Blank look to toothless United

MANCHESTER UNITED will have no safety net at Old Trafford in three weeks’ time after they ground out a goalless draw in their Champions League last-16 first leg meeting with Marseille at the Stade Velodrome.

United have failed to clinch victory from similar positions before.

However, they will still be favourites to progress against a limited Marseille outfit, even if life would have been so much better had a Darren Fletcher snap-shot been able to break the deadlock in a drab contest.

Ferguson sprang somewhat of a pre-match surprise when he opted to select Darron Gibson ahead of Paul Scholes.

Presumably, the United boss was looking to utilise Gibson’s extra energy in midfield, where he had already been deprived of Anderson and Park Ji-sung, two of seven first-team stars to miss the trip.

To that end, the Irishman did his job during a pretty poor first half.

After the game Ferguson admitted that United lacked attacking inspiration but felt the hosts had a lucky late escape.

Wayne Rooney appeared to be bundled over by last man Stephane M’Bia as he chased a long through-ball towards goal in the closing stages of the goalless last-16 first leg.

Ferguson said: “I think it was very lucky, the referee’s in a good position and I don’t know why he didn’t give us a free-kick and then the decision is straightforward – it’s a red card.”

The Scot added: “It was disappointing, the pitch was lively but they made sure they weren’t going to lose a goal.

“We got in good positions but we didn’t have enough.

“Nil-nil can be a dangerous scoreline if you lose a goal at home but it’s about winning the game, if we win the game we’re through. We’re confident, I think we’ll be much better.”

However, given shooting from long-range is such a significant part of Gibson’s game, it was strange that he o passed rather than went for goal after an intricate move had set him up on the angle of the penalty area.

It was one of the few moments of invention as United treated what appeared to be limited opponents with caution.

After making his peace with Ferguson and United on Tuesday with his contrite admission of regret, Heinze engaged in a running battle with in-form Nani that he just about emerged on top from.

The Portugal winger did blaze one early effort over and he was involved in United’s best chance of the half.

It was not in the way he would have wanted though as his woeful corner was only half-cleared to Fletcher.

The Scot had little time to pick his spot. But the shot was clean enough and as it left his boot, keeper Steve Mandanda initially appeared wrong-footed.

Mandanda is clearly blessed with quick feet though, and he was able to get back into position in order to make the save before the ball crossed his goal-line.

Marseille offered little evidence of how they won the French title last season. It eventually came at the start of the second period. Lucho Gonzalez seized on Berbatov’s failure to control deep inside the United half and whipped over a curling cross for Brandao, whose firm header was directed straight at Edwin Van der Sar.

Marseille drew confidence from that effort though and pressed forward, with Andre Ayew in the thick of the action.

The Ghana international started with an attempted volley that he smashed high in the air.

Ayew then had a shot blocked before a kind bounce from Lucho’s deflected effort provided a clear sight at goal.

The angle was not great though and with Brandao charging in at the far-post, Ayew seemed caught in two minds and in the end neither threatened United’s goal or to pick out his team-mate.

Through all this, Scholes remained on the bench, a passive spectator, the debate in his mind about whether he could make a meaningful contribution next season doubtless continuing.

He was eventually introduced for Gibson with just 18 minutes remaining.

Scholes’ willingness to get hold of the ball instantly brought some direction to United’s attacks.

Berbatov fed Patrice Evra, then continued his run to collect a return pass from the full-back before firing a long-range effort over.

Berbatov almost managed to thread a pass through to Nani but Mandanda pounced.

What appeared to be a golf ball was thrown into the United area as they set themselves up to defend a Marseille corner three minutes from the end of the match.

UEFA might take a dim view of that, although if nothing else it provided a talking point as a desperately disappointing contest petered out.