BARTHEZ HOWLERS GIVE DEPOR WIN

The first half had seen two goals from Ruud van Nistelrooy sandwich a three minute spell towards the end of the opening half in which Depor first came from behind and then take the lead through Sergio Gonzalez and Diego Tristan.

Deportivo's winner was a howler of epic proportions from Barthez, already culpable for the Spanish side's opener.

Wes Brown appeared to have the situation under control when running back onto a loose ball ahead of Tristan, but Barthez thought differently and raced out to meet the duo.

The French international not only missed the ball with his attempted sliding kick, but also with the hand that he stretched out instinctively and which would have earned him a red card - for he was well out of his box.

Tristan, for the second time in the night, could not believe his luck as the ball ran through and with unerring accuracy curled home into the untended net to shock Sir Alex Ferguson's men and pick up a wonderful win.

Typically the English champions could, and should have still got something out of a match they let their opposition boss.

Substitute Andy Cole was guilty of a dreadful miss from a free header, nodding wide when it looked easier to score with the keeper in no-man`s-land, and van Nistelrooy failing to grab his hat-trick goal from a promising chance.

The first half had encapsulated Manchester United's season, with breathtaking attacking undermined with frankly woeful defending.

Depor had given signs of early intent with an erroneous offside robbing Juan Carlos Valeron of a good chance to run clear and Tristan perhaps taking the wrong decision to try to clip the ball past Barthez rather than opting for power after peeling off of Ronnie Johnsen.

Indeed this was to be Johnsen's last major action of the game, with the Norwegian seeming to injure his notoriously weak knee in the effort to atone for his error, and Wes Brown making an early appearance from the bench.

Moments later Manchester United were in the lead, and it was Ryan Giggs who unlocked the defence.

Although slightly fortunate as he stumbled through two challenges, Giggs deserves all the credit for retaining his and running the ball into the path of the predatory van Nistelrooy.

The Dutchman is keen to prove he can become an all-time great at Old Trafford, and his finish was sublime - through the legs of Spanish international keeper Francisco Molina as he raced to close the striker down.

But any thoughts that United would relax into their lead were quickly dispelled, with Amavisca taking an opportunist swing with the outside of his left foot and only narrowly missing the top corner with Barthez a spectator.

Manchester United looked capable of breaking down their visitors almost every time they forayed forward, with van Nistelrooy and out-of-form Scholes almost racing clear on one occasion and Giggs rampaging down the left on every opportunity.

Van Nistelrooy maybe should have picked up his second of the game in the 33rd minute when Giggs opted to cross early and the marksman's outstretched leg pushed the ball over the top.

But with the half-time break looming an absolutely incredible last eight minutes brought three goals - two of which came from the Spanish visitors.

Depor had scored two in the final stages of the home fixture against United to take the points and gave United a mighty scare when they again came from behind to take the lead.

An almost comedic mix-up gave the Spaniards their first, with Sergio Gonzalez racing clear before Brown got a foot in.

Both defender and keeper could have cleared, but decided to hand over responsibility leaving Sergio a tap-in into the empty net.

With the fans still reeling from a mistake that was probably more attributable to Barthez, a second followed within two minutes.

Tristan it was who benefited from a cross to head home across Barthez, but many will point to the bad positioning of Denis Irwin in the build up.

United were getting deja vu, but this time the English champions found the quick comeback that threw them back into contention.

Beckham was the inadvertent supplier, when a Veron pass cannoned off of his heel into the path of van Nistelrooy.

The Holland international had it all to do, but held off his marker and showed a remarkable finishing ability to clip over Molina from a tight angle and into the net.

If United thought they were to pick things up in the second half they were wrong, and Tristan could have added to two to his opener before picking up the winner.

The brilliant striker raced clear past a poor Irwin in the 53rd-minute but shot narrowly wide, and then delayed just long enough to allow Laurent Blanc to get a block in after a one-two with Valeron had opened up the defence.

Walter Pandiani had a late chance for Depor as United piled on the pressure, heading straight at the hapless Barthez, but the Spanish table-toppers will not rue their misses.

Barthez cannot be held completely responsible for the result, with the nerves that seem to permeate United's defence clearly beginning to effect the normally reliable custodian.

But it is clear that defensive frailties must be solved, and soon, if United are to mount a serious challenge in Europe this year.

In the other Group G game Olympiakos let Manchester United off the hook a little by beating third place Lille by 2-1.

The Greek side went behind to the Championnat side, when Salaheddine Bassir got a shock opener on the half hour mark.

However, the home side took control in the second half, and goals from Alexios Alexandris in the 53rd minute and a winner from Andreas Niniadis ten minutes later gave the Greeks their first win in the group stages.

Click on the links for a full match summary
Manchester United v Deportivo
Olympiakos v Lille

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