Post by united4lyf on Jan 29, 2009 22:43:27 GMT
Barclays Premier Reserve League
Moss Lane, Thursday 29 January
MANCHESTER UNITED 0
LIVERPOOL 0
United and Liverpool have produced some classics over the years. This wasn’t one of them.
That said, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will have taken heart from this 0-0 draw at Moss Lane. Against a Liverpool side that won the reserves league last season, United were comfortable on the ball and enjoyed much of the possession. Federico Macheda and Davide Petrucci had half chances saved in the second half, while Liverpool’s David Ngog blazed wide from close range in the 77th minute. That was almost the extent of the excitement, although the second period was marginally livelier than the first.
In fact, there were more yellow cards - four - than chances in the first 45 minutes. The first booking went to Zoran Tosic, starting in a United shirt for the first time since arriving from Partizan Belgrade earlier this month. Keen to impress, the Serbian was the Reds’ brightest spark and showed plenty of promise in a free attacking role. A curling shot from wide on the right almost found its way into the top corner. Tosic came off at the break however, presumably with Saturday’s first-team match in mind.
For much of the match, both sides passed the ball well and rarely panicked in possession. But that sort of measured approach meant goalmouth action was at a premium. It wasn’t until the 22nd minute when United defender Ritchie de Laet surged forward and struck from 25 yards that either goalkeeper had a save to make. Two minutes later, Tomasz Kuszczak was down smartly at his near post to smother a shot from Ngog.
Lee Martin, making his first appearance since returning from a loan spell at Nottingham Forest, went down in the visitors’ penalty area just before the half-hour but the referee waved away his penalty claim and instead brandished a yellow card for simulation. Both sides did find the net but neither goal stood - Liverpool’s correctly ruled out for deliberate handball, United’s chalked off (perhaps dubiously) after Macheda was flagged offside.
Macheda was first to go close after the break, breaking through the Liverpool defence before being denied by a fine one-on-one save by Hungarian stopper Peter Gulacsi. Gulacsi had to be alert again on 63 minutes to palm away a dangerous Davide Petrucci cross from the right but otherwise had little to contend with.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made a double change on 69 minutes – Bryan for Martin, Derbyshire for Brandy – but the reshuffled Reds were no more potent. Thankfully, Liverpool were limp as well and but for a late effort that flashed wide of Kuszczak’s post, the visitors never looked like scoring. Attention now turns to next Monday’s Manchester Senior Cup fixture, where United face City in the second Reserves derby of the season.
United: Kuszczak; James, Evans C, Chester, de Laet; Martin (Bryan 69), Possebon, Drinkwater; Brandy (Derbyshire 69), Macheda, Tosic (Petrucci 46).
Subs not used: Amos, Eikrem. Booked: Tosic, Martin, Drinkwater.
Liverpool: Gulacsi, Degan (Mendy 46), Kelly, Spearing, Darby; El Zhar, Plessis, Pacheco, Bruna (Weijl 61); Ngog, Simon (Palsson 72).
Subs not used: Bouzanis, Antwi. Booked: Plessis, Ngog.
Only saw the first half and it wasn't that great. Kiko Macheda was unlucky to have the goal disallowed. Tosic looked sharp too, as did Rodrigo and Macheda.
Moss Lane, Thursday 29 January
MANCHESTER UNITED 0
LIVERPOOL 0
United and Liverpool have produced some classics over the years. This wasn’t one of them.
That said, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will have taken heart from this 0-0 draw at Moss Lane. Against a Liverpool side that won the reserves league last season, United were comfortable on the ball and enjoyed much of the possession. Federico Macheda and Davide Petrucci had half chances saved in the second half, while Liverpool’s David Ngog blazed wide from close range in the 77th minute. That was almost the extent of the excitement, although the second period was marginally livelier than the first.
In fact, there were more yellow cards - four - than chances in the first 45 minutes. The first booking went to Zoran Tosic, starting in a United shirt for the first time since arriving from Partizan Belgrade earlier this month. Keen to impress, the Serbian was the Reds’ brightest spark and showed plenty of promise in a free attacking role. A curling shot from wide on the right almost found its way into the top corner. Tosic came off at the break however, presumably with Saturday’s first-team match in mind.
For much of the match, both sides passed the ball well and rarely panicked in possession. But that sort of measured approach meant goalmouth action was at a premium. It wasn’t until the 22nd minute when United defender Ritchie de Laet surged forward and struck from 25 yards that either goalkeeper had a save to make. Two minutes later, Tomasz Kuszczak was down smartly at his near post to smother a shot from Ngog.
Lee Martin, making his first appearance since returning from a loan spell at Nottingham Forest, went down in the visitors’ penalty area just before the half-hour but the referee waved away his penalty claim and instead brandished a yellow card for simulation. Both sides did find the net but neither goal stood - Liverpool’s correctly ruled out for deliberate handball, United’s chalked off (perhaps dubiously) after Macheda was flagged offside.
Macheda was first to go close after the break, breaking through the Liverpool defence before being denied by a fine one-on-one save by Hungarian stopper Peter Gulacsi. Gulacsi had to be alert again on 63 minutes to palm away a dangerous Davide Petrucci cross from the right but otherwise had little to contend with.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made a double change on 69 minutes – Bryan for Martin, Derbyshire for Brandy – but the reshuffled Reds were no more potent. Thankfully, Liverpool were limp as well and but for a late effort that flashed wide of Kuszczak’s post, the visitors never looked like scoring. Attention now turns to next Monday’s Manchester Senior Cup fixture, where United face City in the second Reserves derby of the season.
United: Kuszczak; James, Evans C, Chester, de Laet; Martin (Bryan 69), Possebon, Drinkwater; Brandy (Derbyshire 69), Macheda, Tosic (Petrucci 46).
Subs not used: Amos, Eikrem. Booked: Tosic, Martin, Drinkwater.
Liverpool: Gulacsi, Degan (Mendy 46), Kelly, Spearing, Darby; El Zhar, Plessis, Pacheco, Bruna (Weijl 61); Ngog, Simon (Palsson 72).
Subs not used: Bouzanis, Antwi. Booked: Plessis, Ngog.
Only saw the first half and it wasn't that great. Kiko Macheda was unlucky to have the goal disallowed. Tosic looked sharp too, as did Rodrigo and Macheda.
