WEBMASTER'S COMMENT

"No-one expected this result. Sheffield Wednesday didn't play outstanding football Manchester United were desperate. Peter Schmeichel let Alexandersson's first shot slip into the net while the third goal came about from a combined mistake from Beckham & Stam."

MATCH REPORT

By Ian Parkes, PA Sport

Manchester United suffered a pre-European disaster on a day of Swede dreams for Sheffield Wednesday winger Niclas Alexandersson. Alex Ferguson's side head to Barcelona on Wednesday for a vital Champions' League clash on the back of another Hillsborough horror show as they have now won just once in their last nine visits.

They were left embarrassed by a Wednesday side who had gone six Premiership games without a win and for whom goals have been as rare as an oasis in the Sahara desert.

But make no mistake, this was no fluke victory for manager Danny Wilson's side, who has been preaching the unlucky virtues of his team during the past few weeks.

Instead, Wednesday's will-to-win appeared greater, which will be of prime concern to Ferguson going into Catalan-country for a game where a win would seal their quarter-final place.

The shock success was uncharacteristically started by legendary keeper Peter Schmeichel, who has recently seen comparisons with the greats of the game following his announcement he is to quit Old Trafford at the end of the season.

Schmeichel was left with a red face to match his customary red nose after Swedish international Niclas Alexandersson took a pot-shot at goal from 20-yards in the 15th minute.

It was an effort which Schmeichel looked to have under control, but after a few moments of ball-juggling, he eventually fumbled the chance over his own goal-line, falling into the net as well just to double his humiliation.

After a few nervy moments, the red machine finally cranked into gear and it was the deadly Dwight Yorke-Andy Cole partnership which brought United back into the game in the 29th minute.

Cole's finish was exquisite and only added to the raging debate over whether he should have been selected for the England squad for the friendly with the Czech Republic in midweek.

Cole was left fuming with Hoddle over remarks made about his striking ability, eventually placing his future career with the national squad on the line.

Hoddle admitted Cole needed too many chances in front of goal to perform effectively with England, despite an astonishing domestic strike-rate.

The 27-year-old unsurprisingly took exception at such a claim and hit back both verbally, on the eve of the 2-0 win over the Czechs, and in the best way he knows how by letting his football do the talking.

Cole said he would have to seriously consider whether he would play for England again if selected, and with such a comment may have effectively ruled himself out of the side while Hoddle remains in charge.

But his eighth of the season - and the duo's 13th in the 10 games they've played together - was the perfect response to all the furore, helping to steady United after Schmeichel's opening gift.

Yorke's incisive through ball cut through the heart of the Owls defence and Cole was onto it in a flash, rounding home debut keeper Pavel Srnicek before sliding home his eighth of the season.

United were then left fuming eight minutes from the break when referee David Elleray turned down penalty appeals in front of the travelling fans.

Denis Irwin became entangled with Alexandersson, falling to the ground as he did so, but Elleray was perfectly placed to wave away protests from a host of United players who chased him up field.

But United were back in control, with Yorke and Cole then in each other's way as they both went for the same cross inside the six-yard box, before Jaap Stam suddenly had a rush of blood to the head.

The world's most expensive defender at £10.75million charged up field, and although United's strike duo were either side of him, he chose to drive in a 20-yard effort which stung the fingers of a diving Srnicek as he pushed the ball wide.

The Reds did have the ball in the back of the net again on the stroke of half-time, but Paul Scholes was flagged by the linesman for punching home his effort, resulting in a booking.

United then looked as if they would stroll to victory in the second half, until they were surprisingly caught again in the 55th minute by the move of the game, one which changed the complexion of the match.

Dutch international Wim Jonk finally scored his first goal for the club in 16 appearances following his £2.5million summer move from PSV Eindhoven.

United were cut open as Danny Sonner's pass from just outside the area was played out to Alexandersson to deliver a first time cross for Andy Booth.

