Man Utd win thriller at Leeds

Manchester United celebrate Paul Scholes' early opener

Leeds United 3-4 Manchester United
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Manchester United re-lit their Premiership fire with another clinical display of goal power in a thrilling Elland Road clash.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side cashed in on some calamitous Leeds defending to secure a nail-biting 4-3 win having led 4-1.

  Elland Road goals

8 mins: Scholes sidefoots home from Silvestre's centre

20 mins: Bowyer's run sets up Viduka for a confident finish

37 mins: Solskjaer pounces after Martyn blocks Scholes shot

39 mins: Solskjaer bags his 21st of the season

55 mins: Beckham's unopposed run sets up Giggs for fourth

62 mins: Harte free-kick gives Leeds hope

80 mins: Bowyer header sets up grandstand finish

Manchester United have now scored a remarkable 82 Premiership goals this season - two more than during the whole of last term.

But their fragile defence ensured the outcome was never guaranteed, even when the visitors carved open a three-goal lead.

The Premiership's high noon showdown was perfectly balanced after 20 minutes when Mark Viduka cancelled out Paul Scholes' early opener.

But two quick goals from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and a second-half tap-in from Ryan Giggs underlined an emphatic response to United's home defeat against Middlesbrough before Leeds responded through Ian Harte and Lee Bowyer.

Having previously conceded just one goal in seven-and-a-half hours, Leeds' defence lasted just eight minutes more before Scholes struck.

Keane helps goalscorer Scholes celebrate

Scholes opened the Leeds back door with a neat flick to send Mikael Silvestre free down the left and the wing-back cut inside Danny Mills and rolled the ball across for Scholes to lash home.

That, coupled with an early injury to Harry Kewell, was a bitter pill for Leeds to swallow.

On the face of it, Kewell's bruised foot was another cruel twist of fate for Leeds boss David O'Leary.

But Leeds' cloud had a silver lining in the shape of substitute Bowyer.

The tricky midfielder had an immediate impact as the home side set about repairing their early damage and was the architect of Viduka's equaliser.

It's not an easy place to come to and win, but we showed our true form

Sir Alex Ferguson

Bowyer ran from inside his own half, held off a lame challenge from Laurent Blanc and then played an inch perfect pass behind Gary Neville for Viduka to latch on to and apply a confident finish.

That seemed to have set the table perfectly for an Easter football feast.

Instead, Solskjaer helped himself to a double helping of goals to put the defending champions firmly in control.

Mills and Jonathan Woodgate challenged for the same ball and their combined calamity allowed Giggs to set up Scholes with a neat back-heel.

Viduka salutes his 20th-minute equaliser for Leeds

Scholes' shot from the edge of the area was only parried by Nigel Martyn and Solskjaer reacted quickest to lash home the loose ball.

Seconds later, Scholes' clever pass caught Mills flat-footed again and allowed Silvestre to cross low from the left for Solskjaer to fire home with the considerable aid of a deflection after Giggs had initially failed to connect.

Leeds were shell-shocked, having matched their rivals for much of the first half.

But the home side were further behind 10 minutes into the second half when David Beckham was allowed to run unhindered from his own half and roll the ball across for Giggs to slot home.

You cannot gift a team of United's quality four goals like we did today

Leeds boss David O'Leary

Leeds pulled one back on 62 minutes when Harte outwitted Fabien Barthez to register with a clinical 25-yard free kick.

Then Bowyer headed home from close range after Robbie Fowler's fluffed shot had inadvertently set the substitute up.

The goal set up a thrilling finish to a high-octane encounter, but the combination of defensive errors and clinical Mancunian finishing had already rendered damage beyond repair.

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Leeds: Martyn, Mills, Matteo, Woodgate, Harte, Smith, Johnson (Keane 65), Batty (Bakke 60), Kewell (Bowyer 12), Fowler, Viduka.
Subs Not Used: Robinson, Kelly.
Booked: Mills.

Man Utd: Barthez, Gary Neville, Blanc, Johnsen, Silvestre, Beckham, Keane, Butt, Giggs (Forlan 74), Scholes, Solskjaer (Phil Neville 86).
Subs Not Used: Carroll, Irwin, Van Nistelrooy.
Booked: Scholes, Beckham.

Att: 40,058

Ref: D Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill).