10 times Beckham lorded it over London
8: THE COMEBACK KIDA truly pinch-yourself experience. With a 3-0 lead at half-time, Tottenham’s home fans were in full crow while the United players, shell-shocked by the Spurs onslaught, skulked off to the dressing room like condemned men heading for the gallows. But, inspired by the manager’s motivational powers, the Reds hit five without reply in the second half. Fittingly it was Beckham, captain for the day in the absence of Roy Keane, who inflicted the final blow, driving a violent right-footer past Neil Sullivan that, but for the netting, might have resulted in at least one Spurs fan riding the tube home without a head.
United were awesome in the first 75 minutes of the FA Cup fourth-round game at Stamford Bridge in January 1998, playing arguably the finest football witnessed under Sir Alex. Two first-half goals from Beckham helped towards a 3-0 half-time lead – one celebrated by cupping his hands around his ears in front of the home fans as if to say:
“I can’t hear you now.”
Andy Cole got his second and Teddy Sheringham bagged one to make it five. 5-0! Away at Chelsea! The Blues hit three late goals but it was too little, too late.
