PICTURES

WEBMASTER'S COMMENT

"Phew, they left it until late again here to take home three points. Giggs, back after injury scored the only goal of the game to seal it with 12 minutes to go."

MATCH REPORT

By John Curtis, PA Sport

Ryan Giggs marked his return to Manchester United's starting line-up with a late winner to kill off gutsy Coventry's challenge at Highfield Road. The Welshman, who suffered a hamstring injury against Derby on February 3, struck 12 minutes from time to cap a spell of ever-increasing United pressure.

He had been off target with two earlier good opportunities but eventually found his shooting boots to break Coventry's hearts and send them deeper into relegation trouble. Gigg's goal was his eighth of the season but his first in the Premiership since Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day.

It enabled the Red Devils to retain their unbeaten record in 1999 and stretch their sequence since they were last beaten to 12 matches. But they were made to battle all the way by a Coventry side who could probably count themselves unfortunate not to have collected a share of the spoils.

They had the man of the match in central defender Paul Williams while George Boateng was also an inspirational figure in the middle of the park.

United never threatened to repeat their 6-2 and 8-1 demolition jobs of their previous two visits to the Midlands against Leicester City and Nottingham Forest. They seldom played with their usual fluency and their best player was defender Ronny Johnsen.

But in the cold light of the day the three points have enabled United to take another significant step towards reclaiming the Premiership crown.

However, Coventry can take heart from the fact that they will surely move clear of trouble if they can repeat their level of performance. United began in confident fashion and Giggs squandered a good chance when he fired over from 15 yards out after Andy Cole had turned the ball invitingly into his path.

But they struggled to break down a determined Coventry rearguard and as the half developed Strachan's side started to play with more purpose and looked increasingly menacing.

With Boateng pulling the strings and Paul Telfer an increasing influence, they enjoyed a purple patch - and could have twice taken the lead inside a 60-second spell. First United keeper Peter Schmeichel pulled off a flying save to tip a rising 20-yard thunderbolt from Boateng around the post after good play by Gary McAllister and Telfer.

Then Telfer sent in a dipping cross from the right wing and Noel Whelan got in front of Jaap Stam and hooked a first-time effort inches over the bar.

Schmeichel also beat out a fierce effort from McAllister after he had been found in space by Boateng. But United, apart from that Giggs effort, caused few problems in the opening 45 minutes with Williams showing up well against Yorke and Cole.

Paul Scholes, Stam and Cole were all yellow carded in the opening 45 minutes.

Ferguson brought on Henning Berg in place of Stam at half-time and United tried to impose their authority on the game. Cole had an effort disallowed for offside and Telfer got in a vital block on a goal-bound shot from Beckham just inside the area.

Cole then burst down the right and squared the ball across the area for Giggs but he wasted his second good chance of the afternoon when he sliced his shot wide.

Williams continued to be a rock-like figure in the Sky Blues defence as United started to enjoy the greater share of the possession - but Coventry were still willing to attack at every opportunity. Denis Irwin deflected a shot from Boateng for a corner but with 12 minutes left Giggs finally got his sights right to put United ahead.

Beckham's cross skidded off the head of substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to Giggs on the left and his low shot beat Hedman with Shaw's efforts to clear from under his own bar in vain. Coventry staged a late rally and Huckerby managed to scoop the ball over Schmeichel but Berg was able to come around and clear the danger.

POST MATCH REACTIONS

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson admitted that his side's uninspiring victory at Coventry was as significant as any of their recent illuminating goal-laced displays. United had hammered Leicester 6-2 and Nottingham Forest 8-1 on their previous two visits to the Midlands this year.

But a single goal effort from Ryan Giggs was all they could manage in a fortuitous victory against a battling Coventry who have slipped into the bottom three.

Ferguson said: "After Wednesday's exertions against Arsenal it was always going to be a difficult game and Coventry work so hard to stop you playing. With the pitch being so difficult as well we never got the forward game going like we normally do - but I'm fed up with entertaining everyone!

"It was a day where we ground out a result and they are just as significant. We never made many chances and in the first half we treated the ball like a hot potato. But Coventry is a hard place to win and other leading sides (Chelsea and Liverpool) have been beaten here this season.

"I would think that Arsenal and Chelsea would have looked at this fixture and expected us to drop points. That shows how important this win was."

Ferguson expects Jaap Stam to be fit for the crunch Champions' League clash with Inter Milan in 11 days' time despite him having to be substituted at half-time with a hamstring injury.

Ferguson said: "It was tight and we didn't want to risk him. We took him off as a precaution but he should be okay for the Inter Milan match."

Coventry manager Gordon Strachan was left to reflect on a week to forget after an FA Cup exit at Everton, a Premiership mauling by Newcastle and then today's reversal at the hands of the Red Devils.

Strachan said: "We had our chances and played very well. The two centre-backs (Paul Williams and Richard Shaw) were excellent. United had a lot of possession but you would expect that as they have so many exceptional players. It's a week I want to forget but then the football gods send you those sometimes and they make you stronger. It's important we bounce back."

TEAMS

Coventry City: Hedman, Nilsson, Burrows, Williams, Shaw, McAllister, Boateng, Telfer, Froggatt, Whelan, Huckerby.
Subs: Aloisi for Whelan, Soltvedt for Burrows

Manchester United: Schmeichel, Irwin, Stam, Johnsen, G Neville, Keane, Scholes, Beckham, Giggs, Yorke, Cole.
Subs: Berg for Stam, Solskjaer for Cole, P Neville for Yorke
Scorers: Giggs (78)

Referee: D Gallagher