Sir Alex Ferguson believes the England winger can do the box-to-box job Giggs has provided for almost two decades and the Welshman certainly provided his fair share of Euro goals.
But Young’s debut goal was as welcome as any of Giggs’ efforts as he rescued a point with United on the brink of embarrassingly throwing away a comfortable two-goal lead.
On a night when we should have been talking up Danny Welbeck, United’s dreadful defending virtually ruined his big Euro night. So much for dead rubbers in November and December – the brittle Reds are going to have to fight to the finish now after this awful capitulation.
Welbeck had bridged a 17-year gap to confirm United have finally found their elusive home-produced hitman who can command a senior place.
The Mancunian Red was no doubt more excited about the prospect of his fourth birthday three days later in November 1994 than Mark Hughes scoring against Gothenburg in the Champions League. Sparky’s goal in Sweden was the last time an out-and-out striker from United’s legendary youth system scored in Europe.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s famed youth policy has turned out several Old Trafford Hall of Fame members.
But the Reds boss has had to dip deep into the club’s coffers for his goal-getters.
Millions have been spent and club record fees broken on strikers like Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov to spearhead the golden years.
But a search for the homegrown hero from the ranks had yielded nothing.
Welbeck has broken the barren hunt. And a timely breakthrough it is with Manchester now the capital of football. Being a United striker this season has been a topsy-turvy affair and guessing Fergie’s choice to lead the line has been a thankless task.
Michael Owen probably thought he’d got a decent chance to play as he scored twice at Leeds last week and he was the last fit United goalscorer to score in the Champions League when he scored a hat-trick in Wolfsburg.
Berbatov’s Euro record is dismal. Since his opening burst of four in two matches when he kicked off his United career in 2008, the Bulgarian hasn’t added to his Champions League goals stats.
However, without Rooney and Javier Hernandez he must have been hoping his bleak season might be given a boost.
Welbeck, fresh from returning from a hamstring injury as a sub at Elland Road and Stoke, might have expected to have to bow to seniority.
But Fergie’s penchant for leaving those who predict his teams with egg on their faces saw Welbeck as the one recognised out-and-out striker in the XI.
One can only have guessed what Berbatov and Owen were thinking, especially when Fergie’s selection was fully vindicated in the opening 17 minutes.
Finish
The 20-year-old Manc scored his first-ever European goal after 16 minutes when he finished off a penetrating Reds move. Valencia, Fabio and Giggs were all involved as they sliced through the Basle back line.
Welbeck’s finish saw him become the first Mancunian striker to score in Europe for United since Brian Kidd in the ’60s.
There was little time for him to reflect on his personal glory as, within a minute, Giggs was laying on another golden chance which Welbeck side-footed home with even more aplomb.
United were certainly grateful that the Champions League stage is right up the young striker’s street for – if not – this would have been an even more uncomfortable match than it was.
United’s style has echoes of the cavalier 1999 Treble season.
The Reds certainly know how to find the net but increasingly they are developing more holes in their back line than Swiss cheese.
Before Welbeck’s double had given United a cushion, they eventually threw away, Old Trafford was squirming as Basel’s Fabian Frei and Jacques Zoua suggested they could expose any defensive frailties.
If anything United became even more brittle when they were two goals up and were ahead of the Reds on clear-cut chances before they finally made it count.
David de Gea had not long since kept Marco Streller out than he had to deal with a dipping corner. It fell awkwardly around his shin area and the Spaniard’s bundle away was unconvincing and never cleared the danger.
Fabian Frei rammed in the loose ball as United’s defence stood watching.
Basel were almost as quick as the Reds were at getting their second. With Old Trafford still reeling, the Swiss champions suddenly found the pitch opening up before their eyes as they dragged United all over the place.
On the hour, and just two minutes after they’d pulled one back, they were level. United were brutally exposed down the right hand side and the first scorer crossed for an easy unguarded headed finish by Alex Frei.
The Frei boys are not related but they certainly had a bond that United found hard to break.
The Reds were by now a frazzled unit at the back and getting little assistance from elsewhere.
Valencia attempted to help out a beleaguered rearguard but only stumbled into a challenge in the box that gave Streller the chance to fall over his body and win a dubious penalty. Alex Frei’s spot-kick was emphatic.
Just as the press box was frantically searching to discover when, if ever, United have thrown a two-goal lead away at Old Trafford in Europe to lose, Young popped up to abandon the statistical quest.
The finale was as frantic as ever and Nani’s floated cross in the 90th minute was met by Young’s head at the far post as he rescued United’s blushes.
What is your verdict on the action? Have your say. Tweet
Comments
Login or Register to comment
Danny Welbeck is terrific, we have much to look forward to as our younger players mature. Shame we couldn't win this one but like Stoke, when the other team plays
really well it's not easy. Hopefull Norwich don't come to play like those two.
Up the Reds!
Awful midfield again doesn't give cover to the defenders.
Nobody will say it,but I will....United were to arrogant,and this attitude should have been repaired at half time,when we were really lucky to be up 2 goals.It is the manager's job to read this situation and motivate the players at half time...He did not!!..They gave no effort when defending,plenty when attacking,but none when defending...like school boys,on a saturday morning......Management is to blame for this attitude...bottles should have been smashed at half time in the dressing room,but it seems they all just had a cup of tea.....
The finale was Berbatov yet again failing to make a game-changing contribution. A player with amazing skills, who asks much of his team mates yet could not turn the last chance of the game into a winning one.
dont no what game your were watching stuart but you have it all wrong...!!fabio 6 he and evra wrere roasted on the flanks rio was as bad. jones covered for him all the time,ando joke...car should have been sold as hes solid usless and they rest i cant complain,only for some bad finishing and another master class from de gea it would have been fair embarrising....
What exactly happened this is supposedto be the dream team mayb we should have gone for shnider
lucky again your defense is worse than ours
definately a dubious penalty for basel but man city should have had 2
hopefully the bad referee decisions will work themselves out at the end of the season for both teams
disaster. this should be a big wake up call, with many players falling short, notably, giggs, carrick, rio, welbeck (over rated; should have played owen)
Valencia also very disappointing.
Great Ref, not.
something tells me Phil Jones got the first taste of the hairdryer last night!!
Awful display by United standard with an ineffective midfield resulting in tremendous pressure on the back four. Carrick was transparent as is so often the case. When he was offered a new contract I could not believe it. Should have been sold and Lassana Diarra brought in until a world class defensive midfielder is unearthed from somewhere. Diarra is not a world beater but a far more reliable defensive midfielder who would have brought a lot of protection to the central defenders. Jones has received a lot of raving reports but he must learn that his prime work should be to defend. He was nowhere to be seen on the second goal just like for the chance that Torres missed couple of weeks ago. I agree that our back four is not as solid as it has been over the years but it is our midfield which is disorganized, poor at defending and hence the overall defensive frailty.