Video: Netherlands 0 - 1 Denmark

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VIDEO : Manchester United 3 - 0 Burnley

Diouf nets his first for United

Manchester United claimed a much-needed victory over Burnley to ease their worries on the field even if they are piling up outside Old Trafford.

Chants of "We want the Glazers out'' from the Stretford End emphasised the debt mountain being carried by the Red Devils.

For a long time it looked as though it was hanging round the players' necks too.

But a five-minute purple patch just after the hour brought Dimitar Berbatov's seventh goal of the season and Wayne Rooney's 17th.

And, with new-boy Mame Biram Diouf adding another near the end, United had regained a sense of superiority, even if the outcome could have been vastly different if either Steven Fletcher or David Nugent had taken golden opportunities when Brian Laws' first game in charge was still deadlocked.

However, the United faithful will be acutely aware much better will be required at Eastlands on Tuesday if Carlos Tevez is not to celebrate Carling Cup glory at the expense of his old club.

This would not normally be regarded as an ideal fixture for a new manager to open their account with a win.

Yet such is negativity circling United just now anything seems possible, even for a team with just one away point from 10 games prior to kick-off and without a win on this ground since 1962.

The vast majority of this week's headlines have concentrated on the growing debt and what will have to happen if the Glazer family are unable to meet interest rates on a £500million bond.

But there are also concerns about the strength of Ferguson's team.

A first appearance on home soil since that dismal FA Cup defeat to League One Leeds offered an ideal opportunity to allay a few fears. Instead, concerns just grew.

Although United dominated possession, it was not until the final minutes of the half, when Nani's overhead kick was clawed behind by Brian Jensen that the Red Devils looked as though they might score.

Rooney worked hard as usual and had a couple of chances, while Antonio Valencia and Patrice Evra threatened danger from wide positions.

Berbatov was again a disappointment though.

He may now be a six-time Bulgarian player of the year but the 28-year-old remains an enigmatic presence.

There was no sign of a knee injury as he rose to meet decent crosses from either flank that he could not direct on target and he lacked conviction when he tried to turn home a low Valencia ball drilled into the six-yard box.

Gary Neville's angry reaction to a perceived lack of movement would not have done much for Berbatov's confidence either, although the dent would not have been as big as the one inflicted on United had Steven Fletcher made more of the opening period's best chance.

Eager to make an impression against his former club, Chris Eagles started the move with a precise pass to Nugent.

Far too easily, the United defence had been completely opened up. Nugent lifted the ball over Neville and set Fletcher racing through on Edwin van der Sar, making his comeback after a 12-match absence.

Fletcher went for the far corner but could only turn away in frustration as his shot rolled narrowly wide.

There was no better example of the frustration surrounding Berbatov than the one just before the hour mark when he produced a brilliant piece of close control to turn onto Valencia's cross then, from six yards, drilled his shot wide when it seemed easier to score.

If Nugent had made them pay immediately afterwards, United would have had no-one to blame but themselves.

However, after latching onto Eagles' pass and outpacing Neville, the former Preston striker failed to find the target.

It proved to be a costly miss as United immediately enjoyed their pivotal five-minute purple patch.

First Berbatov's shot flicked past a startled Jensen off the base of Michael Duff's foot to break the deadlock.

Then Rooney collected the rebound after Berbatov had been denied by the Burnley keeper and, after taking a touch to steady himself, eventually drilled home.

Diouf nodded Valencia's cross past the onrushing Jensen to complete the scoring although by then, minds were even turning away from the debt and towards Manchester City and that blockbuster Carling Cup semi-final.
Fergie concerned by Berbatov

Sir Alex Ferguson has once again raised the spectre of Dimitar Berbatov heading for a knee operation when he confirmed the Bulgarian had reported more pain from a knee injury which the United boss revealed on Friday.

"Dimitar was feeling his knee again,'' confirmed Ferguson. "He played through it today but he could have come off at half-time. We will have to look at it again on Monday and see what the situation is.''

