Man United 2 Tottenham 0

DAZZLING Darron Gibson rocked Old Trafford and dumped Tottenham out of the Carling Cup.
The Manchester United midfielder scored two first half crackers to secure the Red Devils' place in the semi-finals.

Northern Ireland international Gibson made the breakthrough on 17 minutes with a rasping 25 yard drive.



And the 22-year-old doubled his tally after 38 minutes with a fine strike which beat Heurelho Gomes and nestled in the corner of the Spurs net.

But United didn't have it all their own way at Old Trafford, with the visitors enjoying the lion's share of possession in the opening half.

After just six minutes, Aaron Lennon beat Gary Neville and forced Tomasz Kuszczak into a good save.

A minute later, Jermain Defoe found space on the edge of the United box but Kuszczak was equal to his shot.

And Spurs were made to pay for those misses as United took the lead ten minutes later through Gibson.

Anderson picked the ball up on the edge of the box and laid it off to the young midfielder, who struck a low drive into the left-hand corner.

DAZZLING DARRON ... Gibson fires in his second goal of the game for Manchester United




However, Tottenham could have equalised on the half hour when Robbie Keane carved an opening in the area only for Nemaja Vidic to make a superb block.

Tottenham were enjoying the lion's share of the possession but it was United who looked the more menacing up front and Ji-Sung Park went close on 34 minutes.

And four minutes later, Gibson notched his second to extend the hosts' lead. It came at the end of a flowing move started by Park and continued by Dimitar Berbatov.

The Bulgarian striker picked out Danny Welbeck who then played a neat one-two with Gibson.

The midfielder showed marvellous composure to flight his effort from the edge of the area high into the net.

It almost got worse for Spurs in stoppage time when Gabriel Obertan sent a cross into the area and Berbatov was only inches away from getting a vital touch seconds before half time.

Shortly after the break Wellbeck had a chance to extend the visitors' lead but his shot fired off Alan Hutton.

Bale then broke down the left and squared the ball for David Bentley, but the former Blackburn winger shot straight at Kuszczak.

And it was the same combination who linked up again a couple of minutes later, this time Bale sending in a cross for the midfielder who could not direct his header on target.

Bentley then won a free-kick on the edge of United's box on 70 minutes but sent the resulting set-piece horribly over the bar.

Gibson then capped his evening with a yellow card by bringing down Lennon on the edge of the United area.

But despite rarely threatening in the second period, Alex Ferguson's men never looked like conceding and closed the game out to seal their place in the final four.


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