FA Cup - Southampton no match for United

Eurosport - Mon, 05 Jan 09:38:00 2009

Two controversial goals saw Manchester United ease to a comfortable 3-0 victory at 10-man Southampton to book a fourth-round place in the FA Cup.

FOOTBALL; Danny Wellbeck celebrates scoring for Manchester United against Southampton, Jan 2009 - 0

Youngster Danny Wellbeck headed home from an offside position to open the scoring in the 19th minute, with Nani firing home from the penalty spot just after half-time when referee Mike Riley wrongly ruled a free-kick had hit a defender's raised arm in the wall.

Youngster Darron Gibson fired home a third to seal the victory in the final minutes.

Despite the controversial nature of the opening two goals, Southampton could hardly complain about the result as they were comprehensively out-played throughout, United's task made even easier by the 37th-minute sending off of Matt Paterson.

United, who could afford to be without Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, began to impose themselves on the Championship side after a tepid opening, with Dimitar Berbatov particularly threatening in possession in the final third.

The Bulgarian had already provided half-openings for Ryan Giggs and Nani before United made the breakthrough.

Nani's corner was headed against the crossbar by John O'Shea and Wellbeck - who replays later showed to be in an offside position - had the simple task of nodding home the rebound from point blank range.

United should have been two ahead in the 26th minute when Berbatov and Michael Carrick carved open the Saints back four. Carrick ran on to lift the ball over the advancing Kelvin Davis but, with the goal at his mercy, Southampton defender Chris Perry produced a fine tackle to deny the England midfielder.

Southampton's task was made much harder in the 35th minute when Paterson was sent off by referee Riley for an ugly, studs-up lunge on United defender Nemanja Vidic.

Wellbeck almost snatched a second at the near post in first-half stoppage time but Davis once again reacted well to tip the ball around the post.

Just four minutes after the break, United did double their lead, although the goal was again surrounded by controversy as Southampton hotly disputed the handball decision given against David McGoldrick as he jumped in the defensive wall to block Nani's free-kick.

Referee Riley had no doubt that the ball struck the Saints man's elbow - despite replays showing the ball striking his head - and pointed to the spot.

Nani cooly stroked the penalty in to the bottom right to make it 2-0.

Southampton's Ryan Smith burst into the penalty area after robbing O'Shea in the 53rd minute as the home side looked for an unlikely way back into the match, but his left-foot shot was wide of the target when faced only with goalkeeper Edwin Van Der Sar.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson sent Wayne Rooney on to liven up the final twenty minutes, with the match threatening to drift aimlessly.

And Rooney set up United's third for fellow sub Gibson, the England man breaking into the box down the left before flicking a superb pass into the middle for the youngster to volley home from eight yards.

Alex Sharratt / Eurosport

Comment 69 - 88 of 148

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  1. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Man United small team which relies on bribing match­ officials :-)

    From art_tidesco, on Sun 4 Jan 9:37PM

  2. wissam u r 1 sick effing r sole

    From sa.parsley, on Sun 4 Jan 9:31PM

  3. That sick @#$% @#$% will regret his Munich taunts. I­ can trace his I.P. and his address will be published!­ You ought to be ashamed of yourself you thick t0sser.

    From kerristanyer, on Sun 4 Jan 9:30PM

  4. Wissam - People like you should be put down at birth -­ or at the very least sectioned so that you can do no­ harm to yourself or others.

    From Marcus, on Sun 4 Jan 9:20PM

  5. WISSAM why bring bad comments into this site which is­ for fun
    I could refer you to as one of the london bus­ bombers with your asian name
    but please let us all not­ slide down to your level
    You have let your race down­ and your people down and does nothing to harmonise our­
    multicultural society and only pours spite and­ suspician on every good law abiding muslim in this­ country
    I think you are very young and dont understand­ the severeity of your comments so it does not­ matter
    just pray to mohammid (pbuh) that your home­ address is not published

