Sunday, January 30, 2011

United Battle Back to Overcome Saints Threat in Cup

A second string Manchester United side progressed to the 5th round of the FA cup after coming from behind against an exciting Southampton side. The Saints had taken a deserved lead late in the first half after Richard Chaplow blasted home an emphatic finish from inside the box past Manchester United debutant Anders Lindegaard. Much has been made of the arrival of United's new keeper following the announcement by Edwin Van Der Sar that he will retire at the end of this season - but the Dane could do nothing to prevent Chaplow's emphatic finish. However, instinctive second half finishes by United forwards Owen and the lively Hernandez broke Saints hearts.




     In the build up to the game there had been a great deal of hype surrounding Southampton's young star Oxlade-Chamberlain who has already been making a big impact for the League 1 side this season - with Gunner manager Arsene Wenger publicly announcing his interest in the pacey prodigy earlier in the week and rumours having circulated that Arsenal had tabled a substantial £10 million bid for the Southampton starlet. The winger produced a competent if not spectacular display, but it was Southampton's team performance and patience that were rewarded to give the side a warranted lead at the break. United had offered little in a first half display that had relied heavily on the lung bursting runs of left full back Fabio Da Silva - although recalled Michael Owen had earlier unintentionally struck the bar with a looping cross. With all of the club's regular back 4 absent for the trip to Saint Mary's it was perhaps understandable that United would look jittery but a highly competent footballing display from Southampton had put them under some serious pressure.
     After issuing the hair drier treatment to his inexperienced lineup during the break, Alex Ferguson opted to bring out the cavalry for the second half The introduction of the evergreen Ryan Giggs and the pace and trickery of winger Nani just before the hour mark had a particularly noticeable impact on the flow of the tie. After 65 minutes Michael Owen did what he does best, finishing instinctively from close range following Obertin's cross. The former England star had been playing in a deeper role than was expected in the first half - but in spite of a quiet game proved he is still a fox in the box by drawing United level.  


     With the goal you could immediately sense the direction of the tie had immediately turned and suddenly Southampton looked a shadow of the side they were in the first half. United could sense the weakness and began to up their game. And it was only 10 minutes later that Hernandez put the visitors into the lead. The "little pea" timed his run to perfection after being fed by a wonderfully weighted pass from Ryan Giggs and in spite of having seemingly lost his balance at the vital moment managed to slide the ball home into the bottom corner beyond Bialkowski. 

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