adminobstacles to clear, but this was a good night for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.
If David de Gea continues to keep goal as defiantly, athletically and occasionally as unorthodoxly as this, United will continue to progress towards Wembley.
Ferguson is confident. “It is within our grasp.”
As well as De Gea, United enjoyed many positive performances as they showed no fear in the Bernabéu. Rio Ferdinand, such an experienced, alert defender, made a mockery of his continued England omission for “footballing reasons”.
Ferdinand read situations well, clearing well time after time, rightly keeping Roy Hodgson’s favourite Chris Smalling out of a team 12 points clear in the Premier League and now narrow favourites to pip the team of Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Özil, Ángel di María and Karim Benzema for a place in the quarter-finals.
Alongside Ferdinand, Jonny Evans was an able assistant in repelling Real attacks. Michael Carrick and particularly the dynamic Phil Jones shielded the back four well.
Jones remains raw at times but the rich potential, the energy and hunger to win the ball back, bodes well for United and England.
Rafael recovered from his first-half mauling by Ronaldo and Özil to enjoy a steadier second half. Before cramp took control of his legs, Danny Welbeck was outstanding, scoring with a fine header and striving hard to ensure Ferguson’s tactical game-plan paid off.
But it was a slight-framed Spaniard who took the headlines. It would be tempting to suggest that a keeper born in Madrid came of age here on Wednesday night.
De Gea is only 22, still developing and will make mistakes in the future, particularly when placed under pressure at corners in the Premier League, yet this was undoubtedly a significant moment for him.
Early on, he had to endure the barracking of the Ultras Sur, inevitably as a former Atlético player but he ignored them, focusing on frustrating their players. No blame can be directed at De Gea over Ronaldo’s goal, a header that carried echoes of his goal in the 2008 quarter-final in Rome.
Some of De Gea’s saves were routine, some were inspired while others would not have been found in any goalkeeping manual.
He needs to do well in the second leg on March 5. Real will counter-attack, hunting goals through Ronaldo again and the Portuguese would love to score on his return to a place where he spent six productive years.
The respect between Ronaldo and United was reflected by the way he kept his goal celebrations to a minimum, by the way Ferguson waited by the tunnel to embrace him at the end, by the way Ronaldo went into the away dressing room to see old friends. – Telegraph.
Online Reporter