If Berbatov is forced to go for surgery it will either mean another venture into the transfer market or even more responsibility being placed on the shoulders of Wayne Rooney. It would be a shame too for Ferguson, given how impressed he was with the Bulgarian's efforts.

"He was the player who looked most like scoring today,'' he said. "A couple of shots went just by the post, he also had a couple of headers over the bar. He had so many attempts he was probably relieved to get one in the end.''

Ferguson was honest enough to accept Burnley had spurned two decent chances when Steven Fletcher and David Nugent failed to find the target after finding themselves clean through when the game was still deadlocked.

"We could have been embarrassed,'' he admitted. "We had a number of opportunities to punish them in the final third but there was a bit of nervousness and anxiety about our game.

"You need a goal to open teams up in matches like that, although while they will probably feel 3-0 was unfair, I didn't believe it was too unjust.''

New Burnley manager Brian Laws also felt Nugent's miss was the crucial point of the game, although that will not stop him trying to secure the services of the Portsmouth striker, who is currently on loan at Turf Moor.

"Hopefully something will happen in the next 48 hours," said Laws. "The club have been trying to keep David for some time and I know enough about him to want him to stay. It is a simple equation really. He either stays with us or Portsmouth sell him. He cannot go on loan anywhere else."

Laws also revealed Fletcher had gone for an X-ray after being forced off with an ankle injury suffered during a first-half challenge with Antonio Valencia.

"It was a blow to lose Steven because he was really causing them a problem," he said. "But he got a real kick on the ankle, so he has gone for an X-ray. It is just a precaution though and we will assess it again over the next couple of days."
Copyright ©2009 ESPN Internet Ventures

FA CUP : West Ham United 1 - 2 Arsenal (video)

Ramsey and Eduardo put Gunners through

Arsenal scored twice in five second-half minutes to come from behind to beat West Ham at Upton Park and secure their place in the FA Cup fourth round.

With more pressing matters ahead in their respective Premier League campaigns at opposite ends of the table, both managers could perhaps be forgiven for their team selection.
However, once the action got under way, the encounter turned out to be a decent cup tie.
West Ham, battling relegation from the top flight, took the lead in first-half stoppage time when Alessandro Diamanti beat the offside trap to slot past Gunners goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
But with 12 minutes remaining the outstanding Aaron Ramsey levelled and Eduardo's looping header after 83 minutes completed the turnaround.
The Gunners have a crucial Premier League game against Bolton on Wednesday which could see them narrow the gap to leaders Chelsea to a point.
But their quest for a first trophy in five years - since they won the FA Cup in 2005 - remained alive on more than one front as they entered the fourth round draw, where they were pitted against Stoke.
Even though Wenger had made five changes from the 4-1 win over Portsmouth in midweek, it was certainly not an inexperienced Arsenal side, with the likes of Carlos Vela, Fran Merida and Luke Wilshere included along with veteran defender Mikael Silvestre, captain in the absence of injured Cesc Fabregas.
The Hammers - famous winners over the Gunners in the 1980 FA Cup final at Wembley - had come back from 2-0 down here to draw their league encounter earlier in the season, and started well, with Diamanti firing over after cutting in from the right.
Merida had a low, 25-yard strike comfortably saved by West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green after 12 minutes before Arsenal slowly built some pressure on the home defence.
Wales teenager Ramsey and Merida both had shots charged down before James Tomkins gave the ball away, Eduardo pounced and the Croatian forced Green to make a full-stretch save as his 20-yard effort looked set to creep into the bottom corner.
West Ham responded after Alex Song - off to the African Nations Cup with Cameroon tomorrow - bundled over Daprela to concede a dangerous free-kick, 25-yards out. Junior Stanislas was just off-target with a dipping effort over the bar.
There was action at both ends as first Diamanti's curling shot from the left was palmed away by Fabianski before Thomas Vermaelen lashed his first-time shot over after a corner.
Stanislas stole possession on the edge of the Arsenal box, but the ball just would not drop for the England Under-21 forward.
After 40 minutes, Mexican Carlos Vela got on the end of a long ball up field, but his angled shot was blocked by Green at the right-hand post.
The Hammers took the lead in first-half stoppage time when Diamanti beat the Arsenal offside trap to collect Valon Behrami's pass and slot in off the post.
The hosts resumed in positive fashion after the interval, with England Under-19 forward Frank Nouble, who was making his debut, firing wide from the edge of the area before Stanislas' 25-yard shot was palmed away by Fabianski.
Arsenal made a double change after 65 minutes, replacing Merida with Diaby and Wilshere for Nasri.
The changes seemed to galvanise the visitors, who had lacked any real penetration in the final third.
Green made a fantastic double save to deny first Diaby after he burst into the penalty area and then the follow-up effort from Song.
There was, however, little the England goalkeeper could do about Arsenal's equaliser with 12 minutes left, when Ramsey smashed a low shot into the far corner after collecting Vela's pass through a crowded penalty area.
Before the Hammers could mount a recovery, Arsenal had turned the tie around.
Vela was again the provider, sending over a cross from the left, which Eduardo met ahead of Tomkins to loop the ball over Green into the top corner.
Arsenal could have further extended their lead, but former Gunner Matthew Upson cleared Vela's shot off the line and Green saved from Ramsey.

