Southampton 0 - 3 Manchester United

Man Utd too strong for ten-man Southampton

Updated: January 4, 2009, 6:15 PM UK

Manchester United set up an FA Cup fourth round home tie against Tottenham with a comfortable 3-0 win over Coca-Cola Championship strugglers Southampton.

• Poortvliet frustrated with referee

But Sir Alex Ferguson's side were more than aided by the benevolence of referee Mike Riley who sent off Southampton's Matt Paterson for violent conduct in the first half and then incorrectly awarded United a second-half penalty.

Goals from Danny Welbeck, Nani and substitute Darron Gibson earned United a simple passage into the next round.

United, who could afford to be without Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, were on top from the kick-off.

Their first opening arrived in the fifth minute courtesy of a fine through ball from Dimitar Berbatov.

The Bulgarian striker cleverly sent Ryan Giggs racing into the penalty area but the United winger's effort was far too high to trouble Kelvin Davis in the Southampton goal.

The gulf in class was beginning to show as the game settled with Anderson and Berbatov providing some moments of real quality.

In the 16th minute, Nani forced Davis into a fine save when the Southampton goalkeeper had to dive low to his right to deny the United striker.

Davis again kept Southampton on level terms two minutes later when he tipped a shot from Anderson over the crossbar.

But the goal United had been threatening finally arrived in the 19th minute through Welbeck.

Nani's corner was headed against the crossbar by John O'Shea and Welbeck had the simple task of nodding home the rebound from point blank range.

Moments later a brilliant ball from O'Shea almost put Berbatov through for a second goal but his shot was deflected wide.

United should have been two goals to the good in the 26th minute when Berbatov and Michael Carrick carved open the Saints back four.

Carrick ran on to lift the ball over the advancing Davis but with the goal at his mercy, Southampton defender Chris Perry produced a fine tackle to deny him.

However, Southampton's plight worsened in the 35th minute when Paterson was sent off.

The Southampton player, who had already been warned about a number of heavy challenges, was dismissed for violent conduct after a lunge on United defender Nemanja Vidic.

Moments later Rudi Skacel was booked for a foul on Nani and Riley felt the full fury of the disenchanted home fans.

The yellow card count increased in the 40th minute when O'Shea was booked after a foul on Davis.

Welbeck almost snatched a second at the near post in first-half stoppage time but Davis once again reacted well to tip the ball around the post.

Southampton's cause was well and truly lost a minute after the restart though when Riley awarded United a penalty for handball against David McGoldrick.

Oliver Lancashire brought down Welbeck on the edge of the penalty area and when Nani tried to get the ball over the defensive wall, Riley adjudged that McGoldrick had blocked its path with his arm.

The decision clearly a poor one as TV replays showed the ball hitting McGoldrick's head as he turned away.

Nani took full advantage though when he converted the spot-kick - sending Davis the wrong way.

Davis then denied Welbeck a second goal when he tipped his shot over the crossbar in the 49th minute.

United's dominance was such that they replaced Giggs and Carrick with Gibson and Rodrigo Possebon in the 55th minute.

Moments later Southampton's Andrew Surman let fly from 30 yards but his shot was straight at United keeper Edwin Van der Sar.

In the 62nd minute Welbeck made way for Wayne Rooney as United looked to set the seal a comfortable afternoon with a third goal.

Six minutes later Rooney was almost put through by a clever reverse pass from Berbatov but Davis spotted the danger and collected the ball off the United striker's feet.

United played the ball around with consummate ease as the clock ran down.

They were rewarded with a third goal in the 81st minute when Gibson smashed home a cross from Rooney.

Rooney almost had the last word but his 25-yard volley was well saved by Davis.

Poortvliet frustrated with referee

Southampton head coach Jan Poortvliet was upset by referee Mike Riley's refereeing decisions after his side were knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United.

Goals from Danny Welbeck, Nani and substitute Darron Gibson earned the Barclays Premier League champions a simple passage into the next round.

But Sir Alex Ferguson's side were more than aided by the benevolence of Riley, who sent off Southampton's Matt Paterson for violent conduct in the first half and then harshly awarded United a second-half penalty.

Youngster Welbeck opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Nani's corner was headed against the crossbar by John O'Shea and Welbeck had the simple task of nodding home the rebound from point blank range.

''It was offside,'' said Poortvliet after watching a replay in the tunnel. ''The referee's assistant should see it because he is on the same line as the player.''

The Southampton coach was also unhappy with Riley's decision to red card Paterson eight minutes before half-time - claiming it ruined the game.

The Saints youngster lunged at Nemanja Vidic and Riley showed him a straight red.

''I know the boy very well, it was a normal tackle,'' Poortvliet added. ''I was disappointed in the game by the decisions.

''The boy made a tackle on the ball with one foot. He hit the ball but he sent him off, and that was wrong.''

Poortvliet was also unhappy about the penalty decision just after half-time when Nani sent his free-kick straight against the arm of David McGoldrick.

''The penalty was a cheap one,'' he added. ''The ball hit his arm but it is normal when you are in the wall.

''Even with 11 players it is difficult to play against Manchester United. With 10 it is more difficult but the boys worked hard and tried to do their best. They tried to get a good result.

''But it was not the case. United are a big team and they showed how to play football and what they can do with the ball.

''I only feel sorry that after the red card it was not a real game any more. It was a pity for the people and for my players because I think they deserved more than that.''

Poortvliet believes his young side can learn from the footballing lesson they were given by United.

He added: ''They will learn how to circulate the ball and how to lose their markers, they will learn a lot. For that reason I feel sorry because normally you should have a game until the end.

''But after the 1-0 and the sending off, it was so difficult to stay in the game. We did very well until half-time but then you get the penalty against you and the heads go a little bit down.

''My boys are unknown and maybe that has got something to do with it.

''Maybe he (Riley) does not know my players. You the decisions on both sides to be the same. That is what I missed today.

''But United deserved to win and I am not hiding behind the referee. It was just more of a game when it was 11 against 11.''

On the sending off, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson told ITV: ''It's certainly rash and maybe it's easy for the referee to send him off.

''I think maybe if the referee had booked in the first minutes then maybe it would have calmed him down a bit, because it was exuberance more than anything.

''He was charging about, and it happens sometimes, he was over-enthusiastic really.

''Maybe we could have done better but 3-0 is a good result against a good side.''

Meanwhile United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is hoping this is the year he lands an FA Cup winner's medal.

The Dutchman told MUTV: ''I haven't won it yet so hopefully it will be this year because my years are running out.''

On the game he said: ''We had a bit of luck with the first goal - but it should have been four or five I think.

''We have an interesting tie against Tottenham now, we are looking forward to that at the end of the month.''

''They're a very young and inexperienced side so you expect us to win,'' he said.

''Maybe we could have done better but 3-0 good result against a good side and trying to score against a young team.

''Southampton have work to do to survive in the Championship and I hope they do because they're a side who give young players a chance and they do it very well.''