Neville Scores Again as United Defeat Addicks
Home Win
By Chris O'Brien / David Hobbs
April 21 2004
Manchester United kept the pressure on second-placed Chelsea with a 2-0 victory over Charlton Athletic at Old Trafford. Louis Saha and the prolific Gary Neville were on the scoresheet for the hosts.
Manchester United closed the gap with second-placed Chelsea to a single point with a much-needed 2-0 victory over European qualification hopefuls Charlton Athletic.
Gary Neville, attempting to enter the 'prolific' strike scored his second goal in three Premiership games with a fine strike which secured a home win after Louis Saha had given the Red Devils a first-half lead.
Ten minutes later Saha was in action yet again when his short free-kick found Phil Neville but the versatile England international was denied a goal by Addicks 'keeper Dean Kiely. The re-bound fell beautifully to the lively Saha buy his struck the shot wide of the post.
Fantastic work by youngster David Bellion set-up fellow countryman Louis Saha to fire low and hard beyond the reach of a hapless Dean Kiely.
Claus Jensen and captain Matt Holland both had chances moments before the interval but the returning Tim Howard was on-hand to deny the duo.
Ruud van Nistelrooy restarted the match in exciting fashion as he hammered a pile-driving shot just over the bar seconds into the 2nd half.
Charlton had a good penalty appeal 8 minutes in when Gary Neville and Paul Konchesky tussled for the ball inside the box but instead referee Steve Dunn booked Konchesky for unsporting behaviour.
Gary Neville then surged forward and looked to double his goal tally for the season and did it in good style. Neville rattled the inside right of the net with a tight shot and fired United 2-0 up with 15 minutes to go.
Shaun Bartlett had a headed attempt blocked by the post soon after followed by a Jason Euell volley that flashed wide and the introduction of Roy Keane tightened United's defence.
The Red Devils managed to hang on until the end and claim a victory of Alan Curbishley's side - a win that they needed to set them up for the Liverpool game on the weekend.
Full
Time - Manchester United 2-0 Charlton Athletic
Attendance - 67,477
Manchester United: Howard, Gary Neville, Brown, Silvestre, Phil Neville, Fletcher (Ronaldo 83), Butt (Keane 75), Djemba-Djemba, Bellion, Saha (Giggs 64), van Nistelrooy.
Charlton Athletic: Kiely, Young, Fortune, Powell (Perry 83), Konchesky, Jensen, Stuart (Di Canio 74), Holland, Hreidarsson, Johansson (Euell 63), Bartlett.