Wenger hints at January signingsArsenal boss Arsene Wenger may dip into the transfer market to bolster his squad despite watching his depleted side beat West Ham 2-1 in the FA Cup third round.Wenger's side were handed a fourth-round trip to Stoke in the fourth round as a side featuring the likes of Carlos Vela, Fran Merida and Jack Wilshere came from behind to beat the Hammers at Upton Park.Alessandro Diamanti gave the Hammers the lead in first-half injury time but the Gunners stormed back as Aaron Ramsey equalised in the 78th minute after combining with Vela in the box and Eduardo's towering header five minutes later took them into the fourth round.Wenger said: ''At the moment we have nine injuries.''We needed to fight very hard today to go through and we need some players to come back from injury to cope with the competitions we're in.''Asked about his transfer window plans, the Frenchman said: ''I don't know...a player or two. We'll try to be in the market.''As for the draw, which handed his side a trip to the Potteries, Wenger said: ''It doesn't really matter, what's important is the performance (we produce).''

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LA LIGA: Osasuna 0 - 0 Real Madrid ( video)

Real fail to take top spot

Real Madrid missed the chance to overhaul Barcelona and climb to the top of the Primera Division table as they were held to a 0-0 draw at Osasuna.
Requiring victory in Pamplona to go above their Catalans rivals on goal difference, the visitors were limited to long-range efforts in a poor first half, before having penalty appeals waved away in first-half stoppage time after Cristiano Ronaldo theatrically went to ground while attempting to make space for himself on the edge of the box.
Osasuna had two scrappy opportunities, but Gonzalo Higuain missed a gilt-edged chance on the counter attack and despite bringing Karim Benzema and Raul off the substitutes' bench, the visitors were held in a stalemate to lie two points behind Barcelona in the title race.
In a city famous for its bull run, Madrid struggled to grab the game by its horns in a stop-start first half.
Brazil playmaker Kaka, who had been tipped to return from a hernia problem, was absent again and the visitors were not nearly as creative or clinical as in their last Primera Division clash, the 6-0 home win over Real Zaragoza prior to the winter break.
Raul Albiol fired a speculative long-range effort well over after 11 minutes before Marcelo sliced well wide after 21 minutes.
Rodrigues Roversio headed wide from Nacho Monreal's free-kick as Osasuna threatened for the first time after 32 minutes.
Madrid then had a set-piece opportunity at the other end after Javad Nekounam was booked for a foul on Lassana Diarra.
A corner resulted and Rafael van der Vaart found Ezequiel Garay, who could only head wide.
Van der Vaart then saw an effort held by Ricardo before Osasuna came close to shocking Real before half-time.
Juanfran's corner caused havoc in the visitors' defence, with Carlos Aranda's strike hitting Garay before Alvaro Arbeloa scrambled clear.
Ronaldo then neatly brought the ball down on the edge of the area but as he attempted to weave around the Osasuna defence, he was blocked by Nekounam.
The world's most expensive player tumbled to the ground, but his theatrical fall did Madrid no favours as the referee waved away appeals for a penalty.
Marcelo had a shot stopped by Ricardo, Higuain had an effort from the edge of the area blocked and Ronaldo shot off target with a 30-yard free-kick as Madrid again failed to find the target.
Higuain then combined with Marcelo in the right channel to carve open the Osasuna defence before the Argentina international dragged his shot across the face of goal.
The striker had an even better chance a few moments later, but only after Sergio Ramos had flicked the ball away at the back post after Monreal's teasing cross from the right.
Real broke at pace for Higuain to go through on goal, only to see his effort tipped over by Ricardo.
Substitute Benzema shot wide from 12 yards before being joined up front by Raul, who took the place of Higuain.
But Osasuna's rearguard continued to frustrate the star-studded visitors.

