Manchester United 2 Reading 1: Clinical Nani and Hernandez see off brave Royals
By CHRIS WHEELER
Better than ’99? Not on this evidence. But there is no doubting the strength in depth that Sir Alex Ferguson so admires about this Manchester United squad, and it just about saw them through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup at Old Trafford on Monday night.
It wasn’t convincing and at times wasn’t pretty. That has been a familiar story with United this season. But there is a doggedness about this team - this squad - and, piece by piece, another Treble is taking shape.
Ferguson was able to keep just three of the side that drew with Real Madrid in the Bernabeu and still name a starting line-up that most Premier League managers would die for. When Phil Jones limped off before half-time, with an ankle injury that could have implications for the second leg against Madrid, Ferguson was able to call on Nani.
Near post: Javier Hernandez nodded the ball past Adam Federici to put the Reds 2-0 up
Breached: Nani finally opened the scoring for Manchester United at Old Trafford
MATCH FACTS
Manchester United: De Gea, Jones (Nani 42),Smalling, Vidic, Buttner, Valencia, Anderson (Carrick 84), Young (Van Persie 64), Cleverley, Hernandez,Welbeck
Subs not used: Lindegaard, Ferdinand, Giggs,Kagawa
Goals: Nani 69, Hernandez 72
Reading: Federici, Shorey, Mariappa, Morrison, Kelly,Karacan, Leigertwood (Guthrie 63), McAnuff, Le Fondre, Hunt, McCleary (Robson-Kanu 70)
Subs not used: Andersen, Gunter, Pearce, Daniel Carrico, Pogrebnyak
Goal: McAnuff 81
Referee: Andre Marriner
And when it looked as though United were heading for an unwelcome replay at the Madejski Stadium to crowd an already busy schedule, he summoned Robin van Persie
from the bench. It was Nani who made the telling contribution on this occasion. It is possible the winger is playing his last season at Old Trafford, and speculation in Portugal on Monday suggested he could be used as a makeweight should United move for Porto winger James Rodriguez in the summer.Nani remains a wonderful yet infuriating talent; a player who can set a game alight but so often disappoints.
On Monday night he was bang in form from the moment he arrived, using the few minutes he was on the pitch before half-time to hit a post with a wonderful volley and force Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici into one of a number of fine saves.
‘I had a feeling he would win the game for us,’ said Ferguson afterwards.
It was Nani who made the breakthrough in the 69th minute and then provided a pin-point cross for Javier Hernandez to head the second three minutes later. That should have been that.
But Jobi McAnuff pulled one back and a Reading side who have made something of a habit of scoring late goals this season finished the game camped in the United box with Federici as an extra attacker.
It didn’t have to be so tense, as Ferguson later acknowledged, and United could have been in control inside the first four minutes as they opened up Reading with frightening ease.
Wheeling away: Nani came off the bench for Phil Jones in the first half
Happy: Brian McDermott praised his team after Jobi McAnuff's goal gave them hope with 10 minutes left
Adrian Mariappa blocked twice in quick succession from Hernandez and Danny Welbeck before Federici kept out Welbeck’s low shot to the near post with his left hand after the England striker was sent racing through by Ashley Young.
Set-pieces proved the big problem for United in a crazy 4-3 win at the Madejski in December, and it took magnificent defending by Nemanja Vidic to clear the danger from two Nicky Shorey crosses as he received little help from hesitant goalkeeper David de Gea.
The United skipper threw himself into another challenge that left him with a nasty cut over his left eye and Reading’s Noel Hunt also requiring attention - and a new shirt - with blood streaming down the back of his head.
At the other end, Federici excelled himself with a brilliant double save to stop United taking the lead after 22 minutes, diving to his right to block Tom Cleverley’s low drive from 20 yards and then recovering to get a hand to Young’s follow-up as the winger looked certain to tuck the ball into an empty net.
Bounced: Anderson and Hernandez celebrate in style after United go two goals up
Fist pump: Sir Alex Ferguson gestures to the home crowd as he makes his way out after half-time
United lost Jones six minutes before half-time when the 20-year-old’s heavy first touch invited a challenge from McAnuff and he rather unwisely went into the tackle with the outside of his right ankle.
Jones limped down the touchline and did not need a stretcher but, not for the first time in his United career, you felt it was a problem of his own making.
It was a pivotal moment in the sense that it brought Nani off the bench.
The Portuguese had already flashed one fierce effort inches wide of a post when he broke the deadlock in the 69th minute, just as United were starting to wonder if they would find a way through.
Chase: Danny Guthrie attempts to keep pace with Manchester United's Anderson
Antonio Valencia played a low pass in from the right and Nani collected the ball eight yards from goal before drilling a shot that took a slight deflection on its way past two defenders and Federici.
Reading could have equalised almost immediately, Adam Le Fondre forcing a wonderful reflex save from De Gea.
But Hernandez looked to have killed the tie when he drifted away from marker Sean Morrison in the 72nd minute and darted into space to meet Nani’s cross from the right and head past Federici.
Chris Smalling was at fault for Reading’s goal nine minutes from the end, playing the visitors onside and then failing to clear as McAnuff seized on the loose ball to slide home.
Blow: Phil Jones was taken off in the first half through injury
Blow: Phil Jones was taken off in the first half through injury
It was the signal for a late onslaught from Brian McDermott’s side. ‘We want our Fergie time,’ sang the travelling fans, and the United manager cut a worried figure as the Premier League leaders defended desperately.
In the end it was just enough. United are through to the quarter-finals where Chelsea or Middlesbrough await, and you suspect they will be facing Premier League opposition for their eighth FA Cup tie in a row.
At this stage it flatters them to make comparisons with the team of ’99, but the strength in depth is there and so is the resolve.
The Treble is in Ferguson’s sights again.
Words of wisdom: Ferguson (left) talks to fourth official Phil Dowd as the pair leave at half-time
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