    From DAVID, on Sun 4 Jan 9:13PM

  6. To ianjohnstone and wombwell red, well said GLORY GLORY­ MAN UTD !!!

    From dawn749mcgregor, on Sun 4 Jan 9:10PM

  7. To the sick wan*er who thought it was ok to mention­ munich ,GO BACK TO THE PUB AND WATCH THE LOWER LEAGUE­ TEAMS + ENGLAND and be proud of your seal clapping­ ,soccer am chanting .
    YNWA

    From , on Sun 4 Jan 9:07PM

  8. well done Mighty Red Devils Southhampton have been some­ what of a bogey team againnst use a few times in thne­ past so the young lads did well to win. some­ contraversy but a win is a win champions elect!

    From paddeobean, on Sun 4 Jan 9:07PM

  9. I am a Man U fan. Verely Man Utd won by controversial­ decisions and a couple of goals that should not have­ stood, but they played better and had at least one goal­ that many would say was genuine. Now there is no need­ for nastyness like that of Wissam A. If he has envy­ over Man U he should deal with that and not say such­ evil words.

    From Osman, on Sun 4 Jan 9:06PM

  10. (80) No matter what your opinion on Man Utd or their­ apparent good luck with ref's, its still sick to­ wish that anyone should be killed in a plane crash,­ real human beings don't want to see or hear that­ sort of comment, there is enough death and destruction­ in this world without some arse-hole wanting more. !!!!

    From dawn749mcgregor, on Sun 4 Jan 9:06PM

  11. To wissam a

    u r a total w anker
    crawl back in to­ your
    hole better still your rsole

    From TYKE THROUGH AND THROUGH, on Sun 4 Jan 9:04PM

  12. All true footie fans no matter who you support, report­ that @#$% WISSAM A for his / her vile comment about Man­ Utd having a second air disaster and get his/ her­ comment revoked.

    From dawn749mcgregor, on Sun 4 Jan 9:03PM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Did you notice how only the big teams get help from the­ referees?

    It's disgusting!

    Really, why should­ man. u. get so much unfair aid in a match against­ Southampton?
    ...Makes you wonder, will they get such­ help in their fight for the Premiership?

    I can­ definitely see why someone would be wishing for another­ air crash, given man. united's despicable luck­ lately. (...Or is it something else than luck?)

    From honest.soccerboy, on Sun 4 Jan 9:01PM

  14. [59] WISSAM IF THE GOD OF FOOTBALL IS LOOKING DOWN I­ PRAY THAT HE @#$% ALL OVER YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THAT­ REMARK. MAN U FOREVER

    From ianjohnstone223, on Sun 4 Jan 8:58PM

  15. Yet again, incompetent referees having a huge influence­ over an important match! When will the FA / Premiership­ stop being such superior a55holes and accept that­ referees are NOT perfect, and embrace technology as an­ additional value to the game?

    From EAP, on Sun 4 Jan 8:55PM

  16. To dawn749mcgregor Well said I am glad you feel the­ same way as I do about that brainless idiot!

    From Rennyp, on Sun 4 Jan 8:54PM

  17. wissam: very sick you really need help....

    From David, on Sun 4 Jan 8:54PM

  18. To wissam a, wishing that Man Utd had another air­ disater is not only sick but it puts you in the same­ league as terrorists and vile death worshippers, get a­ grip, get a life and grow up you sad pathetic muppet,­ you obviously are not a true football supporter or that­ @#$% would not have been in your tiny brain in the­ first place. SICKO.

    From dawn749mcgregor, on Sun 4 Jan 8:47PM

  19. Seems to me all those citicising ManU are hopelessly­ jealous of Uniteds success. Who are yer? Who are yer?

    From dyson1963, on Sun 4 Jan 8:45PM

  20. Wissam: you have been reported for that... one can only­ hope that Karma comes back to you and your family, and­ you get your just reward for that kind of comment.­

    Your kind and their offspring should be purged from­ the gene pool to stop any further polution. I can only­ presume, you're not a Liverpool or Man City fan.

    From on3ofm4ny, on Sun 4 Jan 8:43PM
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