Last chance saloon for stuttering United

Liverpool 1 Man Utd 0

Manchester United’s future now effectively hinges on next Sunday’s clash with Wigan Athletic, a team that until recently could only dream of being mentioned in the same breath as the Old Trafford club.

Alex Ferguson’s side travel to Cardiff for the Carling Cup final knowing a competition once viewed as little more than a testing ground for the club’s latest crop of hopeful youngsters is their only chance of silverware this season.