MANCHESTER United’s first victory of 2006 was notable for the quick feet and sharp mind of Giuseppe Rossi, a potential star in the making. A good future can be predicted for the little striker even if so much else at Old Trafford, including the manager’s long-term prospects, remain shrouded in doubt.
The match at home to Liverpool on Sunday will be keenly observed for signs of improvement by United’s supporters despite last night’s assured stroll into the fourth round of the FA Cup. For Burton Albion, there is a less glamorous home fixture against Woking in the Nationwide Conference, although they will have taken many memories and up to £1 million from their two third-round ties.
Nigel Clough’s non-League team had the thrill of a lifetime as they played in front of a crowd of more than 53,000 last night — none more so than the manager’s seven-year-old son, William, as he sat on his father’s lap in the dug-out — but they could never get to grips with Rossi. He had been quiet in the first game but he scored two and helped to set up two more.
Had Louis Saha shown a fraction of his team-mate’s confidence, Clough’s pride in his players might have been jeopardised by a seven or eight goal hammering but Sir Alex Ferguson claimed afterwards, a touch patronisingly, that he was happy to surrender those opportunities to keep the scoreline “nice”.
“Both teams enjoyed themselves. We have had European and Premiership teams who have not come here with such a positive attitude. Most play one up and bore the pants off everyone,” he said.
Advertisement
The shrill cries from the 11,000 travelling Burton supporters made Old Trafford sound at times like it was hosting a schoolboy international. Once United had seized the lead in the seventh minute, they did not have much to cheer apart from the odd corner or shot from distance.
There was no shame in that, of course. Some of their players had been spotted queueing up for Wayne Rooney’s autograph before kick-off — the England striker turning up to watch even though he was suspended — and they will never have expected to take much else back home. On the way north, the players had even been required to bring their own packed lunch.
They could claim to have had the first attack on goal as Jon Shaw clambered over Wes Brown, but their chances were not helped when Shaw had to withdraw after a collision with Phil Bardsley and their slim hopes of another draw were quickly extinguished. Gerard Piqué’s long ball found Kieran Richardson revelling in acres of space and his cross picked out Saha for a crisp, first-time finish from six yards.
Saha had scored a fine goal against Blackburn Rovers in the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final at Ewood Park a week earlier but, once again, his contribution was erratic. Set up by a wonderfully deft ball from Rossi shortly before half-time, the France forward dawdled, miscontrolled and, in the end, was lucky to win a corner. Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy will not have been fretting on the sidelines.
Rossi, whom Ferguson rates highly, was looking far sharper and he scored United’s second midway through the first half from a free header. He could also claim an assist for the third. Cleverly flicking a long ball out of defence straight into the path of Richardson, he invited the winger to race clear from the half-way line. Richardson had shown some selfindulgent touches but, as he sprinted away from Chris Hall, he did glance up. There was no team-mate to pass to and so he whacked a dipping, left-footed drive across and beyond Saul Deeney’s dive.
Advertisement
The introduction of Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville for a leg-stretch before the visit from Liverpool could please Burton’s players only in terms of swapping shirts after the final whistle. At least they could rely on Saha to squander another fine chance to score.
The contrast with Rossi could not have been starker as the American-born striker set up Giggs for the fourth goal with the best pass of the night and then scored the last himself with a wonderful half-volley. Burton must return to lower league obscurity but Rossi will soon be back in the limelight.
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-4-2): T Howard — P Bardsley, G Piqué, W Brown (sub: G Neville, 62min), M Silvestre — O G Solskjaer, D Fletcher (sub: R Giggs, 62), J O’Shea (sub: R Ferdinand, 62), K Richardson — G Rossi, L Saha. Substitutes not used: R van Nistelrooy, E van der Sar.
BURTON ALBION (4-4-2): S Deeney — J Sedgemore, D Tinson, R Austin, A Corbett — C Hall (sub: A Webster, 74), D Stride, A Ducros, K Gilroy (sub: T Henshaw, 87) — J Shaw (sub: D Anderson, 27), S Harrad. Substitutes not used: M Taylor, A Todd. Booked: Stride.
Referee: H Webb.