United beat Arsenal 1-0 in a League Cup quaterfinal match at Old Trafford. (Reports: BBC, Soccernet, Guardian, ManUtd.com, pix.) It was United’s sixth win in a row.
(United had hit West Brom for three last Saturday in a match that wasn’t aired locally. Reports: BBC, Soccernet, Guardian.)
Ferguson fielded a second-string side but United still had 8 full internationals on the pitch. Arsenal, on the other hand, fielded a youthful side — the average age of their 10 outfield players was apparently only 19 — but it was their 27-year-old keeper who made a schoolboy error to gift United an early lead.
With less than 20 seconds on the clock, Bellion took advantage of slips by two Arsenal defenders and fired a tame-looking shot straight at the Arsenal keeper who fumbled Taibi-cally.
United had opportunities to increase the lead (with Richardson coming the closest) but the score remain unchanged. Wenger, being Wenger, whined about United’s tactics but had to concede United deserved the victory.
United face Chelse in the semifinals and it will be interesting to see if Ferguson sticks with his second eleven. He insists he will but he’s likely to be up against a full-strength Chelsea side since Mourinho considers the League Cup “an important trophy.”
United’s next match is against Southampton on Saturday and here’s hoping they can keep this winning run going.
