MX23RW : Friday, November 8 13:39:24| >> :60:2970:2970:
[monks data]
Manchester United logo
Premier League
Dec 21, 1996 at 3pm UK
 
Sunderland

5-0

Butt (59'), Cantona (80', 43' pen.), Gunnar Solskjaer (35', 48')
FT(HT: 2-0)

On this day: Cantona scores memorable chipped goal

Seventeen years ago today, Eric Cantona scores one of his most memorable goals in a Manchester United shirt during a 5-0 win over Sunderland.

Eric Cantona scored 82 goals during his five-year stint with Manchester United.

While every United supporter will have their favourite, there can be little doubt that the most memorable goal that he scored was when Sunderland visited Old Trafford 17 years ago today. By that time, though, the home side were already four goals to the good.

Following a mundane start to proceedings, the match was brought to life in the 35th minute courtesy of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Paul Scholes saw his low shot from a Ryan Giggs cross saved by visiting goalkeeper Lionel Perez, but United's Norwegian striker was on hand to convert the rebound.

Then, two minutes before the break, Cantona doubled his team's advantage. Nicky Butt's run inside the penalty area was illegally halted by Perez and Cantona stepped up to score from the spot. It was his first goal in the Premier League since a 4-1 win over Nottingham Forest in the middle of September.

The encounter was effectively put out of Sunderland's reach three minutes after the restart when keeper Peter Schmeichel picked out Solskjaer with a long throw towards the halfway line. From there, his pace took him away from the visiting rearguard, before he was able to slot his shot beyond Perez.

A fourth goal arrived with 59 minutes played as Giggs swung over a corner towards the near post. It was met by an advancing Butt, who was able to guide a flicked headed effort into the corner of the net.

Then, with 10 minutes left to play, came the encounter's unforgettable juncture, courtesy of Cantona. The United skipper beat two opponents just inside the Sunderland half and drove forwards. Having exchanged passes with substitute Brian McClair, Cantona was now on the edge of the area, so with Perez off his line, he deftly chipped his compatriot to round off the scoring.

Little did anyone know at the time, but Cantona would go on to score just four more goals at Old Trafford - he retired at the end of the campaign.

MAN UNITED: Schmeichel; Gary Neville, Pallister, May, Irwin; Phil Neville; Butt, Scholes, Giggs; Cantona, Solskjaer

SUNDERLAND: Perez; Kubicki, Melville, Ord, Hall, Gray; Ball, Bracewell, Rae, Kelly; Russell

ID:125695: cacheID:125695:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:3927:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane challenge for possession.
Read Next:
Ultimate United/Arsenal XI
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
FT
Bengals
34-35
Ravens
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!