Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to shake up his struggling superstars and ring the changes to prevent another embarrassing defeat to a bitter rival.
Yesterday’s 1-0 FA Cup Third Round loss to Leeds United of League One sent a tremor throughout the game. With the first leg of the League Cup semi final clash with Manchester City coming hot on its heels on Wednesday night, there is no time for the Scot to put his players through a gentle rehabilitation program.
Shock therapy is required to fix the chronic lethargy and woeful inability that permeated the weekend performance. The United manager has never settled for second best during his 23-year stay at Old Trafford and has promised to wield the axe in brutal fashion to stop the rot in time for the Manchester derby.Speaking in the aftermath of the FA Cup debacle, Ferguson didn't hold back in laying the blame at the door of his squad. He said: "I didn't expect that. The preparation was very good but I was shocked by the performance.
"It's a disappointment. Human beings can always surprise you, but we didn't expect that today.
"We have a semi-final on Wednesday and a lot of these players today won't be playing.”
The question of who will be spending time in the stands rather than the pitch has yet to be answered. On the limp display served up against Leeds United, however, few are safe from the cull.
Inevitably, the harsh gaze of the microscope has targeted young guns Gabriel Obertan, Anderson, Darron Gibson, Fabio da Silva and particularly Danny Welbeck.
Naturally a striker, Welbeck has served up goals when played through the middle before but the England youth international looked marooned on the wing.
Worryingly for the United management, the crux of the cup shock did not just stem from a soft underbelly. Seasoned performers failed to save the day when required.
Although just returning from injury, club captain Gary Neville looked every one of his 34 years as he toiled against a Leeds side bounding with youthful energy.
With a fan club decreasing by the game, Dimitar Berbatov also offered no solution to the critics’ barbs that castigate his big money arrival at Old Trafford. When the chips are down, the Bulgarian is rarely present to pick up the pieces.
In decades of shared history, Leeds and Manchester United both enjoyed the charisma and class of Eric Cantona. Likened to the great man upon his arrival, Berbatov has not touched the legacy left by the French genius who transformed both clubs’ fortunes.
Michael Owen’s air shot, Wes Brown defensive nightmare and Tomasz Kuszczak’s timidity all played their part as well. To ward off the City upstarts at the gates, key figures like Darren Fletcher will be called in to action, while redemption is at hand for forgotten goalkeeper Ben Foster.
Ferguson’s men went out of the most prestigious club competition in the world with a wimper. Another inept 90 minutes would not be accepted by United's fans and will sorely test the patience of their expectant boss./Goal/
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