Manchester United made an uncustomary slip-up as they succumbed to Lazio in the European Super Cup in Monaco.

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The treble winners looked less than sparkling throughout as Marcelo Salas scored the winning goal to ensure the trophy went back to Rome.

The Chilean striker came back to haunt United, who considered him before manager Sir Alex Ferguson decided against the player, sending him on his way to Italy.

Strong side

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Salas took just 12 minutes to make the difference between the sides, coming on in the 23rd minute for the injured Simone Inzaghi.

But the feeling throughout Manchester's clash with the Serie A runners-up was that the Cup was of secondary importance to Ferguson's men.

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United fielded a strong side, with Paul Scholes back in midfield and three up front in the form of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole.

Gary Neville also returned for the Reds in his first competitive match since the Champions' League final in May.

Sheringham went just wide from a Phil Neville cross early on, before Pavel Nedved made a sharp run at the United goal. He shot was deflected by Jaap Stam.

Manchester's first dicey moment came as replacemnent goalkeeper Raimond Van der Gouw attempted a clearance.

Flurry of chances

Roberto Mancini pounced on it, only to see the ball sail over the cross bar and land on top of the net.

Inzaghi left the field shortly afterwards after a clash with Stam left him with a spectacular nosebleed that required him to be stretchered off.

Teddy Sheringham: Came close to an equaliser

David Beckham set up United's next best chance with a trademark curved free-kick that Andy Cole put marginally over.

Lazio's goal came as Giuseppe Pancaro played the ball into Mancini who headed to Salas from the edge of the box.

Van der Gouw, who had an erratic match, appeared to flail as Salas' shot passed between his hands and settled in the back of the net.

Sheringham did his best to equalise just seconds later, but the ball was saved off the line.

The match suddenly opened up, presenting a flurry of chances at either end with Lazio goalkeeper Marchegiani the only thing between United and a levelling score on more than one occasion.

'Common sense'

Lazio were kicking themselves after an absolute sitter was allowed to drift across the face of Manchester's open goal.

Salas brilliantly drew Van der Gouw off a pass from Nedved, only to see his shot roll ineffectually along the goal line.

John Curtis came on for Stam and Jordi Cruyff for Beckham at half-time, but the centre was never reinforced as the Italian five-man midfield overran United's three-man outfit seemingly at will.

After the match, Ferguson said: "We didn't deserve to win."

"We've had one game too many this week. I left Ryan Giggs and Dwight Yorke on the bench and took Beckham and Jaap Stam off at half-time.

"I can't afford any more injuries and quite frankly it was common sense."

Teams

Lazio: Marchegiani, Negro, Mancini, Mihajlivic, Nesta, Pancaro, Nedved, Stankovfic, Inzaghi, Veron, Almeyda. Subs: Ballotta, Favalli, Conceicao, Salas, Simeone, Lombardo, Andersson.

Man Utd: Van Der Gouw, G. Neville, Stam, Berg, P. Neville, Scholes, Keane, Solskjaer, Beckham, Cole, Sheringham. Subs: Culkin, Giggs, Curtis, Cruyff, Yorke, Wilson, Greening.