Manchester United came from behind to inflict a clinical 2-1 defeat on Southampton and scrape their way into the fifth round of the FA Cup.
A very-much under-strength Red Devils side underperformed for much of the 90 minutes at St Mary’s on Saturday, and Richard Chaplow gave Southampton a deserved half-time lead. However, Michael Owen and Javier Hernandez both scored after the break as United did just enough to get past the League One promotion hopefuls.
Anders Lindegaard was making his debut in the United goal and he was beaten early on when Dan Harding fired past him from Chaplow’s deflected attempt. However, the offside flag was rightly raised to save United.
Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov were unused substitutes as Owen and Hernandez started up front, but nether saw a great deal of the ball in the first half as United’s midfield laboured when it came to getting it forward and the Saints played a measured and intelligent game.
Owen did send one effort just wide early on and saw another one loop behind off of home goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski, but he was lesser spotted for the rest of the first half as Lindegaard had to get in the way of chances for Rickie Lambert and Jose Fonte.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s unfamiliar defensive quartet of Fabio, Chris Smalling, Jonny Evans and John O’Shea looked all at sea for much of the half, and none of them kept a sharp enough eye on Guly do Prado when he stole in to head just over close to the break.
There was still time before the whistle for a goal, however, as United failed to adequately clear Danny Butterfield’s cross and Chaplow steamed in much faster than Evans to let fly with a rasping connection on the bouncing ball that beat Lindegaard all ends up.
That had his side ahead at the break and the replacement of Fabio with Wes Brown was not exactly the change the visiting fans were looking for. Brown's defensive colleague Evans did have a chance to level from a corner early in the half though, but Daniel Seabourne did well to nip in ahead of him and clear Anderson’s delivery behind for another corner.
Chaplow shot wide and Harding sent the ball weakly at Lindegaard as Nigel Adkins’ men continued to make things difficult for their more illustrious, but also more cumbersome, opponents, who were soon reinforced with Ryan Giggs and Nani replacing Anderson and the dreadful Darron Gibson.
The two subs both created chances soon after coming on, with a Giggs free headed into Bialkowski’s grasp by Evans and Nani then weaving his way down the left before crossing for Owen, who agonisingly touched it over the bar.
A minute later though the same player was celebrating! Gabriel Obertan, previously anonymous in the game, jinked his way clear of Harding on the United right and sent in a cross that diverted into Owen’s path. And he made no mistake as he expertly nodded his tenth FA Cup goal home to level the score.
Southampton’s much-talked about teenager Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain then saw a shot deflected behind by Evans before setting up Harding, who flashed his latest effort across goal and wide. At the other end, Bialkowski easily held a tame Nani shot from outside the area.
The Pole was beaten again though with 14 minutes to play as fresh Saints sub Ryan Dickson gifted the ball to the deep-lying Owen. He fed Giggs, who cleverly turned the ball into the path of Hernandez and the predatory Mexican poked the ball under the goalkeeper and in off of the far post.
Chaplow hit wide again as time began to run out for Adkins’ men and and United took control of possession for much of the remainder, plus four minutes’ stoppage-time to eke into the last 16. The Saints can take much credit for their performance as they return to their promotion campaign, while Ferguson's men carry on a battle on three fronts.