IT was said Wanderers would need a miracle to beat Manchester United ... and that was just what they got.

Jussi Jaaskelainen's sensational double save to deny Paul Scholes and Andy Cole five minutes before half time ranks alongside the amazing goalkeeping feats of Jim Montgomery in Sunderland's giant-killing FA Cup Final triumph over Leeds in 1973 and the save Gordon Banks' made from Pele's header in Guadalajara in the 1970 World Cup.

Yet the Finland international was not even sure he would make the Old Trafford starting line-up after the Reebok goalkeeping jinx struck for the second successive week.

Just days after Steve Banks suffered a dislocated finger that was to have a major bearing on the result of the Newcastle game, Wanderers were in a panic again on Friday when Jaaskelainen injured his hand in a similar training ground accident.

Fears that he had suffered a serious wrist fracture were allayed when he was sent for X-rays but he was in such pain that Sam Allardyce made desperate and, as it turned out, futile attempts to persuade the Premiership to allow him to sign a replacement keeper on loan.

"Sam rang me on Friday night and said he had a problem," Wanderers chairman, Phil Gartside revealed. "I thought he was joking at first but there was a big question mark over whether he was going to play and who would go in goal.

"I think Jussi was struggling so you have to say he's done really well."

Allardyce confirmed: "We were scraping around because Jussi sprained his wrist.

"We weren't sure if he had broken his scafoid or not and we actually went to the Premier League and asked if we could loan a keeper but they wouldn't let us after 12 o'clock on Friday.

"So both our keepers - even though Steve didn't do anything - were not 100 per cent fit."

That, according to Kevin Nolan, made the save from Cole's follow-up on Scholes' first shot, which George Best described as "the save of the season", all the more remarkable.

"Jussi's save was world class," the young midfielder said. "You can't buy that.

"We weren't sure he was going to play but he was absolutely fantastic for us again."

The goalkeeper search was still on today however with Allardyce looking for temporary or even permanent cover with Jaaskelainen suspended for Saturday's trip to Villa as a result of the red card he picked up in the Newcastle game when the gamble of having no substitute goalkeeper backfired and Bo Hansen had to take the gloves.

Mike Whitlow also misses the Villa game after accruing five yellow cards. JUSSI FANTASTIC: Wanderers keeper Jaaskelainen pulled off a sensational double save which ranks alongside some of the best of all time(J328330) IT was said Wanderers would need a miracle to beat Manchester United ... and that was just what they got.

Jussi Jaaskelainen's sensational double save to deny Paul Scholes and Andy Cole five minutes before half ranks alongside the amazing goalkeeping feats of Jim Montgomery in Sunderland's giant-killing FA Cup Final triumph over Leeds in 1973 and the save Gordon Banks' made from Pele's header in Guadalajara in the 1970 World Cup.

Yet the Finland international was not even sure he would make the Old Trafford starting line-up after the Reebok goalkeeping jinx struck for the second successive week.

Just days after Steve Banks suffered a dislocated finger that was to have a major bearing on the result of the Newcastle game, Wanderers were in a panic again on Friday when Jaaskelainen injured his hand in a similar training ground accident.

Fears that he had suffered a serious wrist fracture were allayed when he was sent for X-rays but he was in such pain that Sam Allardyce made desperate and, as it turned out, futile attempts to persuade the Premiership to allow him to sign a replacement keeper on loan.

"Sam rang me on Friday night and said he had a problem," Wanderers chairman, Phil Gartside revealed. "I thought he was joking at first but there was a big question mark over whether he was going to play and who would go in goal.

"I think Jussi was struggling so you have to say he's done really well."

Allardyce confirmed: "We were scraping around because Jussi sprained his wrist.

"We weren't sure if he had broken his scafoid or not and we actually went to the Premier League and asked if we could loan a keeper but they wouldn't let us after 12 o'clock on Friday.

"So both our keepers - even though Steve didn't do anything - were not 100 per cent fit."

That, according to Kevin Nolan, made the save from Cole's follow-up on Scholes' first shot, which George Best described as "the save of the season", all the more remarkable.

"Jussi's save was world class," the young midfielder said. "You can't buy that.

"We weren't sure he was going to play but he was absolutely fantastic for us again."

The goalkeeper search was still on today however with Allardyce looking for temporary or even permanent cover with Jaaskelainen suspended for Saturday's trip to Villa as a result of the red card he picked up in the Newcastle game when the gamble of having no substitute goalkeeper backfired and Bo Hansen had to take the gloves.

Mike Whitlow also misses the Villa game after accruing five yellow cards.