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| March 2002 Roy Keane follows his manager’s example and signs a new contract, the highest in Manchester United’s history, reputedly worth £90,000 per week, to stay at Old Trafford for another four years. Arsenal improve a place, to second, after winning at Newcastle, who drop to fourth. Liverpool, with Anelka scoring again, beat Fulham and improve to third. Manchester United are fortunate not to lose at Derby, where the home side have a dramatic last-minute ‘goal’ ruled out but the draw keeps United top and The Rams stay one place off the bottom. Blackburn draw with Bolton but stay 18th, Wanderers stay 17th. A sixth consecutive Leicester defeat, to Middlesbrough, keeps The Foxes rooted to the bottom. David Beckham and Ruud Van Nistelrooy share the goals as Manchester United retain pole position with victory over Spurs. Leeds announce a loss of nearly £14 million which prompts fears of player sales. Walter Smith and Everton part company, after three and a half years. Two days later David Moyes, Preston’s highly rated 39-year-old manager is installed as manager at Goodison Park, but only after a compensation settlement, said to be £1 million. Paul Gascoigne leaves Everton for Burnley, for the remainder of the season. Another eight-goal Capital thriller sees Manchester United claim the points against West Ham and David Beckham nets a brace for the second game running to keep United top. Liverpool win at ’Boro and are third. An 87th minute Marian Pahars penalty, his second goal of the game, robs Leicester of a crucial away win and keeps them 20th. Derby are winners at Bolton but stay 19th, one place behind Wanderers. Arsenal suffer a hammer-blow to their title chances when Robert Pires is stretchered off with damaged knee-ligaments, which ends his season. But The Gunners beat Villa, a fifth consecutive victory, and climb to second, with, paradoxically, Pires’ goal proving the winner. Manchester United suffer a crucial defeat when they lose at home to Middlesbrough and an Alan Boksic winner. Leicester are still bottom after losing to Leeds, who climb a place to fifth. Ipswich draw with Aston Villa and drop into the relegation zone but Derby are in real trouble after they crash at home to Everton, and remain 19th. Liverpool go top of the table after a last-minute Vladimir Smicer winner beats Chelsea. Liverpool stay top, with goals from Smicer and Owen, registering a fifth win in a row. Manchester United win a real ‘ding-dong’ game at Elland Road, and remain second. Despite another victory, over Sunderland, in which Tony Adams plays his 500th Gunners’ game, Arsenal drop to third. Leicester win for the first time in 18 games, with a Paul Dickov brace beating Blackburn, but The Foxes look doomed in 20th place. Derby lose at Chelsea and look odds-on to join their East Midlands neighbours in the drop. Ipswich lose at West Ham and complete the bottom three. |
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The
above article is an extract from The Breedon Book of Premiership Records by Brian Beard. For details of this essential addition to the bookshelves of any football fan click HERE. |
