ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP

THERE WAS a point last night when this looked like the perfect evening for Manchester United: Cristiano Ronaldo had scored on his first start of the season and Alex Ferguson’s latest batch of talented youngsters were demonstrating why they are so highly rated at Old Trafford.

Instead their delight at this victory was tempered by a sickening injury to their 19-year-old Brazilian, Rodrigo Possebon, that led to Middlesbrough’s centre-half, Emanuel Pogatetz, being sent off and Ferguson angrily remonstrating with his opposite number, Gareth Southgate.

The two managers have a certain amount of history and, on this occasion, Ferguson was entitled to be furious about the reckless way Pogatetz had scythed through his young opponent.

Ronaldo may still remember the evening fondly. He has spoken of making the fans “love me again” and he will have cherished hearing his name being sung by the supporters on the Stretford End.

To be pedantic, it could be pointed out that it was not belted out with the same gusto as last season. But it was sung all the same and the mood, if not of unrestrained affection, was generally one of forgiveness – and of an acceptance that a fit-again Ronaldo could be just the spark to kick-start United’s season.

His goal arrived 25 minutes into an otherwise nondescript first half. Until that point Ronaldo had been on the edges of the match but when Ryan Giggs whipped in a corner the Portugal international was the only player to react with any true sense of conviction.

The manner in which he leapt for the ball was reminiscent of those sepia-tinted days when every team had a tall, muscular centre-forward who specialised in attacking crosses.

His header was firm and precise and, as Ronaldo took the congratulations of his team-mates, it was tempting to wonder whether there was another player on the pitch who could have scored such a goal.

The home side deserved their lead and Middlesbrough’s manager, Gareth Southgate, was disappointed that his team did had not done more to trouble Ben Amos, United’s fourth-choice goalkeeper. Amos, an 18-year-old from Macclesfield, was one of four teenagers starting their first game for United – the others being Possebon, Danny Welbeck and Rafael Da Silva – and all four showed glimpses of their talent.

Possebon, a neat, cultured Brazilian, looked particularly accomplished while Welbeck, a raw but talented 17-year-old forward, caused plenty of problems to Middlesbrough’s defenders.

After 56 minutes, however, the visitors levelled with a goal that was a surprise to everyone. Gary O’Neil swung in a cross from the right and the usually reliable Nemanja Vidic did not get enough distance on his clearing header. The ball dropped to Johnson, 20 yards from goal, and he struck the dropping ball with a right-foot volley that, decisively, flicked off Wes Brown on its way into the net.

That precipitated Middlesbrough’s first spell of concerted pressure but Southgate’s side were badly undermined after 65 minutes when Emanuel Pogatetz went into a 50-50 challenge with Possebon and followed through with raised studs.

It was the kind of challenge that is liable to cause serious injury and it was remarkable that the defender could even argue when he was shown a red card.

Possebon needed six minutes of treatment before being taken off on a stretcher, blood seeping from a two-inch gash in his leg.

Southgate brought on Chris Riggott to shore up his defence but the substitute was guilty of a horrible mistake for Giggs to run clear and clip his shot beyond Brad Jones to restore United’s lead 11 minutes from the end.

Another terrible defensive error led to the home side’s third after Nani intercepted Wheater’s back-pass half-way through nine minutes of stoppage time.

Guardian Service

MAN UTD: Amos, Rafael Da Silva, Vidic, Brown, O’Shea, Nani, Possebon (Gibson 72), Anderson, Giggs (Manucho 84), Welbeck, Ronaldo (Tevez 61). Subs not used: Zieler, Cleverley, Gray, Eckersley.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Jones, Hoyte, Wheater, Pogatetz, Taylor, Downing, Digard (Riggott 72), O’Neil, Shawky (Adam Johnson 46), Aliadiere, Alves (Emnes 85). Subs not used: Turnbull, Arca, Walker, Craddock. Yellow card: Johnson. Red card: Pogatetz.

Referee: Andre Marriner.