United beat Championship strugglers Southampton 3-0 on Sunday to set up an FA Cup fourth round clash with Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.
Goals from Danny Welbeck, Nani and Gibson sealed the win against a Saints side that was reduced to 10 men after only 36 minutes.
Southampton boss Jan Poortvliet was incensed by Mike Riley’s decision, although he’d be hard pressed convincing anybody the dismissal changed the game. Southampton may have started relatively brightly, but United were already 1-0 up and in full control by the time Matthew Paterson lunged in on Nemanja Vidic and received his marching orders.
The sending off did, however, severely dent Southampton’s chances of progressing to the fourth round of the competition they won (by beating United) in 1976. That, incidentally, was the Saints’ last major honour.
Southampton boss Jan Poortvliet was incensed by Mike Riley’s decision, although he’d be hard pressed convincing anybody the dismissal changed the game. Southampton may have started relatively brightly, but United were already 1-0 up and in full control by the time Matthew Paterson lunged in on Nemanja Vidic and received his marching orders.
The sending off did, however, severely dent Southampton’s chances of progressing to the fourth round of the competition they won (by beating United) in 1976. That, incidentally, was the Saints’ last major honour.
