22/01/2014 The League Cup Show

Good evening. With a Wembley final just one win away, there was no

bigger incentive for the semifinalists of this season's

Capital One Cup. Admittedly, both ties were intriguingly poised for

very different reasons. A warm welcome to both Steve and Leroy, who

are with me tonight to reflect on another dramatic night of knock out

football. Here's what's coming up. After their 2-1 win at the Stadium

of Light two weeks ago, it was advantage Sunderland going into this

evening's second leg at Old Trafford.

We'll find out whether they could hold out against David Moyes'

Manchester United, desperate for a change in fortune after a troubled

start to 2014. And with a record six goal deficit

from the first leg of their semifinal against Manchester City,

surely it was a case of mission impossible for Sam Allardyce's West

Ham? We've the best of the action from last night's game at the Boleyn

Ground. Right to tonight's match at Old Trafford, where David Moyes

aimed to try and salvage a bitterly disappointing season by securing

Manchester United's place at a Wembley final. Already out of the FA

Cup, Sunday's seventh league defeat pretty much ended any hope of

retaining the title. So could they lift morale by overcoming a 2-1

deficit against an improving Sunderland? Commentary from Guy

Mowbray. Eight of the last 19th to win the

first leg at home have failed to reach the final. Manchester United

have to turn it around tonight. Fletcher is captain for the night.

Sunderland staged their own comeback to draw with sometimes and at the

weekend. They only lost one of their last two games. Two changes for the

visitors. Gus Poyet's team is backed by 9000 loud, travelling supporters,

all dreaming of Wembley. Borini slid into eagerly. I think

that is how Lee Mason interpreted it as well. Could have easily got the

yellow card out for that. The adrenaline is flowing a bit too

strongly. Hear me, it is at least a yellow card.

Javier Hernandez. Nervous start from Sunderland in the back.

A good leap from Javier Hernandez. Gus Poyet is enjoying the

distraction from the survival battle.

Really good go. The eyes tell you how close it was. Good running from

Borini. In the front of Raffi L and he stayed there.

Enjoying the snacks there, hopefully not a prawn sandwich.

It is hoped behind. The final touch was on the boots. Final corner,

taking quickly. He might have done his team a

disservice there. Well back -- Welbeck. 1-0. The tide

swings around to stop -- around. Manchester United have the advantage

now. Rooney did not get out, just stayed loyal to ring from the goal

line. -- loitering. It was Darren Fletcher who hit the

woodwork. Mannone made a good save. What seemed like only a moment

later, Sunderland were behind. They need to score tonight now.

It is cleared away. Was not going in for Brown. It was powerful enough.

Robin Van Persie, he has not played since the 10th of December.

That was not a bad effort at all. They tend to be pretty special

efforts. Personalized snood 's, I wonder if they will catch on with

any other teams. The ball dipped but it did not

curl. Mannone was troubled for an instant. I think the pass was on.

That will not reach Borini. Stephen Letcher at -- Fletcher has been left

behind. He tried to absolutely smack it. He

only just caught it with the top part of his period. Very nearly a

slice. -- his brute. Great block tackle. A goal has

effectively been saved. Steven Fletcher has really put in a

shift and a half here. Sunderland appealing as he would

accept -- expect them to. It was curling as well. Urgency now

from the team in red, not wanting another 30 minutes if they can help

it. It is a Manchester United corner.

It was a goal bound but did not have the power, and Mannone made quite an

easy catch in the end. United throw. It is last chance now, in the final

moments of the three I did and to the 90. -- added onto. O'Shea is

going to go in the book. Manchester United have one shot for Wembley.

An 18-year-old who has been one of the brightest things about this

season for Manchester United. It is held and saved by Mannone. He wants

to get it out quickly, but he will not be able to get it out quickly

enough. Another 30 minutes will be played. If we do not get a goal,

Manchester United will be going to Wembley anyway.

The ball is perfect for Hernandez. Fans of all ages, shirts of all

euros. -- eras. Right across the face. Only needed a

touch. Phil Bardsley has done a really well here.

It is in! Phil Bardsley has brought Sunderland to the Capital One Cup

final! A Wembley final has bring slipped from the grasp of Manchester

United. Nothing on target all tonight for Sunderland until this.

Straight at the goalkeeper, straight through the goalkeeper. A Manchester

United goal in the second that remain. Thus Poyet is taking his

black hat to the first major Wembley cup final since 1992. -- Gus Poyet

will stop -- Gus Poyet. It might not be over yet. Back to

Phil Jones. Headed away by Brown. Here's Darren Fletcher. Januzaj.

There is a chance. Januzaj in. It's in the net! Hernandez has done it.

Sunderland celebrations premature. Hernandez, into the roof of the net.