sat, 2/1

Valencia 1-0 Espanyol

Barcelona 1-1 Villarreal

Atletico 2-1 Sevilla

Gijon 2-2 Malaga

Getafe 1-0 Valladolid

Racing 2-0 Tenerife

Almeria 1-0 Xerez

Zaragoza 0-0 Deportivo

sunday, 3/1

Mallorca 2-0 Bilbao

Osasuna 0-0 R. Madrid

 Copyright ©2009 ESPN Internet Ventures.

FA CUP : Manchester United 0 - 1 Leeds United ( video)

Manchester United 0 - 1 Leeds United

Leeds emerged from five years of hurt to inflict some pain of their own as Jermaine Beckford's first-half goal secured a 1-0 victory over old enemies Manchester United at Old Trafford.

It is six years since Leeds' loyal fans have made this particular trip - and not since 1981 have they returned across the Pennines celebrating victory. But in manager Simon Grayson they have a man with the club in his heart, and in Beckford they have a striker capable of shooting them to better things.

Those are things to cling to when your once proud club has struck financial strife so deep it sends you tumbling into League One.
And when Beckford's 20th goal of the campaign trundled past Tomasz Kuszczak, you could just sense the hosts would not be saved - not even by the five minutes of stoppage time that must have shredded a few nerves before that final glorious release.
In a sense, Sir Alex Ferguson was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Normally, a week involving two cup matches, one against a side from two levels below, at home, would offer an obvious opportunity to blood a few of his youngsters.
Yet Leeds are no ordinary League One outfit.
Even if they were not surging clear at the top, fuelled by a confidence manager Simon Grayson has painstakingly built up during his time at the helm, this could never be a normal fixture.
The sight of Eddie Gray and Alex Stepney in the press box was a reminder of one era when the Roses rivals fought battles at the very top. The presence of an injured Rio Ferdinand in the directors' box triggered more memories.
In addition, the presence of 9,000 visiting supporters created an atmosphere that crackled from the first whistle, long after minor scuffles outside had reminded everyone that there is no love lost between the two whatsoever.
Leeds were primed and ready. The home side crucially stood off, the sheer ferocity of the visitors' approach catching the less experienced members of their team by surprise.
The Yorkshire outfit were already on top when first Dimitar Berbatov, then Danny Welbeck, lost possession inside the Leeds half.
Jonathan Howson spotted his opportunity and launched a long ball over the top for Beckford, who had stolen half a yard on Wes Brown. The Manchester United defender was only playing because Nemanja Vidic had been injured in the warm-up and must have thought he had got away with it as Beckford's control took the ball away from him.
But Kuszczak was slow to react and Beckford had time to nip the ball beyond the Pole and send it rolling over the line. Grayson, a Leeds fan as a kid and a Leeds player as an adult, led the jubilant celebrations, fully aware of what this particular hostility means on both sides of the Pennines.
Their ecstasy would have only lasted five minutes if Jason Crowe had not been quick-witted enough to get back onto the goal-line as Wayne Rooney charged onto Berbatov's reverse pass. Rooney bore down on the Leeds goal, then beat Casper Ankergren with a low shot that was heading in until Crowe scrambled it away.
If anything, the second period was even more fractious as United's desperation for an equaliser - and Leeds' to stop them - increased.
Welbeck was denied by Ankergren's right leg when he let fly for the bottom corner after charging into the box. The youngster also set up Berbatov, but again Ankergren came out on top.
Ferguson decided it was time for the reinforcements, which are always readily available if things are going wrong in such circumstances.
This time it was Ryan Giggs and Antonio Valencia, although the response was muted and ten minutes later Michael Owen was on as well.
It is almost a month since Owen scored that hat-trick in Wolfsburg, since when he has not started a game.
That lack of match practice was evident as, with virtually his first touch, he scuffed his shot after getting himself in the perfect position to turn home Valencia's cut-back.
Rooney blasted over from a similar position before Leeds countered and Beckford skimmed the far post with a shot across the face of goal.
Robert Snodgrass came even closer shortly afterwards when his free-kick shook the angle of bar and post with Kuszczak beaten.
As is their nature, United pushed and pushed. But the equaliser would not come as their failure to retain possession allowed Leeds to celebrate a famous victory.
other match: 
Manchester United   0-1  Leeds United 
Chelsea     5 -  0     Watford
Notts County    0 -  0  Forest Green Rovers
PostpSheffield United    1- 1 Queens Park Rangers    
West Ham United     1- 2  Arsenal    
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Video Manchester United 5 - 0 Wigan Athletic : Rooney shines in United romp

