THE LEAGUE Cup may be a poor fourth on Manchester United's list of priorities but, nonetheless, they find themselves in the tournament's last 16 this morning.
A team stripped bare of its most attractive components was ultimately too strong, too knowledgeable, for first division Swindon Town. It was always a struggle and it was often dour, but after the weekend debacle on the banks of the river Tyne it will at least have lifted the spirits of those in need of reassurance.
For once Old Trafford was awash with fresh faced local youngsters, the beneficiaries of the lethargy which invariably accompanies the early rounds of this particular competition. At last, they had been granted admission to the Theatre of Dreams.
Of the team which was humbled at Newcastle on Sunday just three remained. The likes of Cantona, Schmeichel, Beckham and Pallister had not been dropped but were being rested. "We are at the tail end of one heck of a spell. This is an occasion to use my squad and bring in a few fresh legs", said United manager Alex Ferguson in a studied pre emptive strike.
Despite the absentees, United's football was always thoughtful even if Roy Keane's exuberance upon his return from injury did often threaten to manifest itself in an ugly tackle or two.
Still, Swindon could hardly be described as a soft touch either technically or physically. In so much as they are robust and lacking in subtlety they accurately reflect the philosophy of their manager, Steve McMahon.
Swindon were coping well until the 19th minute when United found sufficient enthusiasm to throw together a passing sequence which would have undone a defence far more accomplished than theirs. Ben Thornley and Paul Scholes moved the ball smartly forwards to Karel Poborsky who drove his shot unerringly beneath the diving Talia.
The game then became be calmed to such an extent that the massive audience fell silent almost as if to question the wisdom of their attendance. Hard as they tried, Swindon could not increase the tempo of their game sufficiently to perturb United's makeshift defence. Mark Walters's raking runs down either flank held much promise but too often his final pass was delivered in haste.
Even so, Swindon were level seven minutes into what was a slightly more attritional second half. A Walters corner prompted a bout of penalty area head tennis before Peter Thorne turned impressively to hook a shot just beneath the cross bar.
It was perhaps more than Swindon deserved but the goal did at least return a competitive edge to an evening of curiously little passion.
United's football began to unravel at the seams as the tie wore on but they moved back in front with 17 minutes left when Scholes drilled in a low shot from an unsympathetic angle.
