Man Utd through to Carling Cup fourth round

Leeds United 2 Manchester United 3

Eric Djemba-Djemba steered Manchester United into the fourth round of the Carling Cup on a day when Leeds were in desperate need of a silver lining.

Today’s announcement of a British club record loss of £49.5million had deepened the gloom surrounding the crisis-torn Elland Road club, despite chairman John McKenzie’s assertion the good ship Leeds is finally heading for calmer waters.

McKenzie could have done with a lucrative cup run to help ease the parlous state of a club £78million in debt, only for Leeds to suffer a third successive defeat to place manager Peter Reid back in the firing line.

The much-maligned Roque Junior appeared set to emerge from his own personal torment by scoring a brace either side of goals from David Bellion and Diego Forlan.

But it was Cameroon international Djemba-Djemba who had the final say with a winner just three minutes from the end of extra time.

Sir Alex Ferguson, completing a two-match touchline ban as he looked on from the Elland Road stands, smiled at the final whistle as a team with six changes to the side which suffered a shock 3-1 Old Trafford defeat to Fulham on Saturday, emerged victorious.

Ferguson had made seven changes to the team which triumphed just 10 days previously over Leeds in the league, yet the Whites still struggled against a primarily second-string side.

Leeds, with Reid having made four changes of his own, failed to force Roy Carroll into one meaningful save in the opening 45 minutes, bar him whipping the ball off Salomon Olembe’s toes in the opening exchanges which promised much.

Sadly, it was a false dawn for other than Paul Robinson denying Forlan after the Uruguayan international had run onto Nicky Butt’s threaded through ball, the first half lacked the passion associated with a game between these two bitter rivals.

Perhaps that was to be expected in light of the number of ’reserves’ on show, but at least the remainder of the game proved slightly more entertaining, although for McKenzie it would not have done his nerves any good.

For a brief moment it appeared as if Alan Smith – celebrating his 23rd birthday today – had made the breakthrough in the 47th minute, tucking home Carroll’s parried save to a Seth Johnson drive, only for the linesman’s flag to intervene.

The cheers of the Leeds fans, though, were temporarily stifled for just 90 seconds later they were on the scoresheet – courtesy of the unlikely figure of Roque Junior.

The 27-year-old, on loan for the season from AC Milan, timed his run to Harte’s inswinging corner to perfection, powering home a header from inside the six-yard box.

The criticism he has received following his previous defensive performances clearly rankled with the Brazilian for he refused to celebrate, shaking off his overjoyed team-mates one by one, until grudgingly raising an arm in salute.

The goal roused the visitors and Leeds were forced onto the back foot.

Bellion thought he had equalised just before the hour mark, but was clearly offside in tapping home Forlan’s shot, before then being denied by a sprawling Robinson save soon after.

The Frenchman was not to be denied, though, however he can be grateful to the linesman for he appeared marginally offside in receiving Djemba-Djemba’s through ball just 12 minutes from time.

The protestations of the Leeds players fell on deaf ears, just as they did against Liverpool on Saturday when three Reds stars appeared to be interfering with play when Robinson fumbled a Danny Murphy curler, only for the goal to stand.

On this occasion, the 20-year-old strode purposefully forward before drilling his shot through the legs of the advancing Robinson for his first Manchester United goal since a £2million summer move from Sunderland.

How ironic a player Reid signed during his time at Sunderland should return to haunt him and push the game into extra time.

Robinson at least proceeded to save his side in the dying seconds just as he did at the end of the second-round tie at home to Swindon.

The 24-year-old, who scored a dramatic equaliser to force extra time, showed just why he is a number one and not a striker, sparing Roque Junior’s blushes as the World Cup winner had inadvertently steered a Chris Eagles cross goalwards.

Diego Forlan’s goal in the 107th minute, Roque Junior hauled Leeds level with a goal off his knee after a James Milner shot had spun off the turf.

When the world is against you, though, there is no relief as Djemba-Djemba twisted the knife into the backs of both McKenzie and Reid.