PRE-SEASON FRIENDLIES Manchester Utd 2 Barcelona 1:MANCHESTER UNITED finally demonstrated that Barcelona are not invincible, after all. It may only have been a pre-season friendly, a time for experimentation and Alex Ferguson's team were spared the brilliance of Lionel Messi. But their 2-1 victory in Washington DC yesterday morning was still an encouraging way for the Premier League champions to end their three-week tour of the US.
The decisive moment was provided 14 minutes from the end by Michael Owen, who has now scored in three of United’s five tour matches. Nani, for long spells the outstanding player, had opened the scoring in the 22nd minute before a brilliant strike from Thiago Alcantara levelled the match during Barcelona’s one period of concerted pressure.
Owen’s goal came six minutes later on a night when the Champions League finalists attracted a crowd of 81,807 to the home of the Washington Redskins.
The downside for United was that Rafael was injured in a 17th-minute collision with Seydou Keita and must undergo tests on his right knee to ascertain whether he will be fit for the start of the season.
There were also some anxious moments for David de Gea, particularly in the second half. De Gea looked hesitant and Anders Lindegaard’s impressive form on this tour leaves Ferguson with a dilemma about who should start the season in goal.
That apart, Ferguson can reflect on another satisfying performance from a side that have scored 20 times in their five successive wins on this tour and coped ably with the difficult conditions presented by a day when temperatures had gone beyond 38C.
Barcelona, to give them their due, were not just missing Messi, recuperating from the Copa America, but this was also their fourth game in a week and they were operating with two midfielders, Jonathan dos Santos and Sergio Busquets, playing in defence.
Xavi Hernandez and Gerard Pique were among those given the night off and their approach could probably be summed up by the attire of Pep Guardiola on the touchline, wearing bleached jeans and white trainers rather than the customary tailored suit.
Yet Ferguson, too, was not fielding his full-strength side, with Danny Welbeck partnering Wayne Rooney for the opening half and Tom Cleverley operating in central midfield.
Rio Ferdinand was absent, with Jonny Evans coming into defence, while Rooney, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra were all withdrawn at half-time. By the end, Ferguson had made seven substitutions, with only De Gea, Evans, Cleverley and Nani lasting the full match.
Cleverley can reflect on a decent outing, particularly in the build-up to Owen’s goal when he anticipated a sloppy pass from Busquets, intercepted and then released Owen to scamper away and dink his shot over the oncoming Victor Valdes.
Nani, however, was United’s best player by some distance, especially in the first half when his eagerness to impress on the right made him a constant menace for the left-back Eric Abidal.
Nani’s goal stemmed from a nicely weighted through ball from Welbeck on a typical United counter-attack, timing his run to stay onside before slipping his shot past Valdes.
Barcelona in that period scarcely emerged as an attacking force, barely recognisable from the team that had outclassed United at Wembley in May. In fact, it was possibly too quiet for De Gea.
Meanwhile, Manchester United have pledged to give Ravel Morrison their full support to help get his life in order and prevent one of the more prodigiously talented players to emerge through the club’s ranks for many years becoming a story of wasted talent.
Morrison (18), is rated as one of the leading footballers of his generation, but his life has become a tangled web of court cases and criminal investigations, and there have been top-level talks at Old Trafford about how to address the teenager’s behavioural issues.
Morrison played an integral part in the FA Youth Cup triumph last season and made his first-team debut in the League Cup, but he came close to going to prison this year after admitting two charges of witness intimidation and is on a 12-month referral order. He has also been advised by a district judge to seek counselling about domestic abuse.
United, however, are sticking by him, despite numerous disciplinary issues involving the teenager behind the scenes.
The chief executive, David Gill, said: “He’s a great player and we are giving him all the support within the club that we can. We’re discussing it (the best course of action) and we’re helping him. He’s a very, very talented young player and the appropriate people within the club are making sure we assist him as best as we can.”
The club have been encouraged by the latest reports from the youth offending team that has been monitoring Morrison, with the district judge at his last court case commending him for his improved behaviour.
Ferguson believes the teenager has a rare talent that can lead to him becoming a player of flair and distinction. However, the United manager was almost certainly talking about Morrison in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport this year when he spoke of a young player at the club who was “highly emotional”.
Guardian Service