Manchester United 5 - 0 Wigan Athletic

Wayne Rooney delivered another masterclass as Wigan meekly surrendered to Manchester United for the second time this season in a 5-0 defeat at Old Trafford.
Sir Alex Ferguson has argued for years that if his side are within touching distance of top spot on New Year's Day they will take some stopping.

And not only are they only two points adrift of Chelsea, they have almost achieved parity in the goal difference column too after another five-goal mauling of the hapless Latics, who seem ill equipped to survive a relegation scrap.
Former Wigan star Antonio Valencia had a productive night, claiming three assists and scoring the final Premier League goal of 2009 against his old club.
But Rooney was the main man, opening United's account with his 15th goal of the season and getting himself right to the heart of a performance Wigan could not have complained about if it had brought the hosts double figures.

Long before they turned trophy collection into an art form, one of the things United liked most was to face lower rated opponents prepared to take them on at football.
They would leave Old Trafford with the plaudits of Sir Alex Ferguson ringing in their ears, as well as the cheers of home supporters ecstatic at witnessing a one-sided goal fest.
Clearly, Roberto Martinez has not been doing his homework.
Hammered by five goals on home soil in August, Martinez made the short journey across Greater Manchester for the return, committed to the same open style, which could quite easily get Wigan relegated.
The wonder was it took United almost half an hour to open their account.
A flurry just beforehand had involved Chris Kirkland turning a Rooney blockbuster wide and Paul Scharner booting a Nemanja Vidic effort of the line.
Following that, Rooney's audacious shot from the most acute angle imaginable bounced back to Kirkland off the far post, the Wigan keeper having been completely bamboozled by the initial effort.
Finally, Dimitar Berbatov, who had started the bombardment by racing onto Rooney's through ball and getting chopped down in the box by Titus Bramble without winning a penalty, fluffed a chip when he was clean through.
At that stage, there must have been a temptation for Wigan to think they would survive. How foolish that would have been.
It will not cross Ferguson's attention that much but an entire nation of football watchers is following his main man at the moment, crossing their fingers he can deliver World Cup glory to England.
Undoubtedly he is having his best season and it was the former Everton striker who stole in at the near post to meet Rafael Da Silva's cross and steer it past Kirkland to break the deadlock.
Three minutes later Michael Carrick swept home the second after Valencia had shown enough vision to cut a pass back into his path rather than drill a cross into crowded penalty area.
On nights like these, the former Wigan man is a powerful force. And with Rafael charging forward on the overlap, the Latics could not resist.
Rafael's only previous goal came in a disappointing defeat at Arsenal last year. This time, after collecting Darren Fletcher's pass and showing nimble feet to create space for himself on the edge of the area before drilling past Kirkland, he had more of a reason to celebrate with twin Fabio, who pumped the air with joy from the bench, although he was ultimately to share a pitch with his brother for the first time in a league game.
A change of keeper at the break as Mike Pollitt replaced the luckless Kirkland, failed to bring a change of fortune for the visitors.
Valencia skipped past Maynor Figueroa as if he was not there, then crossed into the space Hendry Thomas was supposed to be filling before he fell over. Berbatov controlled instantly and stabbed his shot into the far corner.
Memories of that nine-goal humiliation at Tottenham were coming back to haunt Martinez and his men.
If Rooney had managed to find the net when he got on the end of Berbatov's chip instead of thundering a header against the bar, a repeat may have been on the cards.
Instead, United were forced to wait until the 76th minute, after Ferguson had made a triple substitution, for Rooney to drive into the heart of Wigan's defences before sending Valencia through superbly to chip home a fifth.

