Fergie dreams of taking on son Darren´s Peterborough

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is hoping for only one outcome when the draw is made for the last 16 of the League Cup on Saturday – a tie against son Darren and his Championship club Peterborough.

Ferguson junior reached the fourth round of the competition with victory over Newcastle on Tuesday, 24 hours before a 1-0 win for the ten men of United against Wolverhampton Wanderers earned his father’s League Cup holders their spot in the fourth round.

The two managers have never competed against each other in a competitive contest and, while the odds are obviously stacked against that particular outcome, Ferguson is clearly relishing another extended run in a tournament he has used so successfully to blood young players over the years.

“Peterborough at home,” replied Sir Alex when asked whom he wanted to meet. “All the family will be happy with that! But blooding the young players is the only thing we can do.

“Give them the experience of playing at Old Trafford in front of 50,000. It’s a good crowd and it?s a good tournament for young players.

“The quality of not knowing when you are beaten is a quality this club has. You have to have it. The young players have come in and responded. They’ve accepted the challenge and enjoyed it.”

One of those young players, Danny Welbeck, scored the decisive goal for United on Wednesday after a 66th minute exchange of passes with Michael Owen.

Unfortunately for United, Welbeck’s teenage team-mate Fabio Da Silva, endured a less successful evening as the Brazilian defender was shown a straight red card before the half-hour for a professional foul on Michael Kightly.

Ferguson has been an unashamed admirer of Welbeck, even talking of the 19-year-old Mancunian as a candidate for next year’s England World Cup squad.

“The goal was fantastic. I think it was difficult for him because of the way we had to play when we went down to ten men,” said Ferguson.

“But the goal told you about the boy’s quality. It was a magnificent one-two with Michael Owen, a great return and a magnificent finish. He has earned his plaudits.”

Welbeck took those plaudits in his stride, as Ferguson’s emerging players are supposed to do, and confessed he was disappointed with his display.

“I didn’t know Sir Alex had said that about England, but it doesn’t drive me on,” said Welbeck. “It’s a great plus to hear it, but I’m really just concentrating on Manchester United at the moment.”

Fabio’s experience was altogether less satisfying although his manager, initially and contrary to everyone else at Old Trafford, believed referee Peter Walton had been hasty in dismissing him.

“The referee gave the red card immediately. He never thought about it – maybe he should have waited a few seconds,” Ferguson said.

“I thought he slipped, he tried to regain ground after slipping and that was why he brought the boy down.

“That’s the letter of the law and he probably had to go. He’s only 18 and for any young player that kind of experience always helps.

“But I’m very pleased we kept our discipline well. We worked our socks off and it’s a good result. Prior to the sending off they were a handful but after that we seemed to be better organised and managed to get the result we did.”

Ferguson’s opposite number Mick McCarthy, meanwhile, could not conceal his disappointment at exiting the competition against ten men, although he kept defeat in perspective.

“This probably showed us what it’s all about, even with ten men,” McCarthy said. “It’s more about us, our belief, our confidence in beating a team with ten men. I didn’t think we had enough of it.”