Berbatov tops Fergie hit-list after cup shocker
Published 22:30 01/12/11 By David Anderson
Berbatov’s first-team prospects look even bleaker after his part in Manchester United’s humiliation against Championship side Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.
The Bulgarian, who cost £30million but now finds himself vying with Michael Owen for fourth place in the strikers' pecking order at United, was totally anonymous before coming off with a foot injury.
Last season’s joint-top Premier League scorer will struggle to even make the bench when he recovers and could be off in January if Fergie decides to offload him. Galatasaray of Turkey and Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala are both keen on him.
Striker Macheda has not developed since exploding on to the scene nearly three years ago, and has been overtaken by Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez.
Gibson almost joined Sunderland in the summer and the Irish midfielder’s days still look numbered.
Striker Diouf will be shown the door by Ferguson too, as he has not kicked on after a loan spell at Blackburn last season.
Ferguson has already demonstrated he will not tolerate failure - five of the side which lost 4-0 to West Ham in last season’s Carling Cup quarter-finals have either been moved on or been ostracised (see below).
He was equally ruthless with the flops who lost to Coventry 2-0 at Old Trafford in 2007 - 10 of those 14 players have either left the club or reside in the wilderness at United's Carrington HQ.
Defender Evans played in both of those defeats and is hoping Fergie will spare him this time after dropping him in the wake of the West Ham drubbing a year ago.
“My first game was in the Carling Cup against Coventry, and it didn’t turn out as well as we expected,” he said. “But the lads have got to stay focused and work hard on their games.
“We’re very disappointed not to be in the semi-finals.”
Evans skippered United’s young side against Palace on his 100th appearance for the club and says he would have swapped that milestone for a place in the last four.
“Before the game, I was delighted to be given the armband, but I’d happily take that away to have the victory instead,” said the Northern Ireland centre-half.
“It’s good that the manager plays the younger lads in the competition, but unfortunately, we’ve not managed to get the result.”
Ferguson will be more patient with the kids he has blooded in the Carling Cup this season - the likes of Ben Amos, Paul Pogba, Ravel Morrison and Zeki Fryers.
The teenagers were let down by their more experienced colleagues against Palace, and United legend Paul Scholes claims Fergie could have another couple of gems among this latest clutch of fledglings.
Scholes has been working with them as he helps coach the reserves and says they proved themselves when they won at Leeds in the third round o the Carling Cup.
“These young lads did well in difficult circumstances at Leeds,” said the former United and England midfielder.
“They are all young and they have plenty of time to progress. Once they tidy up a few things, they should be fine.”
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HOW FERGIE REACTED TO PREVIOUS LEAGUE CUP UPSETS
September 2007, lost 2-0 at home to Coventry.
Phil Bardsley: Sold to Sunderland in January 2008.
Gerard Pique: Sold to Barcelona for £5m in May 2008.
Danny Simpson: Loaned out to Ipswich, Blackburn and Newcastle before joining the Toon permanently in 2010.
Lee Martin: Loaned out to Plymouth, Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest. Joined Ipswich in 2009.
Fraizer Campbell: Loaned to Hull and Tottenham. Sold to Sunderland in 2009 for £3.5million.
Chris Eagles: Joined Burnley in July 2008 before moving on to Bolton in the summer.
Dong Fangzhuo: Rejoined Dalian Shide in 2008 and currently plays in the Armenian League.
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November 2010, lost 4-0 at West Ham
Tomasz Kuszczak: Has fallen to fourth in the goalkeepers’ pecking order and seemingly has no future at United.
John O’Shea: A victim of Fergie’s summer 2011 purge. Joined Sunderland.
Wes Brown: Moved on to Sunderland last summer to make way for Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans.
Gabriel Obertan: The French winger never made breakthrough at United. Was sold to Newcastle in the summer.
Bebe: Flopped after his surprise £7.4million arrival. Was farmed out on loan to Besiktas in the summer.
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