Rooney wants best-ever goal glutWayne Rooney admits he would be stunned if he failed to eclipse his best seasonal goal tally of 23. "I would hope to beat my best total," he said. "If I don't get another eight goals from now until the end of the season there is something seriously wrong. "I hit the post before I scored and the bar afterwards. I am doing well and I feel fit. Hopefully that will continue." Following on from his superb performance at Hull on Sunday, it was another masterclass from Rooney, which drew warm praise from Ferguson. "Wayne was absolutely fantastic again, just like Sunday," said the United boss. "The energy he showed in his game and his desire is marvellous." Even Wigan boss Roberto Martinez was purring. "Wayne Rooney has been showing great maturity for the whole season," he said. "He is among that elite group of players in the Premier League who are truly world class." "Valencia is doing really well," said Rooney. "He is really quick and is aggressive getting to the ball and his crosses are brilliant. To score seven goals already is a great achievement." Ferguson believes the Ecuador winger will get even more as the season goes on, and they will be needed too as United chase a record fourth consecutive Premier League title. Aston Villa's stumble over the Christmas period seems to have turned the title battle into a three-horse race between United, Chelsea and Arsenal, who have a match in hand. "It is fairly close at the top," Rooney added. "Arsenal are up there as well and the team who is most consistent from now on will win the league." "We made it easy for them," said Roberto Martinez. "We didn't play like a team and showed our weaknesses. You have to work as a group. We were just individuals. "We have to try and get rid of that inconsistency because we are hurting." However, Martinez declined to condemn Hendry Thomas for walking slowly off the pitch when he was substituted and refusing to shake the hand of his replacement Scott Sinclair. "There is no problem," said Martinez. "We are all frustrated and disappointed. If Hendry didn't feel hurt there would be something wrong." 

Copyright ©2009 ESPN Internet Ventures.

Video: Manchester United 3 - 0 Wolverhampton Wanderers

 Wolves pay price for changes

Angry Wolves fans launched a blistering attack on manager Mick McCarthy for a team selection that virtually handed Sir Alex Ferguson a 3-0 victory on a plate to mark his 900th game as Manchester United manager.

