UNITED STABBED BY BLUES

 

Last time around, United faced Championship side Derby County in the Carling Cup semi finals. The first leg didn't go so well though, getting mugged to the tune of 1-0 at Pride Park wasn't really what we'd had in mind. Still I never really lost faith in my team, a one goal deficit can always be turned around after all. Sure enough when the Rams came to Old Trafford for the second leg, the exact same starting XI from the first leg took them to the cleaners to the tune of 4-1. Generally, while the tie might be remembered for the 1st leg upset, the fact is it there was always going to be only one side going to Wembley from this tie and it wasn't going to be Derby.

This time around, well we're up against Man City. Of course the two sides are familiar foes from the Premiership. The last time the two sides met in any kind of Cup competition though was an FA Cup tie from 03/04. In terms of League Cup action, well you have to go back to 1975/76. The two sides met in the 4th round and the Reds were caned 4-0 at City's old Maine Road ground. In 1974/75 though the two sides met at Old Trafford in the 3rd round. It was the season of United brief dip into the second tier but the Blues were mugged 1-0. This semi final matchup though is a rematch of a tie from 1969/70. City beat Matt Busby's team 4-3 on aggregate.

Now in theory it's United's time for payback, of course, City have plenty of money themselves now so a Carling Cup semi final 1st leg match at the City of Manchester Stadium was always going to be spicy. The Blues still provided a moment of comedy when they ditched Mark Hughes for Robert Mancini despite the fact that Sparky built what has to be the best City team for 20 years. Fergie still took the match seriously enough though, starting with Van de Saar in goal for the first time in the competition since '06. Outfield it was Giggsy as left mid and captain with Anderson, Carrick and Fletcher centre mid. Let's get ready to rumble.

Well City had the initial attack but clearly were playing the occasion rather than the match. United went on to look the more dangerous side and in the 17th minute a Rooney shot was only away only for Giggsy to slot in the rebound. After that City looked to be going glug-glug but the Reds were unable to bury their rivals. City managed to get their act together eventually and started giving us a few headaches but there was no way they shouldn't have been given a 42nd minute penalty though. Former United assasin Carlos Tevez slammed it in though - the Argie feeling he had something to prove. Not that United were overly concerned at half time though.

However United ran into trouble in the second half and even with the scores level, were seemingly taking the win for granted. Not a good idea with this City team and in the 65th minute Vincent Kompany set up Tevez to head in his second. The City fans gloated and City fans gloating is always annoying. The players in red must have felt the same way though and battered the City goal, we were four up front at one point. However an equaliser could not be be found and it was the Blues that had the last laugh on this occasion. Still, United fans shouldn't be overly concerned at this point. A one goal lead can easilly be turned around, particularly on home turf.

Elsewhere, the other semi final was between Blackburn and Villa. Villa won the 1st leg at Ewood Park 1-0, getting the only goal of the match fairly early on and leaving Rovers with their work cut out for the return match. Villa then went on to win what turned out to be an amazing rumble 6-4 at Villa Park. Rovers originally went 2-0 up only for Villa to seemingly anhiliate the visitors in the early stages of the second half. Rovers weren't quite done but it was too little too late. Congratulations to Villa who've reached their first League Cup final since they won the Coca Cola Cup with Brian Little as manager back in '96 with Savo Milosevic and Dwight Yorke up front.

In the meantime, the FA Cup 3rd round tie between Brentford and Championship Doncaster finally took place at Griffin Park. Unfortunately for the Bees, the visitors from a higher division looked to outclass them and they did well to hold a clean shhet up till half time. The Bees gave their opponents a bit more of a match in the second half but still Doncaster were clearly the better side and finally they broke through with James O'Connor hitting the winner. That's the end of another Brentford Cup run though the Bees can't complain too much about getting this far. Further legends of giant killing glory will have to wait for another season though.

 

So, here's what the FA Cup 4th round looks like. Championship Preston face Chelsea at Deepdale(Chelsea to win). Championship Reading face Burnley at the Madjeski Stadium(Burnley to win). L1 Southampton face Championship Ipswich at St Mary's(Ipswich to win). Villa face L1 Brighton at Villa Park(Villa to win). Wolves face Championship Crystal Palace at Molineux(Wolves to win). Everton face Birmingham at Goodison Park(think Brum might pull this off). Portsmouth face Sunderland at Fratton Park(Sunderland to win). Bolton face Championship Sheffield United at the Reebok Stadium(Bolton to win). West Brom face Newcastle at the Hawthorns in an all-Championship encounter(Newcastle to win). L2 Notts County face Wigan at Meadow Lane(Wigan to win). Cardiff face Leicester in an all-Championship encounter at Cardiff City Stadium(Leicester to win). Derby face Leicester in an all-Championship encounter at Pride Park(Doncaster to win). L2 Accington Stanley face Fulham at the Fraser Eagle Stadium(Fulham to win). Spurs face L1 Leeds at White Hart Lane(Spurs to win). Stoke face Arsenal at the Brittania Stadium(Arsenal to win). Championship Scunthorpe United face Man City at Glanford Park. At the moment I'd say Chelsea are the safe bets to lift the Cup.

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