By David Hobbs
November 10 2004

Manchester United cruised past Premiership new-comers Crystal Palace to book their place in the last 8 of the competition. Louis Saha and Kieran Richardson's first half strikes were enough to seal a morale-boosting victory for The Reds at Old Trafford.

United Cruise to Carling Cup Victory

Manchester United 2
Saha 22, Richardson 39

Crystal Palace 0

A weaked Manchester United outfit cruised past Premiership new-comers Crystal Palace to book their place in the last 8 of the competition.

Louis Saha and Kieran Richardson's first half strikes were enough to seal a morale-boosting victory for The Reds at Old Trafford.

The team-sheet from the respective sides made very interesting reading. Only 1 player from both sides started in last weekend's Premiership games, Louis Saha. Eagles boss Iain Dowie and Red Devils manager Sir Alex Ferguson both ventured the same idea - to totally re-form the side and rest key-players.

Saha, along with David Bellion, lead an all French attack whilst Phil Neville replaced brother Gary at right-back. Kieran Richardson started in midfield, accompanied by World-Cup winner Kleberson, Eric Djemba-Djemba and Darren Fletcher. Youngsters Flo Ngalula, Jonathan Spector, Chris Eagles and Guiseppe Rossi all made the bench whilst Tim Howard returned in-between the sticks.

The game got off to a fairly quiet start with both sides getting limited chances in-front of goal. Sandor Torghelle, who proved a constant threat, had an 18 yard shot collected comfortably by Tim Howard to deny Palace's first real chance on goal.

United broke the deadlock soon after by some good work down the left channel by Quinton Fortune. The South African picked out a poaching Louis Saha inside the box who slotted home from the edge of the 6 yard box. Saha could have grabbed a second from a header moments later.

Darren Fletcher and Eric Djemba-Djemba linked up well just after the half-hour mark but Djemba's shot from Fletcher's pass floated just wide of Speroni's post.

Quality prevailed on the 28th minute as United grabbed a second. Eric Djemba-Djemba switched the ball over to a waiting Kieran Richardson who, left footed, converted past Julian Speroni.

Referee Steve Dunn brandished a yellow card 10 minutes after the interval following a foul on David Bellion by Mark Hudson.

Djemba-Djemba had a thunderbolt of an effort blocked off the goal-line by Lakis deep into the second-half. The win would have been definitely sealed had the Cameroonian scored.

Sir Alex Ferguson made a double substitution with 11 minutes to go, bringing on Jonathan Spector and Chris Eagles in-place of goalscorer Richardson and an ineffective Kleberson. The promising Guiseppe Rossi replaced David Bellion with only a few minutes left to see off the game.

Final Score: Manchester United 2 - 0 Crystal Palace

Manchester United: Howard, Neville, Brown, O'Shea, Fortune, Kleberson, Fletcher, Djemba-Djemba, Richardson, Bellion, Saha. Subs: Spector, Eagles, Ricardo, Rossi, Ngalula.

Crystal Palace: Speroni, Butterfield, Hudson, Powell, Borrowdale, Leigertwood, Soares, Danze, Derry, Torghelle, Freedman. Subs: Kaviedes, Lakis, Kiraly, Shipperley, Boyce.

Refereed By: Steve Dunn