Hernandez proves United saviour again
MANCHESTER UTD(3) vs WOLVES(2)
DELIGHTED Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson lavished praise on new hero Javier Hernandez after the Mexican grabbed the winning goal for the second time in three days.
The summer signing struck in the 90th minute to book United’s place in the Carling Cup quarter-finals and shatter Wolves, who had twice clawed their way back into the match.
Bebe, another recent arrival, and then Ji-Sung Park looked to have earned victory for Ferguson’s men, only to be pegged back by equalisers from George Elokobi and Kevin Foley.
“He was absolutely brilliant – it was a magnificent goal,” said Ferguson of Hernandez. “He’s shaped to shoot, dummied the defender and finished really well. They tend to build heroes quickly here but he’s justifying the praise at the moment.
“When he gets a chance you know he’s going to take it. His touch, control of the ball and vision are improving and that’s because the training is intense. We care about it and making sure the players do improve.”
A drab match exploded into life in the 56th minute when Bebe, signed for £7.4m despite Ferguson never having seen him play, opened his account for the club on his first start, albeit with a cross that took a wicked deflection off Elokobi.
It took the Wolves defender just four minutes to undo the damage, however, Elokobi heading home from a corner.
The last eight beckoned for United when Park lashed into the top corner with 20 minutes left. Again, though, cup holders United were pegged back, Foley gathering Steven Fletcher’s neat flick and firing low past debutant goalkeeper Ben Amos.
Enter Hernandez, scorer of two against Stoke on Sunday. With extra-time looming, the 22-year-old hared upfield, sent his defender the wrong and beat Wayne Hennessey for his fourth goal in four games.