London: Manchester United transferred their free-scoring form to the League Cup by cruising past Leeds United 3-0 in the third round on Tuesday night, while Arsenal had to come from a goal down to overwhelm fourth-tier Shrewsbury 3-1 and avoid another defeat.
Former England striker Michael Owen scored twice and veteran winger Ryan Giggs added the third as a makeshift United team swept past second-tier Championship side Leeds at Elland Road.
Owen put United ahead after 15 minutes with a scuffed shot that trickled in off the far post. Owen grabbed his second goal in the 32nd minute with a superb right-foot strike from just inside the area. Giggs made it 3-0 just before the break when he cut in from the left and struck a delightful shot with the outside of his left foot.
United manager Alex Ferguson made 11 changes from the side that beat Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday, but they still had too much quality for hard-working Leeds.
"The first half was a tremendous performance by us, our movement off the ball and possession were very good," Ferguson told Sky Sports. "Leeds kept trying and trying (but) we just wanted to make sure we went through."
Asked about Owen he added: "His ratio of goals (to games) is unbelievable. His second goal in particular was fantastic... He's not getting the (number of) games he deserves."
Arsenal also played their reserves and had to work much harder to make the fourth round after slipping behind to James Collins' shock 16th-minute goal for visiting Shrewsbury.
Defeat to a team three divisions lower would have piled more pressure on Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger after his team's dreadful start.
However, left-back Kieran Gibbs equalized with a far-post header before half-time. In the second half, the impressive Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 18, put last season's runners-up ahead before the hour, and Israel captain Yossi Benayoun also got his first Arsenal goal to ease the gloom around Emirates Stadium.
"It was a bit nervy because we played against a good side," Wenger said on the club's website. "I said before the game the lower divisions have improved in the last five years and you could see that."
"But in the second half, we took over and it was all us."
On a night devoid of any real upsets, Stoke defeated Tottenham 7-6 on penalties after the match finished 0-0 following extra time. Spurs' campaign ended when 18-year-old substitute Massimo Luongo's penalty was saved by Stoke's Thomas Sorensen.
Elsewhere, Bolton beat Aston Villa 2-0 away in another all-Premier League match. American midfielder Stuart Holden played the entire game for Bolton, his first appearance since a knee injury in March sustained during a challenge by Manchester United defender Jonny Evans.
"Considering Stuart has been out for so long after an horrendous injury, for him to play with such intensity and at the level he did tonight was great," Bolton manager Owen Coyle said.
Newcastle, fourth in the Premier League, needed extra time before seeing off second-tier Nottingham Forest, like Spurs four-time winners of the trophy, 4-3. American forward Robbie Findley scored his third goal of the competition and fourth overall this season for Forest. Fabricio Coloccini grabbed a last-gasp winner at Championship team Forest.
In other ties, Wolverhampton Wanderers beat second-tier Millwall 5-0 and Blackburn Rovers battled past stubborn third-tier Leyton Orient 3-2.
Holders Birmingham City, who were relegated from the Premier League in May, visit Manchester City on Wednesday when Chelsea also host local rivals Fulham and seven-time winners Liverpool visit second-tier Brighton and Hove Albion.
Comments
0 comment