The drama goes on. It will go onto a penalty shoot-out, unless there is

another twist. It's incredible! Remarkable! That's a mark of what

Manchester United used to do, a lot. Smalling to Januzaj. Nobody could

get the ball away. Now, watch the reaction of David Moyes, it's as

measured as he can possibly be. Up towards Altidore, faced by

Rafael. Altidore has been found guilty of a bump and a barge. There

is one relieved Manchester United goalkeeper, who you never know,

could be a penalty-saving hero. That is what we are going down to. A

shoot-out to decide who will face Manchester City in the final.

Sunderland had it won. De Gea has to try and save penalties. In the goal

in which he let through a soft one, just a few minutes ago.

Gardner has blazed it high over the bar. Almost reached those Sunderland

fans in the top tier. Up steps Danny Welbeck. The former Sunderland loan

star. Now, Welbeck. He's blazed it, and missed as well. Goodness me.

That's as bad as Craig Gardner's. Some can barely watch. Fletcher.

It's tame, to say the least. Saved by De Gea. One Fletcher has missed.

Up comes the other for David Moyes. It's Darren Fletcherer the captain

for the night. That wasn't strong either, but it was accurate. It was

just out of the reach of Mannone. Manchester United are on the board.

You can see the nerves written large across his face. Only just signed

for Sunderland. On-loan. Alonso, it's a really good spot check. It's

Adnan Januzaj, 18 years old, world at his feet.

Januzaj, verses Mannone. Mannone, saves! It was too close to him. It's

level again at one penalty each, three taken each.

He scores, easily sends De Gea the wrong way. Now it's Phil Jones to

make the long walk. Seems to have been around for ages. Seems to have

loads of experience. Still only 21. Jones has put it over. Got right

underneath the ball. Mannone, not needed again. Manchester United have

scored one out of four penalties. Sunderland are one successful

spot-kick away from Wembley. If Adam Johnson scores, Jim

Montgomerie, all that lot, will be going to Wembley. Johnson will be

facing his former team, Manchester City, in the final, if he scores

this kick. Saved by De Gea. It's not over yet. Another dramatic twist.

Manchester United have another life. Rafael must score to deep alive.

Saved by Mannone. Sunderland are heading to the Capital One Cup

final. Vito Mannone takes the plaudits. Sunderland's Italian

goalkeeper is their hero at the end. What a turn around in their season.

Rock bottom, going nowhere but down, then in came Gus pout. They Poyet.

They are climbing away from trouble slowly. They are going to a major

final. Their first trip to a major cup final since 1992. Misery, more

of it, for Manchester United and David Moyes. Out of the Capital One

Cup. No final for Sir Alex to attend this year. Tears for Danny Welbeck.

Tears of joy for all from Wearside. Sunderland, win on penalties. David,

should it have gone that far? We didn't play well enough tonight to

do it We had chances to put the game to bed really. We had a few breaks.

I thought Sunderland played well tonight. They deserved the credit.

They got themselves to the final over the first half and the

second-half I didn't think we did well enough. Albeit, it looked as if

we were going to get ourself-to the final until the last-minute. Don't

know where to start, I suspect you don't either Difficult just playing

the game. Today I think we were... Listen, we were organised, difficult

to play against. We gave them a few chances. They created. They score.

Maybe people suspected Manchester United to go all the way. We came

back in the second-half with the attitude to go and score that goal

that at least gave you a chance. We couldn't do it. Getting closer and

closer extra-time. Extra-time, heavy legs, difficult to play. We were

always on the front foot. We were coming. Of course we didn't know how

we will score. Then you score, when you think you've won it and you are

through, the second leg, they score again. And when everybody thinks we

are dead, we miss the first penalty. It was incredible story. You could

make a book with the game today. Game told us more than any you can

never tell what had happened. You had won it, you lost it, you won it,

you lost it. Did you think you had gone through? No. The way it has

gone recently I would have been doing that too soon the way things

are at the moment. That is football. We will get on with it. Pick

ourselves up and go again. Incredible evening. You feel worn

out having watched it twice now. Well done to Sunderlandment they are

through to the Capital One Cup final. Incredible finish Steve to a

game that was largely forgettable for most of it? It was, wasn't it?

We got there in the end. We waited long enough. When you do highlight

packages you leave some of the stuff out because there is a lot of action

in it. What you saw was what you got. Apart from that, very little

happened in that game. David Moyes was right, unconvincing performance

by them. They had the game by the scruff of their neck. You expected

them to win the game. They couldn't. They couldn't get the tempo of the

game. I was confused as to whether he quite knew what his best system

and best personnel was with the players. Attacking line-up? It

changed two or three times during the game. It might have been

attacking line-up it didn't work out as an attacking performance.

