Crewe Alexandra 1 Manchester United 2Manchester United battled into the next round when Kieran Lee, making his debut, pounced two minutes from the end of extra-time to eventually kill off a plucky Crewe Alexandra.
United cannot have endured many more testing examinations than the one Crewe provided last night. Dario Gradi's side outplayed the Premiership leaders for long periods and would have claimed a famous victory in normal time but for the inspired performance of Tomasz Kuszczak.
The United goalkeeper produced a number of outstanding saves before justice was served with 17 minutes to go. Luke Varney, lively throughout, planted a low shot beyond Kuszczak to bring extra-time.
Alex Ferguson could have few complaints. The United manager had seen his weakened but still vastly experienced side toil embarrassingly against the League One club.
Not even Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's well-struck goal, his sixth of the season, could instil the League Cup holders with a belief to go and dominate their hosts. Instead it was Crewe who looked more likely to score, the home side responding superbly to an early setback.
United's breakthrough on 26 minutes had come against the run of play although there had been a warning for the home side when David Jones saw his angled drive saved after Solskjaer found the room for an incisive pass. The Norwegian would not be so generous when afforded a similar opportunity. Richard Jones escaped on the right flank and had the awareness to pick out Solskjaer's run. Without breaking stride the striker knocked his 12-yard shot inside Ben Williams's near post.
The goal was harsh on Crewe, who had started at a pulsating pace, coming close to scoring three times in the opening 20 minutes. The free-flowing football evinced all the hallmarks of a Dario Gradi side, with United seemingly taken aback by Crewe's temerity.
Indeed it was as much as United could do to retain possession at times as Wes Brown and Mikael Silvestre came under far more pressure than Ferguson would have envisaged.
Ferguson was sitting uncomfortably. The United manager had used this fixture to start several youngsters, among them Phil Marsh and David Gray, both making their debuts.
Kieran Richardson, largely anonymous in the first half apart from a yellow card picked up for a late tackle, hit the post late on to squander a gilt-edged chance to win the game in normal time for United.
CREWE: Williams, Otsemobor, Baudet (O'Donnell 110), Cox, Taylor (Bell 76), Lowe, Rix, Osbourne, Vaughan, Varney, Maynard. Subs Not Used: Tomlinson, Rodgers, Higdon. Goals: Varney 73.
MAN UTD: Kuszczak, Gray (Lee 77), Brown, Silvestre, Heinze, Marsh (Barnes 46), David Jones, Ritchie Jones, Richardson, Smith, Solskjaer, Barnes (Shawcross 103). Subs Not Used: Heaton, Rose. Booked: Richardson, Lee, Brown. Goals: Solskjaer 26, Lee 119.
