Man Utd 1 - 1 Reading (17/02/07)

Given the visit to Lille on Tuesday and Coppell's insistence on concentrating on the league, it was no surprise that both managers fielded weakened teams. The only surprise was that United failed to finish off a well organised Reading. What started as a routine run out for United finished as an entertaining cup tie.

With 3 central defenders and only Kitson up front, Reading clearly signalled their game plan. United were frustrated by Reading's organisation and lack of attacking intent and the first half saw little of the fluid football that has characterised United's season. Park worked hard as ever and got himself into threatening positions on at least 4 occassions, only to lack the composure to finish any of them. Credit does have to go to the Reading defence, who were quick to close him down and give him little time on the ball.

Solskjaer did manage to score but the goal was wrongly ruled to be offside and it looked like a dull half was to finish in stalemate until Ronaldo went on another of his runs. Finding himself running towards a dead end, he laid the ball off for the Carrick to run onto. Although nearly 30 yards out, his drive was low and accurate, flying in at the near post beyond Federici's reach.

Reading continued to defend deep in the second half, forcing United to abandon their usual short passing game and attempt to punt long balls to their forwards. Ronaldo did have several chances to finish the game, one time through with only the keeper to beat but managing to shoot across goal and wide. Reading rarely ventured forward but on one of their rare attacks, they forced a corner. Oster crossed and Gunnarsson, given too much space by Silvestre, headed the ball beyond Kuszczak's reach. It was a poor goal to concede leaving Ferguson making immediate changes to a team that should have won easily.

Larsson, Scholes and Evra all came on, with Larsson almost scoring straight away only to see his shot pushed away thanks to Federici's quick reactions. The last quarter of the game was played in the true cup spirit. United didn't want a replay and Reading saw the chance for an upset, United's nerves in the final minutes forcing errors that Reading attempted to capitalise on. Saha had a chance to win the game as he ran through the Reading defence but only managed to shoot wide when laying the ball off to the left would have played in either Larsson or Ronaldo.

In the end it finished a draw, a result that only Chelsea will be pleased about.

Man Utd 2 - 0 Charlton (10/02/07)

United made several changes to the team that beat Spurs, bringing in Park and Fletcher for Ronaldo and Carrick. It was the absence of these two players that meant that United often looked disjointed, lacking a cutting edge or someone to distribute the ball and retain possession. Charlton also offered far more here than the 20-1 odds they were given would suggest and if this was meant to be a mundane defeat, nobody had informed them.

Park blazed over the bar and Carson saved well from a Giggs shot in the early exchanges but the visitors also had good chances with Rommedahl hitting the side netting from 15 yards. Charlton battled far harder than their league position suggests and the sight of Vidic being forced off the ball by Matt Holland ideally illustrated this. The resultant throw-in gave Charlton a good chance to go ahead and Kuszczak was at full stretch to stop Ambrose's header from going into the bottom right corner.

Despite Charlton's efforts a United goal always seemed likely and they managed to take the lead in the 24th minute. Evra's attempted cross took a deflection, sending it looping into the penalty area. Park was first to react, running and leaping to meet the ball and head it across Carson and into the net. Rooney had an excellent chance to extend the lead showing his full skills, controlling the ball then lifting it over the onrushing Diawara before just shooting wide across the goal.

Charlton continued to fight in the second half and United struggled to extend their lead, lacking the fluency they normally display. At 1-0 Charlton carried the threat of an equaliser and United looked nervous. Ferguson replaced Giggs with Larsson hoping to inject some movement into the team.

Again Charlton went close, a Rommedahl free-kick just going wide of the post and it wasn't until the final 10 minutes that United finished the game as a contest. Again Larsson and Rooney linked up, exchanging passes and leaving Rooney with sight of goal. His shot was parried by Carson and as he received the rebound and was closed down by the Charlton defence, Rooney sent the ball to the far post where a diving Fletcher headed in.

United will be grateful to have been able to rotate the squad and still take all 3 points although they made much harder work of it than was necessary. They face Reading in the FA Cup in a week's time where again players will be most likely rested, ready for the trip to Lille in the Champions League.

Spurs 0 - 4 Man Utd (04/02/07)

What was supposed to be one of United's potential banana skins, particularly after losing twice in the capital already this season, saw their opponents dispatched by a generous margin and the game finishing in party spirit, with O'Shea the unlikely recipient of the visiting fans' songs.

Watching the first half would not had led anyone believing that United would finish with such ease. It was a scrappy affair and one of United's worse performances thus far. It took a disputed penalty just before half-time to separate the teams and United must have left the field grateful to be ahead. There should have been a penalty awarded at each end prior to this but out of the three claims, referee Clattenburg awarded the weakest. Ronaldo was adjudged to have been impeded by Malbranque despite trying to pull his foot away at the last second much to the home fans fury. Ronaldo made no mistake from the spot and despite Robinson diving the right way the ball had too much pace and accuracy for him to prevent the goal.

United restarted the second half with all the vigour they lacked in the first. Robinson was forced into 2 crucial saves before being beaten by a forceful header from Vidic, who rampaged through the area to meet Carrick's corner. Within minutes the lead was increased to 3.

Ronaldo cut across from the right into the penalty area, as he did for the penalty early. Lee Young-Pyo hesitated and was left standing, allowing Ronaldo to drive the ball across the face of the goal. Robinson could only deflect the ball into the path of a sliding Scholes who somehow managed to the bundle the ball over the line.

Saha came on for an injured Rooney and in the 77th minute his hard work and vision paid off as he released Giggs, who had timed his run perfectly, surging into the box and striking the ball home with his left foot.

While that was the last of the goals, the entertainment wasn't over. After making all 3 substitutions, United found themselves down to 10 men, Van der Sar taken off with a broken nose after a challenge by Keane. O'Shea took over goalkeeping duties with 5 minutes left on the clock. Within minutes he was called into action, a suicidal backpass from Ferdinand playing in Keane. O'Shea was quick to run out of the area and take the ball off his feet much to the amusement of the United bench and fans. 'Ireland's number one' was the chorus from the United faithful.