Januzaj, Hernandez, Danny Welbeck there and Kagawa. You are never

quite sure where he plays? No. Sunderland are celebrating, a final

appearance, first major cup final in 20 years. They had had to do it the

hard way, coming from a goal behind and pick themselves up from the

death? The game management of Gus Poyet's side was excellent. They

gave away a poor goal. They might try and get the goal, kept it tight.

Made it difficult for Manchester United. This is the goal. Poor

defending. John O'Shea will kick himself, just ball watches. Jonny

Evans, he let's him go. He is on his own on the back post. Absolutely

shocking defending. That was their one lapse in concentration in that

first half. Second-half, in terms of how they got back into the game,

they started to crank it up and press that little bit more. Take a

few more gambles. The control with which they did it I thought was

commendable in the semi-final of a Cup. Gus Poyet and his men need to

take credit for that. They stay in games. When they are not dominating

possession. Chelsea, they went behind against Chelsea, they were a

poor second in the first half. They worked back into the game. If you

said that Gus Poyet said, this is how I want the game to go, that is

how he would have imagined it. If we were going to be under pressure, we

don't panic and work back into the game. That is what they did. That

was the low-key build-up. We were given no idea as to what was to

follow. Towards the end of extra-time Sunderland's first shot

on goal in the whole game. This is what happens? This is a run of

attacks. It ends up with Phil Bardsley. De Gea, what is he doing?

He moves a little bit. That's a regulation save for any keeper. Gus

Poyet thinks he has won it. We think he has won it. When you celebrate.

Look at this? Perfect. He thinks, it's gone. They celebrated. That

hampered them when they went back to defend against United. I think they

are exhausted. Bardsley is lying on the ground. 119 minute of the game.

They have to defend. I think they are out of energy. They did lose

concentration for that split second. That is how Manchester United got

back into it. A minute later? It was never convinced from United. We said

that before. Without peppering the United goal, there was a threat

there at some stage. You look at this. That is just tiredness. Have

you enough men in there. You have got six, seven players. There is

still that gap between the defenders and the goalkeeper. How that ball

finds its way to the back post, Hernandez. Januzaj played one-two on

the edge of the box. In the second-half he wanted to shoot and

take responsibility when there were other options on to him. First time

he played one, two, got to the by-line. In the 120th minute and

they got the goal. We talk about the penalty shoot-out before we talk

about the tenth and final one. Have you ever seen such a poor penalty

shoot-out in all your times? No. Seven failed to get into the back of

the net. The way they were missed. I mean, I can't remember the keeper

making a decent save. Even the ones they made, I can remember one of

them, he had to drag it with him almost it was that poor a penalty.

They weren't great penalties. The golden rule is, it doesn't matter

what you do, how you hit it or where you hit it, you must get it on

target. You must get it on target and not give the goalkeepers the

eyes. Not go that way. Look at Rafael's eyes. The keeper might go

for a double bluff. He took a gamble and went that way. The keeper here.

If it was an experienced penalty taker. Someone who is giving you a

double bluff. It wasn't. You can't blame those young lads for stepping

up and taking the penalty, Januzaj, Jones and Rafael. On the pich you

have people like Evra, Evans, experienced players. Hernandez

didn't take the penalty as well? Why are the experienced players stepping

out of that situation. The young players stepped up. As they walked

up, Phil Jones, you didn't fancy him to pull away. No confidence in their

performance or in extra-time or in that penalty shoot-out. It doesn't

resonate of how it might do. That says an awful lot about the state of

the side as it is that players haven't stepped forward. Gus Poyet

said that everybody wanted to take the penalty. Obviously, it's quite a

few didn't for Manchester United. Probably a lack of confidence at

this stage. Penny for his thoughts right now, to be honest? I don't

hold with the... I don't -- Fergie being present? Why shouldn't he go.

I remember you saying that last time? I don't get that. He is there

for support. He will be disappointed as anybody. A side note. Four

English players took penalties. Four of them all missed. It doesn't bode

really for the World Cup Year. What next for David Moyes. Gus Poyet, one

defeat in 11. He is turning around Sunderland at the right time. For

David Moyes the rebuilding has Gunn. They have agreed a fee of ?37

million format ya from Chelsea. The medical will be done and dusted

tomorrow. The rebuilding has Gunn. It's time?

I do not think this result does that a lot of harm. Everybody will wonder

if it needs to be rebuilt, because that amplifies the fact that we

really need some new players. I think the problem is, it is not just

one or two players, is it? If one or two players can rectify the

situation, fine, but they need about six to turn it around. It is a

start, and then you get your best players sat on the bench today,

Rooney and Robin Van Persie, and it sounds like a cliche, but the focus

has to be getting something from this season in the league. Do you

see that happening? It will have to be dramatic from what we have seen

so far. There are for better sides in the Premier League than

Manchester United so far. And Sunderland are in Europe as well. It

is 20 or 25 years since they have been in a major final. They are

passionate fans. 9000 at Old Trafford today. 150 coach loads of

them, all put on by the club. They lost to the Northeast rivals and it

has all turned around and now they have the league finals to look

forward to. As for last night's other semifinal, for West Ham, it

was all about keeping the aggregate scoreline within respectable

proportions against Manchester City, who hit six unopposed goals in the

first leg. The omens were not promising,

though, with City having scored their 100th goal of the season over

the weekend. Sam Allardyce made seven changes from West Ham's last

league outing, which included the return of Andy Carroll up front,

making his first start since May. Manuel Pellegrini made eight changes

for City, including a first start for Sergio Aguero in over a month.

