English League Cup fourth round / West Brom 2 Manchester United 0: If the president of FIFA gets his way, this may be Manchester United's final appearance in the League Cup.
Sepp Blatter wants the number of matches played by Europe's leading clubs reduced to a maximum of 45 a season, and given that United's manager Alex Ferguson made 10 changes from the team he put out against Chelsea on Sunday, Blatter might suggest his case had been made for him.
Of last night's team, only John O'Shea started at Stamford Bridge and, at 28, Nicky Butt was the oldest man in a red shirt by two years. Roy Carroll and Kleberson aside, the rest were boys. As Arsenal illustrated on Tuesday, some squads are now big enough and good enough for managers to field a second XI and still be good enough, but Albion soon put such arrogant assumptions in their place.
With the M6 its usual self, kick-off had to be delayed for 15 minutes. Albion warmed up twice, and they certainly appeared more prepared than United. Danny Pugh had already brought a save from his own goalkeeper when Albion took the lead. Neil Clement overlapped down the left, his cross was only half-cleared, and Bernd Haas volleyed athletically past Roy Carroll.
Such was Albion's physical superiority it seemed as though United were about to be overwhelmed. Every time Albion went forward gaps appeared, and had Rob Hulse not produced a leaden first touch when put through by Danny Dichio it would have been 2-0 in the first 10 minutes.
Gradually though the kids at the back began to settle - and once they did those ahead of them began to see something of the ball.
United's pace and touch was a joy to behold, but too often the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kieran Richardson and David Bellion went charging up blind alleys.
When Pugh showed similar impetuosity in his own penalty area, chopping down Jason Koumas, Albion should have gone a long way towards making the game safe. Koumas, the First Division player of the month, got up to take the penalty, but Carroll guessed right and saved well.
Dichio, a foot taller and at least two stones heavier than his direct opponent Paul Tierney, should have done better than head Koumas's cross straight at Carroll.
By the end of the half, however, United were beginning to create chances of their own: both went to Butt, only for the England midfielder to find Russell Hoult with a shot and header.
Dichio did get the better of Tierney and Carroll soon after the break, but his looping header from Haas's cross came back off the bar. He has yet to score this season.
At the other end Hoult pushed Kleberson's curler around the post, and with both teams now attacking almost recklessly it was clear neither manager wanted the game to go extra-time.
Ten minutes into the second half Gary Megson, aware how flat his team had been when they drew with Sunderland three days after a two-hour epic against Newcastle United in the previous round, pulled off a master-stroke, bringing on Scott Dobie for Hulse.
Dobie scored with his first touch - guiding his header from Clement's cross beyond Carroll into the far corner.
Guardian Service
WEST BROM: Hoult, Gregan, Gaardsoe, Gilchrist, Haas, Koumas (Adam Chambers 64), O'Connor, Johnson, Clement, Dichio (Sakiri 86), Hulse (Dobie 55). Subs not used: Murphy, James Chambers. Goals: Haas 6, Dobie 56.
MAN UTD: Carroll, Bardsley, O'Shea, Tierney, Pugh, Ronaldo (Eagles 77), Fletcher, Butt, Richardson, Bellion, Kleberson (Nardiello 77). Subs not used: Jones, Wood, Williams. Booked: Bardsley.
Referee: J Winter (Cleveland).
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