Red Devils ready for long trip south

Manchester United’s dressing room could not help chuckling when they were sent to Southend for their next Carling Cup mission, but Kieran Richardson insists the holders will have their serious faces on when they visit Roots Hall in a fortnight.

Minutes after staving off the prospect of an embarrassing third-round exit thanks to Kieran Lee’s late extra-time strike at Crewe last night, United learned their reward was a 500-mile trip to deepest Essex.