He was paired with Alvaro Negredo up top, a partnership that has scored

42 goals between them this season. Jonathan Pearce describes the

action. for Sergio Aguero in over a

Two red cards for Nolan for bizarre behaviour. He lost his head on a

couple of occasions to get those red cards. A powerful run it forward by

Gael Clichy. Manchester City take the lead at West Ham United and go

7-0 up on aggregate. It is the start. Negredo continues his scoring

run. It has taken them just to one half moments -- minutes to score.

West Ham, absolutely sliced open. That would have given them something

to cheer about, it ticking Nolan back in the site after his

suspension. -- getting Nolan. 2-0. Negredo and Aguero, once again

scoring. Their personal race to finish as top scorer for Manchester

City this season. Good work by the teenager. Tenacity, and Abe really

and finish. -- a brilliant finish. Finished my medicine lay. --

magnificently. There was half a chance. He made it into a genuine

chance and took the chance. Such power. Three -02 Manchester City.

-- 3-0. 58 minutes gone. He just kept carrying on.

Carlton Cole got between defenders and should have hit the target.

Totally would have created the biggest cheer of the night.

I think we have played five games in the Capital One Cup. We scored 19

goals and we conceded just one goal. It is going all right to the final.

Maybe they think they will be more relaxed. I think they had a very

professional performance. I am very happy about that. The disappointing

thing is leading opposition of this quality get an easy goal in the

first attack of the game. It just kills everybody. Here we go again,

as it were. All of the lads fought not to allow that to happen, but

that was just a bog-standard defending from the central

defenders. Get on your markers when a cross comes in. Not much for him

to look back and, but for Manchester City, the dream of the quadruple is

clearly still going. They look in fantastic form. They are. They would

not have expected such an easy ride in the first five minutes. They

would have expected West Ham to get tackled him. It was almost like a

crossing and finishing training session. The bald get out wide and

then it is crosses -- the ball gets out wide and is then crossed into

the box. No-one is marking him will stop a simple header. West Ham are

looking at each other to stop a simple header. West Ham are

looking take responsibility. From that moment on, it was even more

difficult. It would have been a difficult atmosphere anyway, but

this compounds the situation. How many times have we seen teams get

into this position Mister Mark -- position? Totally professional. They

play the same way. Everybody was comfortable in the positions that

they came in. You can rotate. If you keep players in the environment that

they are comfortable in. That is exactly what he did. He said, we are

better than you and we will score more goals and we will concentrate

on our strengths and they will carry us through. And there were injuries

to Joe Cole and Mohamed Diame. So many positives for Manchester City.

Marcos Lopes, the 18-year-old kid, he delivered a man of the match

performance. He is left footed and in control, balanced. He got lots of

confidence in those first three minutes with that cross and then he

looked like a team player. Another plus for Pelligrini. You were

impressed with him. It was a good game for the people who could play

for Man City. Let's take a look at the final. Sunderland have to get it

to get into Europe. That is a fax that was whispered into my ear

Elizabeth earlier. Let's look at the form book. Sunderland have -- a

little bit earlier. Lots, I suppose, for someone like

Gus Poyet to gain some heart from. They have played some tough sides

already in this competition and they managed to stay in those games. They

have got a game plan. You just wonder where men 50 were -- where

Manchester City were then and where they are now and if they have enough

quality on their side to compete. They are very dogged and they are

good for the game. We do not want a repeat of a one-sided final as far

as may be 12 months ago. Sunderland will look back and say that they are

one of only two teams to stop Manchester City from scoring this

season. Anything can happen in a cup final. This is Pelligrini's first

final. He needs to get over that hurdle, as does this group of

players. Sunderland can go in there, sit back, keep it nice and tight,

and the longer the game goes on without Manchester City getting

their noses in front, the better off they will be. They are going to want

to put a few wrongs right. That's almost it from us. Before we

go, though, a quick reminder that Football Focus is on at 12:00 on

Saturday morning on BBC One. And later you can join Jonathan Edwards

for some live international indoor athletics starting at 1:45 also on

One. Steve, Leroy, thanks for your company tonight.

Thank you for yours as well. Sunderland against Manchester City

in the year's Capital One Cup final. They certainly have plenty to live

up to. Good night.