s late winner at The Valley.The fans who had jeered the Manchester United players off the pitch after last weekend’s Old Trafford defeat by Blackburn got what they wanted with manager Sir Alex Ferguson reverting to the club’s traditional 4-4-2 line-up for a match they simply could not afford to lose.Ferguson refused to accept he had had a change of heart, but he was certainly pleased with the verve of his side’s attacking play.United’s revamped line-up, with Park Ji-Sung and Ryan Giggs flying down the flanks, ultimately delivered the goods in terms of performance and result, but not before they were given an early scare with Collins John giving Fulham a shock lead inside two minutes.Park initiated United’s response with an exhilarating direct run that ended with the Korean midfielder being upended by Moritz Volz for a penalty that Van Nistelrooy dispatched with customary aplomb.Park was involved again a minute later as Wayne Rooney was teed up to fire the visitors into the lead.United were running the show by now but they found themselves back on level terms when a rare error by van der Sar allowed a looping Claus Jensen free-kick to fly into the net.Van Nistelrooy restored the advantage on the stroke of half-time, tapping in a Park cross to settle the match with what was his ninth goal of the season in all competitions.Charlton had looked set to make it six wins out of seven when Darren Bent curled a shot beyond Paul Robinson for his second goal of the afternoon three minutes after half-time.The on-form striker had put his side ahead mid-way through the opening period after being sent clear by Danny Murphy’s through ball.But Spurs rallied impressively.Ledley King deflected a Pedro Mendes free-kick into the net and Egyptian striker Mido cut in from the left wing to equalise just after the hour mark.Keane then came off the bench and combined superbly with Jermain Defoe before finishing off a slick counter-attack with a right-foot shot ten minutes from time.The Irish striker has reportedly been unsettled at Spurs because of a lack of first team opportunities.But manager Martin Jol insisted he was very much part of his plans.West Ham claimed a scarcely deserved point against fellow Premiership newcomers Sunderland thanks to a second half equaliser from Israeli playmaker Yossi Benayoun.Mick McCarthy’s side had been set to follow up last week’s win over Middlesbrough, the club’s first in the top flight in 27 games, with another solid victory following Tommy Miller’s close-range goal just before half-time.But Benayoun pounced after Sunderland’s centre backs made a hash of dealing with a Marlon Harewood flick-on, racing clear to beat Kelvin Davis from just inside the area.Blackburn’s climb up the table continued with a hard-fought 2-0 win over West Brom at Ewood Park.Newcastle, who were without the injured Michael Owen, came away from struggling Portsmouth with a point thanks to a fine performance from goalkeeper Shay Given in a goalless draw.-Nampa-AFP