The shot-shy Owls striker has not scored at Hillsborough for a year and was unlucky not to break that duck as Schmeichel pulled off a point-blank save.

But the rebound fell kindly into the path of Jonk, who hammered home his side's second from six yards, and the celebrations were just beginning.

Alexandersson, out for most of last season with a knee ligament injury following a £750,000 move from Gothenburg a year ago, then doubled his tally for the game and for the season in the 73rd minute.

The winger had only found the net once prior to today, that in an FA Cup game at Watford in January, but was in the right place at the right time.

He charged down Stam's attempted clearance, with the ball again running kindly, allowing him to round Schmeichel and hand United their second Premiership defeat of the season.

POST MATCH REACTIONS

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson heads to Barcelona on Wednesday hoping his side don't suffer another derailment on a journey which he today described as "a roller coaster ride". United face a vital Champions' League clash against the Catalan giants knowing victory will almost certainly guarantee their passage into the quarter finals. But the Reds suffered a pre-European disaster crashing to their second Premiership defeat of the season as they went down 3-1 at Sheffield Wednesday.

Ferguson revealed only world record £10.75 million signing Jaap Stam played anywhere near his full potential as the United boss watched a performance riddled with mistakes. The tone was set in the 15th minute when Danish international goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel bundled Wednesday winger Niclas Alexandersson's 20-yard pot shot over his own line.

Although Andy Cole netted a 29th-minute equaliser for his eighth of the season, the Owls wrapped up their first win in seven top flight games with second-half strikes from Dutch international Wim Jonk and another from Swede Alexandersson. It was Jonk's first goal since his £2.5million summer move from PSV Eindhoven, while Alexandersson was on the score sheet for the first time since January with what were his second and third goals for the club.

It all left Ferguson deflated and he admitted: "That was a poor performance from us today. We were unrecognisable. We were giving the ball away in the first half and that gave them plenty of encouragement. Sheffield Wednesday deserve their victory.

"Although we grabbed an equaliser and improved slightly after that, once the second goal went in it was down hill from then on. This performance certainly wasn't on the agenda and I would say we now appear to be a big game team. We let ourselves down but we know come Wednesday the players will probably excel.

"You hope you never get surprised at this club, but they (the players) can do that. It's a roller coaster ride at times. We found ourselves on top of it today, but we just came off. There were mistakes everywhere and only Jaap Stam performed to the standards you expect of a Manchester player."

Delighted Wednesday boss Danny Wilson, meanwhile, had mentioned in his programme notes that his side deserved to finally have Lady Luck in their corner for once - and so it proved today. After Schmeichel's red-faced gaffe, the ball then ran kindly for both Jonk and Alexandersson for their game killing goals.

The win eases the pressure on the club and Wilson said: "We worked hard for this result today. We took the game to Manchester United and we had that rub of the green which has been lacking over the last month, but we earned it. Hopefully, we will grow in confidence from this performance, particularly as we've a massive game against Chelsea next week in which we don't want all our hard work to come unstuck."

Wilson singled out his two goal scorers, adding: "Niclas is a shy, quiet, unassuming lad, but he is terrific to work with. He's a fantastic pro and he fully deserved both of his goals today, even if his first one was slightly lucky.

"As for Wim, we were talking before the game that we fancied him to score. He had a good goal scoring ratio prior to joining us and it's not been like him not being able to score. Hopefully, his goal today will open the floodgates for him."

TEAMS

Sheffield Wednesday: Srnicek, Atherton, Walker, Hinchcliffe, Sonner, Jonk, Carbone, Booth, Thome, Rudi, Alexandersson.
Scorers: Alexandersson (15, 73), Jonk (55)

Manchester United: Schmeichel, G Neville, Irwin, Stam, P Neville, Blomqvist, Beckham, Keane, Scholes, Yorke, Cole.
Subs: Brown for Irwin, Butt for Blomqvist, Solskjaer for Keane.
Scorers: Cole (29)

Referee: D Elleray