Ferguson hands out presents but future is far from rosy

IT said everything about his team’s performance that the most positive news for Alex Ferguson over the weekend came from across the English Channel.

On a day when the Manchester United manager afforded Gabriel Obertan and Bebe the opportunity to demonstrate they are the club’s future, an injury to André-Pierre Gignac lifted spirits after a lacklustre FA Cup performance against non-league opposition.

Of course it is never good news when an opposition player is sidelined, but United fly to France tomorrow knowing they will not have to face Gignac in Wednesday’s Champions League tie at Marseille after the in-form forward suffered a groin injury on Saturday.

The flight out of Manchester is unlikely to include many of the faces on show at Old Trafford against Crawley.

No doubt Obertan would love to help United secure a victory on his return to his homeland, but the midfielder can have few complaints if he is left off the trip.

Having now been given 18 months to blossom at United, Obertan looked out of his depth at times against opponents from the fifth tier and one wonders how much longer Ferguson is prepared to persevere with him.

Then there is Bebe.

Handed a chance to put right all the wrongs from United’s shambolic Carling Cup exit at West Ham earlier in the season, the Portugal U21 international struggled to make an impression against a team more than 90 places below United on the league ladder.

“Some players came in and didn’t do themselves justice. No doubt about that,” said a clearly frustrated Ferguson. “We might have some players who don’t understand what the FA Cup is all about.”

Of course this disjointed, scrappy performance will all be forgotten if Ferguson brings the FA Cup back to Old Trafford in May.

But will the manager again place his trust in some of those who started against Crawley?

The tourists from the Blue Square Premier were everything United were not — gutsy, spirited and adventurous. And they headed back to Sussex with praise ringing in their ears, as well as a coach full of souvenirs, Ferguson dispatching a member of his staff to their dressing room after the game with an armful of signed shirts for them.

In the end though, a rare goal by Wes Brown proved enough to send United through.

But deep into stoppage time Crawley’s Richard Brodie thought he had forced a replay against the Premier League leaders but his effort came back off the woodwork.

United might have progressed to the sixth round but the mood inside Old Trafford was more of defeat than triumph.