Chants of ''we want our money back'', ''where is our first team'' and ''£40 to watch the reserves'' bellowed out of the visiting section after McCarthy made 10 changes to the side that defeated Tottenham on Saturday.
Although Wolves' second string battled hard, the result was a formality and, if United had got themselves out of third gear, they would probably have won by a more comfortable margin than goals from Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic and Antonio Valencia gave them.
McCarthy, presumably, was not offering his team selection as a gift to mark the latest milestone in Ferguson's long and illustrious career.
The Yorkshireman had his reasons for making 10 changes, notably the weekend encounter with Burnley, one of the sides who rose from the Championship with Wolves last term.
But Wolves now have five days to prepare for that one.
For half an hour the hardy band of travelling fans had plenty to cheer as their representatives gave everything in the Wolverhampton cause.
If Rooney had taken the third-minute opening that presented itself when Darron Gibson's shot crashed into him, the landslide the team sheets suggested might have materialised.
Instead, Marcus Hahnemann, the one player to keep his place from White Hart Lane, made a close-range save, as he did to deny the England striker when he got on the end of Patrice Evra's low cross midway through the half.
It seemed barely credible the visitors should give United any more assistance.
But that is exactly what Ronald Zubar did as he rose to head away Gibson's corner under minimal pressure and instead punched it out of the area.
Having been so lethargic before, Rooney upped the pace by drilling home his 13th goal of the season.
Once in front, there was never any real suggestion United would not join Chelsea at the Premier League summit, having failed in that objective against Aston Villa at the weekend.
On his first league start, Gabriel Obertan was guilty of taking too much time to get his crosses in, a failing that Cristiano Ronaldo received a few admonishments for earlier in his career.
If the young French winger needed any proof the direct route was best, he got it when Vidic rose highest at a Gibson corner and got enough power into his header to carry it over the line, even though Hahnemann attempted a goal-line block.
The effort secured victory and the hosts knew it, which probably explained the sense of lethargy that gripped them at the start of the second period.
Vidic's departure was the most notable aspect of that period. The defender did raise his hands to say he was willing to continue after originally indicating a desire to come off and Ferguson will be hopeful of having him fit for Saturday's testing trip to Fulham.
It did not matter on this occasion, though, and the scene was set for a brilliant piece of skill from Dimitar Berbatov.
Such a maddeningly laid-back figure, the Bulgarian first collected Paul Scholes' lofted pass before delivering a brilliant overhead kick into the path of Valencia, who drove a first-time shot into the roof of the net.
The 15 minutes Ferguson afforded Michael Owen as replacement for Rooney was presumably not what England boss Fabio Capello had in mind when he said he wanted the striker to play more often.
But, then again, this was not what Manchester United away was meant to mean for Wolves when the fixture list came out, either.
McCarthy will only know whether his grand plan has worked on a professional level on Sunday afternoon.
Many disgruntled Wolves fans making that late-night trip back down the M6 might not be quite so easily convinced.

McCarthy: No regrets over selectionWolves boss Mick McCarthy defended his controversial team selection but admitted he could understand the angry reaction of his club's supporters following the 3-0 defeat at Manchester United.''I can understand that reaction,'' said McCarthy. ''But at the end of the season I will be judged on whether Wolves have stayed in the Premier League or not. It was my strongest team - because it was a team with fresh legs.''Having asked his players to mark their efforts at Spurs and been presented with a succession of 9.5s, he opted against asking the same players to push themselves again so soon afterwards.''It was not a plan but when I saw those figures I knew there was no chance of the same type of performance on a Tuesday after a Saturday game,'' he said. ''I have a squad of 21 to pick from and I regard them all as first-team players.''McCarthy then picked through a succession of matches against high-profile opposition and questioned why his team selections on those occasions had not prompted so much debate.''If I go into an opposition manager's office, or they come into mine, I don't get any sympathy if my team has just been slapped,'' he said. ''The pressure was off me on Saturday and I was starting to relax. I thought I would put it back on me again.''

Copyright ©2009 ESPN Internet Ventures.

SEA Games: Vietnam beat Singapore 4-1 in football semi-finals

VIENTIANE : Singapore's good run in the SEA Games football tournament ended on Monday, when they were beaten 4-1 by Vietnam in the semi-finals.

Singapore had already met their target by making it to the last four.

And the Young Lions were still on a roll, when Khairul Nizam gave them the vital lead in the 27th minute.

But it was downhill from then on, as minutes later Vietnam equalised through Thanh Binh.

Vietnam took the lead just before half time, through Tien Thanh's goal.

The boys from Vietnam added two more goals in the second half for a convincing 4-1 win over Singapore. Both goals were scored by Ngoc Anh.

Singapore will now face Laos for the bronze medal match on Thursday, after the latter were defeated by Malaysia 1-3 in their semi-final match on Monday.