OLE’S SPOT OF RELIEF
OH, how they must have dreaded coming here. United, that is. Not Rochdale. No, Rochdale thoroughly enjoyed their night under the lights.
Rochdale, who languish in the third tier’s bottom half. Rochdale, who only have one fit central defender. Rochdale, who shipped six at Peterborough earlier this month.
That United required penalties was embarrassing and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s expression said it all, a grim acceptance that standards just keep on slipping. They squirmed through, Daniel James stroking home the winning penalty after Jimmy Keohane missed.
Their reward — a trip to Stamford Bridge and a firedup Chelsea.
United had looked like relying on a 17-year-old to rescue them for the second time in under a week.
Mason Greenwood thought his second goal for the club on 68 minutes had settled this. But a mist has once again descended on Old Trafford and United, for now at least, can’t seem to see a way through it.
Rochdale deservedly levelled when a ball popped up for 16-year-old Luke Matheson, his volley into the ground flying past Sergio Romero and silencing everyone bar the 6,500 jubilant travelling fans.
The only positive was the promise of some of United’s younger players. Top of the list is Axel Tuanzebe, the 21-year-old central defender thrown the armband by Solskjaer ahead of the returning Paul Pogba.
Fittingly, it was a year to the day since Jose Mourinho stripped Pogba of the vicecaptaincy before the penalty shoot-out defeat by Derby at this same stage. Tuanzebe, for his part, became United’s youngest captain since Norman Whiteside in 1985.
Other academy products joined him, United fielding six in their starting XI and another three on the bench, including the left back Brandon Williams, called up for the first time.
Although Greenwood led the line, the core of Solskjaer’s side had experience. Phil Jones, Pogba and Jesse Lingard played through the spine, but United struggled to play through Rochdale.
United’s best chances came after mistakes from the minnows, Pogba ghosting off the back of his marker to head tamely over from Greenwood’s cross.
But there were fine performances by most in blue and black, particularly full-back Matheson.
Tahith Chong should have been licking his lips but, to Matheson’s immense credit, was forced to eventually switch wings.
Williams emerged for his first-team debut at the break, replacing Jones, although his name was not even included in the programme.
Then Rochdale should have gone in front. Matheson was involved, finding Oliver Rathbone. The midfielder danced his way to the byeline, no United player close, and found Callum Camps bang in front of goal.
Camps had to score, goal gaping, only for Aaron Wan-Bissaka to miraculously hook off the line.
Greenwood always looked the most threatening for United, thundering another effort at Sanchez, before finally breaking the visitors’ resistance with 22 minutes remaining.
Williams flew forward, Lingard played a simple pass and Greenwood did the rest, chopping back on his marker and fizzing in at the near post.
Little did they know that Matheson would be waiting at the back post eight minutes later.
There was nothing United could do on their line to save that one. And so to the nerviest of shoot-outs for the under-pressure Solskjaer.
At least he will have been relieved to see keeper Romero save from Keohane before James converted the crucial penalty to send United through 5-3 on spot-kicks.