Fergie stunned as Dean throws Canaries a lifeline

Ash and grab

From Rob Shepherd at Carrow Road

SIR ALEX FERGUSON loves his horses but yesterday Manchester United went the way of Tony McCoy's Grand National mount Clan Royal...right off the rails.

Striker Dean Ashton was Norwich's hero as he headed home the first and then set up Leon McKenzie's clincher.

That threw the Canaries a Premiership lifeline.

Those looking for omens in East Anglia needed only to witness Hedgehunter's win at Aintree as he sported yellow and green colours.

The Canaries may still be adrift at the foot of the table but, as they enter the final furlong of the season, suddenly there is renewed belief they can overcome the hurdles and stay up.

It was a miserable day for Ferguson as he reached another milestone in his distinguished 19-year career as United boss.

This was his 500th Premiership match. Not that it will be his most memorable season.

Even with Chelsea dropping two points at home to Birmingham, Ferguson all but acknowledges the title — for so long United's property — has eluded them for a second successive season.

Just as last year, the FA Cup remains their only hope of a trophy.

So, with next Saturday's semi-final against Newcastle in mind, Ferguson took no chances over captain Roy Keane.

The United skipper, one yellow card from a suspension, was not even on the bench where Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney were held in reserve.

Survival

United's tactics were cagey, too. Louis Saha, starting his first game for two months, was deployed as a lone striker with Alan Smith operating deep on the right as part of a five-man midfield.

In contrast, Norwich boss Nigel Worthington had decided to give it a real go.

There was little option, really. Rooted in the relegation zone, their increasingly-slim hopes of survival rested on them securing victory over United.

Mathematically, it was not the last throw of the dice for Norwich but, realistically, it was. It appeared the players knew that given the way they started.

Full of initial urgency, they set out to impose a high tempo.

Trouble was after the early burst, Norwich found it hard to get the ball as United settled down into a patient passing rhythm.

But United's plan was disrupted after just 17news  minutes when Saha's woeful season continued.

In only his seventh league start of the season, the French striker limped off with an ankle injury.

Ronaldo came on with Smith being pushed up front.

Norwich suddenly had an adrenalin rush. First, McKenzie stormed down the left and whipped over a cross.

Damien Francis could not get on the end of it but he almost pounced on Gabriel Heinze's chest back to keeper Tim Howard.

Then, in the 23rd minute, Ashton powered forward and hit a low drive, which whizzed just past Howard's left-hand post. That flurry fired up the Carrow Road crowd but United, with Rio Ferdinand so dominant at the back, quickly regained their composure.

Yet, for all of United's possession, they lacked menace in the final third.

It was not until the 30th minute that they won the opening corner of the game when Smith saw a far-post header from Ronaldo's cheeky chipped cross deflected over the bar.

Energy

Norwich's first corner came six minutes later and Jason Shackell forced Howard to hurriedly tip over a powerful header, although a foul had already been given.

Again, the Canaries had another burst of energy and it required a well-timed saving tackle by Phil Neville, operating as the holding midfielder, to prevent McKenzie bursting clear into the box after some fancy footwork down the right. Suitably agitated at the way things were going, Ferguson decided it was time to stalk the technical area and bark some barbed orders to his players who had lost the initiative.

Ronaldo appeared to suffer the brunt of Fergie's tirade.

And, in response, he produced United's most convincing first-half effort.

There was plenty of power in his effort but Robert Green was able to watch it skid wide.

But Ferguson was still less than impressed. So on came Rooney for Quinton Fortune.

The idea was to inject some urgency but it did not work out that way. For his part, Worthington sent on David Bentley, back after a three-month injury absence, in the hope the on-loan Arsenal midfielder could conjure up something special.

Within eight minutes, Rooney made his presence felt — but to United's cost with a reckless tackle on Thomas Helveg which earned him a booking.

It gave Bentley an opportunity to display his class from set-pieces and he delivered a perfectly-flighted free-kick into Ashton's airspace.

The £3million transfer-window signing from Crewe produced a huge leap, then a thumping 15-yard header that curled beyond the reach of Howard and nestled inside the far post.

Ferguson's response was to introduce Van Nistlerooy but, in the 66th minute, Carrow Road erupted.

Rooney was outmuscled by Youssef Safri. Darren Huckerby scampered forward, fed Ashton who squared the ball for the unmarked McKenzie to volley home.

GAMES TO GO — Norwich: Sat v C Palace (a); Apr 20 v Newcastle (h); Apr 23 v Charlton (h); Apr 30 v Southampton (a); May 7 v Birmingham (h); May 15 v Fulham (a). Man Utd: Sat v Newcastle (FA Cup); Apr 20 v Everton (a); Apr 24 v Newcastle (h); May 1 v Charlton (a); May 7 v West Brom (h); May 15 v Southampton (a).