Fergie talks Posh as Danny dumps Wolves

ALEX FERGUSON wants a Carling Cup last 16 meeting with son Darren, manager of Coca-Cola Championship side Peterborough.

Ferguson watched 10-man Manchester United book their place in the fourth round with a 1-0 win over Wolves at Old Trafford last night thanks to Danny Welbeck’s 66th-minute strike.

United will learn their next opponents in Saturday’s draw and Ferguson is in no doubt who he wants.

“Peterborough at home,” he said. “All the family should be happy with that.”

Ferguson cannot expect an easier time than United had last night, even though Brazilian teenager Fabio was sent off for a professional foul after less than half an hour.

The Red Devils made light of the imbalance in numbers and might have been in front before England U21 international Welbeck netted a stylish matchwinner, racing onto Michael Owen’s return pass before sliding his shot past Marcus Hahnemann.

“It was a fantastic goal,” purred Ferguson. “There was some quality passing involved in the move and he took it really well.

“It was obviously a difficult job for him, playing with 10 men for so long, but the goal told you everything about the boy’s quality. He earned it.”

Ferguson had no complaints over Fabio’s dismissal for hauling down Michael Kightly after the youngster had slipped as he attempted to make a tackle.

“(Fabio) was unlucky, He slipped and tried to recover and as he tried to recover he brought him down.

“The referee showed a red card immediately and you can’t argue.”

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy accused his side of showing a lack of belief when they were facing 10 men.

“I preferred it when they had 11,” said McCarthy. “Manchester United have done it many times before, against clubs who have been in the Premier League far longer than us.

“They pick teams off and get to the other end of the pitch by playing through you.

“We were in the game more before they had a man sent off.

“But the result was more about us, our confidence and our belief in beating a team with 10 men.”

While United were much changed there were still opportunities for Michael Carrick and Nani, who both missed out at the weekend, plus Owen and Tomasz Kuszczak who, in their own individual way, had something to prove. Owen has now shown his goalscoring instinct remains. Yet, as a 90-minute player he remains a bit of an unknown.

In fairness to the veteran forward, the presence of Federico Macheda and Welbeck alongside him meant he had to do more tracking back than he would normally expect and it was only after United’s numbers were reduced that he really came into his own.

Kuszczak benefited from Fabio’s departure too, producing a fine fingertip save to deny former United midfielder David Jones with the resultant free-kick. All in all then, with the contest turning into a keenly-fought affair instead of the sterile stalemate that had gone before, the sending-off was no bad thing, except for Fabio, who cut a dejected figure as he made his way off the field.

Owen had United’s best chance before the interval but could only turn a header straight at Marcus Hahnemann.

The goal, when it eventually came, just emphasised the gulf in class.

Wolves thought they had the situation under control when Gibson rolled a sideways pass to Carrick 30 yards out. But within an instant, the England midfielder had created space for Welbeck, whose first time pass was returned in equally promising manner by Owen, who succeeded in providing his young team-mate with an opportunity to run onto the ball, clear of the Wolves defence. The finish was first-time too, straight into the bottom corner.

Welbeck departed to a standing ovation from United’s lowest crowd for four years – which still exceeded 50,000 – for another teenager, Norwegian Joshua King, of whom very big things are expected.

With a bit more composure and a little bit of luck, King might have marked his debut with a goal too, although ultimately one proved to be enough.

MANCHESTER UNITED: Kuszczak, Neville, Brown, Fabio, Evans, Nani, Gibson, Carrick, Macheda (De Laet, 31), Welbeck (King, 81), Owen (Valencia, 69).

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Hahnemann, Elokobi, Craddock, Foley, Berra, Kightly (Keogh, 77), Jones, Henry, Castillo (Milijas, 46), Ebanks-Blake (Doyle, 66), Maierhofer.

Referee: P Walton.