BY Louise Taylor ( The Times )

MODERN managers must necessarily be amateur psychologists and Danny Wilson has just proved himself an arch-exponent of the art. On Friday, Wednesday's leader took something of a gamble by publicly "shaming" certain players, but it resulted in his struggling team's first win in seven Premiership attempts.

"I've inherited major problems with the playing staff," Wilson had moaned. "I have to motivate players already financially secure with big contracts. It can be hard getting through to them, especially with so many cultures in the squad. I want my players to show some passion."

Well, they certainly did yesterday - particularly individuals such as Wim Jonk and Benito Carbone, who have latterly felt the rough edge of the managerial tongue - and deservedly put Manchester United firmly in their place.

United, undone by two Niclas Alexandersson goals, another from Jonk and some unusual Peter Schmeichel aberrations, were rarely given any room and will need to play appreciably better in Wednesday's Champions League visit to Barcelona. Alex Ferguson would hardly be delighted to see David Beckham engage in animated "discussion" with Andy Hinchcliffe at the end.

"This result was not on the agenda," Ferguson said afterwards. "I wonder if we are becoming a big occasion team. My players let themselves down badly but I'm sure they'll excel on Wednesday. That's not the point, though."

Wednesday were ahead in the 14th minute. Clearly adhering to a nothing ventured nothing gained philosophy, Alexandersson tried his luck left-footed from 25 yards. Schmeichel should really have managed to turn the shot round a post, but instead he uncharacteristically fumbled the ball, allowing it to ricochet off first his body, then an upright, before it finally dropped into the net.

It seemed fitting that the goal was scored by Wednesday's right-winger, because it was down this flank that Wilson's men were causing United persistent discomfort, with Jesper Blomqvist being constantly forced inside and rendered anonymous by Peter Atherton. Wednesday's rugged captain looks more a rugby league player than a footballer and his constantly looming presence turned Blomqvist into a shrinking violet.

In central midfield the generally impressive Jonk proved momentarily less effective in the 29th minute when his error precipitated Andy Cole's equaliser. A move initiated by Gary Neville and Paul Scholes finally reached Cole, who played a deft one-two with Dwight Yorke before shooting low, right-footed beyond goalkeeper Pavel Srnicek from well inside the area. It was Cole's eighth goal of the season and he and his agent, Paul Stretford, will doubtless see it as vindicating his extremely lucrative but thoroughly ill-advised "is he a man or a mouse?" attack on Glenn Hoddle last week. Cole and Stretford were offended by the England coach's claims that Cole tends to miss four chances before converting one but their petulant, very public, response proved the worst possible riposte. As Hillsborough revelled in reminding Cole, it was also self-defeating - the Wednesday supporters chorused: "You'll never play for England."

By half-time United were rather more pre-occupied with the penalty Ferguson believed they should have been awarded when Alexandersson looked to have felled Denis Irwin inside the area.

Visiting composure was further ruffled by the increasingly hyperactive Carbone. Having thrown a tantrum when substituted at Newcastle last week, the diminutive Italian never allowed Ferguson's defence a moment's peace and played a big part in United's failure to slot into any sort of coherent passing rhythm.

It was Andy Booth, his attacking accomplice, who created Wednesday's second in the 55th minute. Booth whipped in a fierce cross-shot, which Schmeichel failed to hold and the ball fell for Jonk, who gleefully lashed it into the bottom corner.

Perhaps pained by Wilson's Friday comment that "Wim is great to have on your side when you're playing well but he's not so good if you're struggling", the Dutchman had thrown himself into the second half midfield maelstrom with considerable gusto, incurring a yellow card for crashing into Scholes.

Seeing Schmeichel's jitters, Wednesday's manager would have applauded his players' shoot-on-sight policy, and the tactic nearly produced another goal when Atherton curled in a swerving 30-yarder which the Dane again fumbled but somehow kept out.

By now Ferguson had withdrawn Blomqvist and Irwin, sending on Nicky Butt and Wes Brown, but it made scant difference as Alexandersson put Wednesday further ahead with his second goal in the 73rd minute. Hats off to Alexandersson for running at United's backline, but the goal was chiefly attributable to Jaap Stam's error, the stumbling centre-half's attempted clearance bouncing off Carbone and straight into the scorer's path. In mitigation, the £11m defender could claim he was betrayed by Beckham, who might have earlier steered the ball to safety, but Stam continues to look vastly over-priced. Indeed, by the time he semi-recovered, Schmeichel was off his line and Alexandersson, who had charged the ball down, was homing in on goal.

Pride severly dented, Schmeichel restored a modicum of dignity with a superb one-handed save to deny Jonk's clever chip, which seemed certain to go in. Then the man who recently announced his impending retirement from English football manfully blocked Booth's dangerous effort, but such heroics failed to dampen exultant South Yorkshire celebrations.

Wilson claims "My credibility is on the line", but if his chameleon-like players - who last won in the league against Arsenal - can sustain this sort of momentum it could soon be sky-high. If only they played Manchester United every week. If only they can keep rising to Wilson's challenges.

Sheffield Wednesday: Srnicek, Atherton, Jonk, Walker, Carbone, Booth, Hinchcliffe, Thome, Rudi, Alexandersson, Sonner.
Booked: Jonk.
Goals: Alexandersson 14, Jonk 55, Alexandersson 73.

Man Utd: Schmeichel, G Neville, Irwin (Brown 66), Stam, Beckham, Cole, P Neville, Blomqvist (Butt 58), Keane (Solskjaer 83), Scholes, Yorke.
Booked: Scholes.
Goals: Cole 29.

Attendance: 39,475.

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