With Chelsea gone, Is Carling Cup Manchester United's to lose
September 23rd 2010 11:08
On Saturday we will find out the draw for the fourth round of the Carling Cup. With Newcastle Uniteds upset over Chelsea i wonder is Manchester United the favirote to win the Cup?
Game Recap of United's win over Scunthorpe:
Carling Cup holders Manchester United did not let absent boss Sir Alex Ferguson down as they came from behind to beat gallant Scunthorpe in Wednesday night's third-round tie at Glanford Park.
Ferguson chose to watch Champions League opponents Valencia instead, leaving Mike Phelan in charge, and there was plenty for the assistant manager to think about as Scunthorpe were rewarded for their terrific start by Josh Wright's superb 19th-minute strike.
But it took only four minutes for Darron Gibson to level and they were ahead before half-time through Chris Smalling.
Two goals from Michael Owen and one from Park Ji-sung in the second half put the result beyond doubt but Scunthorpe got the second goal they deserved in injury time from the impressive Martyn Woolford.
Phelan made 11 changes to the side that beat Liverpool 3-2 on Sunday but it was by no means a weak team, with Rio Ferdinand, Owen, Anderson, Wes Brown, Park and Javier Hernandez all in the starting line-up.
It was the first competitive meeting between the sides and Scunthorpe were determined not to let the chance to upset their illustrious opponents pass them by.
The hosts flew out of the blocks, with Woolford and Eddie Nolan testing Tomasz Kuszczak while Wright sent a fierce volley wide of the post.
United had not heeded the warning, though, and, when Woolford picked out Wright just outside the area in the 19th minute, the midfielder crashed a shot into the top corner.
It was no more than the hosts deserved but their lead lasted only four minutes as Phelan's side levelled out of nothing. A long ball from Smalling found Gibson down the right channel and he sent a pinpoint lob over Joe Murphy.
It was a stunning finish but it did not change the pattern of the game and Scunthorpe should have retaken the lead on the half-hour mark as Michael O'Connor's corner perfectly picked out captain Cliff Byrne at the far post but his header flew over the bar.
And United made their hosts pay in the 36th minute with their second goal. Brown picked up the ball on the right and played in Park, whose cross was coolly turned into the net by centre-back Smalling.
Still Scunthorpe pressed and they were inches away from levelling when Kuszczak again opted not to catch Jonathan Forte's 25-yard effort and could only watch as his punch nearly took the ball inside the far post.
Javier Hernandez and Federico Macheda had been largely ineffective but they combined to good effect on the stroke of half-time, with the Mexican setting up his fellow striker for a header over, before Nolan forced Kuszczak to punch away another shot.
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