Sir Alex Ferguson might just have stumbled on a
strike-partnership for Manchester
United. Michael Owen and Danny Welbeck are
displaying a liking for playing together in the Carling
Cup.
Having combined to see off Wolves in the last round, the veteran
and the prodigy did so once again as Barnsley manager Mark Robins was
denied a victory against the manager whose job he once famously
secured with a winning goal in an FA Cup tie at Nottingham Forest
almost 20 years ago.
Welbeck, the pick of United’s impressive youngsters at Oakwell,
opened the scoring before Owen completed the victory for the cup
holders with a magical second.
Yet the game was marred by Gary Neville’s 64th minute dismissal
for a studs-up challenge on Adam Hammill prior to an unsavoury
injury-time incident when two Barnsley supporters entered the pitch
and kicked the ball out of United goalkeeper Ben Foster’s
hands.
Sir Alex Ferguson arrived in Barnsley having already experienced
the ignominy of a cup upset at Oakwell. Eleven years ago, his
reigning league champions were on the wrong end of a 3-2 FA Cup
fifth-round replay in South Yorkshire, albeit against a Barnsley
side enjoying a one-season flirtation with the top flight.
By eliminating Chelsea and Liverpool from the FA Cup in 2008,
Barnsley clearly find something extra against teams who would
ordinarily view domestic cup encounters as an inconvenience in the
grand scheme of things.
Perhaps the prospect of United and Ferguson being humbled
prompted Keith Hackett, the general manager of the Premier League
referees, to take a seat in Oakwell’s directors’ box. Or maybe he
was just checking on the fitness of referee Chris Foy.
But United, despite their approach of resting senior figures in
this competition, proved by lifting the Carling Cup last season
that it is worthy of a place in Old Trafford’s well-stocked trophy
cabinet.
And with their last outing resulting in a painful defeat against
Liverpool at Anfield, Barnsley’s fate was as good as sealed before
Ferguson’s fringe players took to the field.
The Scot had made 11 changes from the team sent out at Anfield.
Eleven rested, rather than axed, but their replacements at least
went into this fixture with the incentive of knowing that they had
the opportunity to dislodge their rivals for the Premier League
clash with Blackburn on Saturday.
Defenders Jonny Evans and Wes Brown, in particular, played with
an extra spring in their step. If Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic
continue to perform as they did at Anfield, Evans and Brown will
soon be handed tougher assignments than shackling Jon Macken and
Daniel Bogdanovic.
United began in determined mood. Within five minutes, Barnsley
full-back Rob Kozluk had been forced to clear a Michael Owen header
off the line.
Seconds later, Welbeck had put United ahead with his second
Carling Cup goal of the season when he headed Anderson’s corner
past goalkeeper Luke Steele from six yards.
Welbeck is an emerging force, but chances have been limited so
far this season. His pace and burgenoning power suggest he will be
a regular sooner rather than later.
The same could be said for Gabriel Obertan, the £3m purchase
from Bordeaux who, after knee and back injuries, was making his
debut at Oakwell.
Slick, with incredibly quick feet, the 20-year-old displayed
more potential in 45 minutes than Nani, the infuriating Portuguese,
has shown in almost three years.
Despite their impressive forward play, United’s defensive
frailties were not eradicated by the removal of Sunday’s back four
and Bogdanovic was left unmarked to head Hammill’s corner against
the crossbar on 22 minutes.
Where United were toothless and predictable at Anfield, they
were quick and purposeful here.
The opposition was some way down the pecking order in comparison
to Liverpool, but Welbeck in particular was finding the gaps that
proved beyond Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov at the weekend.
The 19 year-old released Owen with a defence-splitting pass on
49 minutes which appeared perfectly crafted for the forward to
score without breaking stride, yet a nudge in the back from Stephen
Foster proved critical and Steele was able to block Owen’s
shot.
For Welbeck, it was to be his final contribution of the evening,
with a muscle pull curtailing his involvement on 53 minutes.
Welbeck’s replacement, Zoran Tosic, is in the Nani camp in terms
of having plenty to prove at Old Trafford, but a rapier-like shot
over Steele’s crossbar moments after entering the fray suggested he
has the ability to justify his transfer.
It was an impressive effort, but Owen topped it with his goal on
61 minutes.
Pity Fabio Capello was not at Oakwell to see it. Having received
the ball from Fabio’s throw-in with his back to goal 10 yards from
the touchline, Owen turned one defender and nutmegged another
before curling a right-foot shot past Steele from 18 yards.
There was even a burst of pace from the 29 year-old. Scoring
against Barnsley is one thing, though. Doing it regularly in the
Premier League is another.
He may get the opportunity against Blackburn this weekend, but
Neville will have to sit that one out having earned a suspension
for his reckless challenge on Hamill. But the future is not
Neville’s.
That lies at the feet of Evans, Obertan, Welbeck and maybe even
an old-stager called Michael Owen.
Match details:
Barnsley (4-4-2): Steele; Kozluk, Moore, Foster,
Gray; Anderson da Silva (Campbell-Ryce 71), Hallfredsson, Colace
(Butterfield 77), Hammill; Macken (Hume 65), Bogdanovic.
Subs: Preece (g), Hassell, Thompson,
Devaney.
Booked: Anderson da Silva, Colace, Bogdanovic.
Manchester United (4-3-3): Foster; Neville,
Brown, J Evans, Fabio; Rafael, Anderson, Welbeck (Tosic 53);
Obertan, Owen (De Laet 65), Macheda.
Subs: Amos (g), O’Shea, C Evans, King,
James.
Booked: Evans, Tosic.
Sent Off: Neville.
Referee: C Foy (Merseyside)