New Delhi: Manchester United coasted past Southampton in Sunday’s FA Cup Third Round tie at St Mary’s Stadium.
Danny Welbeck gave United the lead when he headed home from close-range (20) and it soon got worse for Southampton when Martin Paterson was sent off for a reckless challenge on Nemanja Vidic shortly before half-time.
Nani scored a controversial penalty (48) as the Red Devils assumed full control of the game and substitute Darron Gibson sealed the win with a powerful strike (81).
Team News
Olly Lancashire and Andrew Surman came in for Southampton as they made two changes from their drawn Championship clash against Reading.
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson handed 18-year-old striker Danny Welbeck a start with Carlos Tevez, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo not included in the starting line-up. Rio Ferdinand was also ruled out.
First Half
After a quiet opening fifteen minutes, the first chances of the game arrived. It was the hosts who threatened first when David McGoldrick broke from midfield and fed Andrew Surman, who flashed the ball across the face of Manchester United’s goal to force Jonny Evans into a smart clearance.
Southampton were on the back foot moments later when Nani combined well with Dimitar Berbatov at the edge of the Saints penalty box and forced home goalkeeper Kelvin Davies into a low save. Anderson then forced Davies into another save with a vicious long-range effort.
From the resulting corner, United took the lead. Republic of Ireland defender John O’Shea met Nani’s flighted delivery at pace but was denied a headed goal by the goalkeeper, who superbly tipped his effort on to the crossbar. However, the rebound fell straight to Welbeck, the teenager there waiting to pounce from just two yards out and hand the visitors a lead.
Chris Perry then did well to block a Berbatov shot after the Bulgaria striker was slipped through on goal by O’Shea before the ex-Wimbledon man again came to the rescue to deny Michael Carrick with a goal-saving challenge.
With the visitors threatening to run riot, disaster struck for Southampton. As Nemanja Vidic attempted to control a bouncing ball at the halfway line, Saints striker Matthew Paterson lunged in with studs raised and caught the Serbian high on the shin, deservedly earning himself a red card from referee Mike Riley.
In first half stoppage time, Saints ’keeper Davies was again forced into action, doing well to save Welbeck’s near post effort after Gary Neville fed Nani on the right-hand side.
Second Half
At the start of the second half it looked like it would take a minor miracle if Southampton were to rescue this Cup-tie and just three minutes after the interval the game was as good as over.
Lancashire conceded a free-kick right on the edge of the area, which Nani stepped up to take. His effort struck McGoldrick, who had his hand raised in the wall, and Riley pointed to the penalty spot. The Saints were adamant it has hit his head and not the raised arm, with initial replays proving inconclusive.
The Portuguese winger calmly stepped up and slotted United into a two-goal lead, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.
Moments later Welbeck was superbly denied by Davies from 12 yards out after a sharp turn. As United dominated, Welbeck had another penalty claim turned down in the 51st minute when he was sandwiched between two Southampton defenders, as he looked set to pull the trigger.
Ryan Smith offered the home side some brief respite when he breezed past O’Shea and Evans, but struck wide at the crucial moment, and Surman had a shot saved before Carrick came close to scoring the visitors’ third goal.
Wayne Rooney was brought on from the substitutes’ bench for a run out in place of Welbeck and almost made an instant impact, but could only drag his shot wide of the far post after combining with Berbatov.
United were able to put the icing on the cake 10 minutes from time when Rooney surged past the Southampton defence and cut the ball back for Darron Gibson, enjoying oceans of space, to smash his shot home.
Southampton will now return to the rigours of the Championship, while United move on to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Fourth Round after a comprehensive win.
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