Classy Rio shines as Wolves outfoxed

Wolves 0 Man Utd 3

Ferdinand was pressed into emergency service alongside Wayne Rooney in the Red Devils' engine room after Alex Ferguson decided Alan Smith was not fit enough to start United's comfortable 3-0 FA Cup triumph.

Ince was suitably impressed by the former West Ham defender's efforts in the fourth-round tie and has now called on Eriksson, who was at Molineux for the one-sided encounter, to solve the dilemma over which two to play in central defence from Ferdinand, John Terry and Sol Campbell by installing the United man as his midfield enforcer.

"I have always said Rio is a fantastic player and he could do that holding role for England," said Ince.

"I know there is a question mark over who is going to play centre-half but Rio is good enough to play in that position (midfield) and Sven should be looking at that because the lad is awesome.

"Ledley King played there against Argentina and it didn't really work out for the lad. He can play that role but there are not many about and Rio is the only one who has the discipline to sit in there and set things up."

Ferguson was impressed enough by Ferdinand's performance to consider naming him alongside Rooney again on Wednesday when United head to Ewood Park for a Premiership encounter with Blackburn.

"It is possible I could play them in there on Wednesday because they both did very well," said Ferguson.

"I was forced into the move really because my best selection options were all at the back. Darren Fletcher has played a lot of games and needed a break, while Alan Smith has been missing training with an ankle problem and I felt it was a big ask to throw him into a full-blooded FA Cup tie."

Although Ferguson was anticipating a tough battle against Glenn Hoddle's Championship promotion chasers, Wolves were hardly a threat once Kieran Richardson had put the visitors ahead after four minutes.

Louis Saha killed the contest with his seventh goal in 10 games a minute before the break and when Richardson enhanced his World Cup claims by nodding home his second just after the interval, United were able to coast into the fifth round.

"I am pleased with the result because we were expecting a very difficult game," said Ferguson.

"We have seen videos of Wolves' last three games and they have been doing well. But we got a dream start, scored at the right times and did well in the end."

Ferguson, who confirmed Cristiano Ronaldo should be available for the Blackburn game after missing out with a slight injury to the back of his knee, reserved special praise for Richardson, who, with Eriksson in the crowd, could not have picked a better time to secure his first two-goal haul for United.

"Kieran has been doing terrifically well for us," said Ferguson.

"In fact, in the last two games he has probably been one of our best players. He is only 21 and he is improving all the time."

The result was a massive disappointment for Hoddle, whose side might have levelled through Carl Cort midway through the first-half, only for the giant striker to nod tamely over from 10 yards.

"The last thing we wanted to do against United was concede an early goal but if we had got to half-time just one goal down, it could have been a real cup-tie," said Hoddle.

"The second goal was a poor one to concede and killed us off really. Now we have 16 games left to secure our main aim, which is promotion, and at least this has given us an idea of the levels we are trying to reach."

WOLVES: Postma, Edwards, Lescott, Gyepes, Naylor, Seol (Cameron 45), Anderton (Davies 45), Ince, Kennedy, Miller, Cort (Frankowski 64).

MAN UTD: Van der Sar, Neville, Brown (Smith 57), Vidic, Silvestre, Ferdinand, Park, Richardson (Evra 65), Rooney, Saha (Fletcher 64), van Nistelrooy.

Referee: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).