Southampton 0 Manchester Utd 3: Sour Saints nurse sense of injustice

MANCHESTER United set up an FA Cup fourth round home tie against Tottenham with a comfortable win over Coca-Cola Championship strugglers Southampton. But Sir Alex Ferguson's side were more than aided by referee Mike Riley, who sent off Southampton's young Scottish forward Matt Paterson for violent conduct in the first half and then debatably awarded United a second-half penalty.

Goals from Danny Welbeck, Nani and substitute Darron Gibson earned United a simple passage into the next round.

Southampton manager Jan Poortvleit was left nursing a sense of injustice. "I have to see the decisions myself, but I think it was not a penalty, not a red card and the first goal was offside," he said.

"They told me (Paterson] went with two feet (for the sending off]. It was one foot and it was on the ball. It changed the game.

"I think the penalty was cheap. I think the referees in England are the best in the world. But our side, we never get decisions like that. It's a shame. I feel sorry for the boys because I think they worked hard. If only we could have created more opportunities."

However, Southampton goalkeeper Kelvin Davis thought the penalty was the correct decision. "From where I saw it, it definitely hit his hands," he said.

"It's not something you want but it hit the guy on the hands as far as I could see and I think it was the right decision."

United manager Ferguson had little sympathy for Fife-born Paterson, 19. "It's certainly rash and maybe it's easy for the referee to send him off," said the United manager. "I think maybe if the referee had booked in the first minutes then maybe it would have calmed him down a bit, because it was exuberance more than anything."

United, who could afford to be without Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, were on top from the kick-off. Their first opening arrived in the fifth minute courtesy of a fine through ball from Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian striker cleverly sent Ryan Giggs racing into the penalty area but the United winger's blazed over.

The gulf in class was obvious with Anderson and Berbatov providing some moments of real quality.

The goal United had been threatening finally arrived in the 19th minute through Welbeck. Nani's corner was headed against the crossbar by John O'Shea and Welbeck had the simple task of nodding home the rebound.

United should have been two goals to the good in the 26th minute when Berbatov and Michael Carrick carved open the Saints back four. Carrick ran on to lift the ball over the advancing Davis but with the goal at his mercy, Southampton defender Chris Perry produced a fine tackle to deny him.

However, Southampton's plight worsened in the 35th minute when Paterson was sent off. The Scotland under-19 international, who had already been warned about a number of heavy challenges, was dismissed for violent conduct after a lunge on United defender Nemanja Vidic.

Moments later former Hearts midfielder Rudi Skacel was booked for a foul on Nani and Riley felt the full fury of the disenchanted home fans. The yellow card count increased in the 40th minute when O'Shea was booked after a foul on Davis.

Welbeck almost snatched a second at the near post in first-half stoppage time but Davis once again reacted well to tip the ball around the post.

Southampton's cause was well and truly lost a minute after the restart though when Riley awarded United a penalty for handball against David McGoldrick.

Oliver Lancashire brought down Welbeck on the edge of the penalty area and when Nani tried to get the ball over the defensive wall, Riley adjudged that McGoldrick had blocked its path with his arm.

The decision was perhaps a poor one as TV replays appeared to show the ball hitting McGoldrick's head as he turned away. Nani converted the spot-kick – sending Davis the wrong way.

Davis then denied Welbeck a second goal when he tipped his shot over the crossbar in the 49th minute. United's dominance was such that they replaced Giggs and Carrick with Gibson and Rodrigo Possebon in the 55th minute. Moments later Southampton's Andrew Surman let fly from 30 yards but his shot was straight at United keeper Edwin Van der Sar.

In the 62nd minute Welbeck made way for Wayne Rooney as United looked to set the seal on a comfortable afternoon with a third goal.

United played the ball around with consummate ease as the clock ran down. They were rewarded with a third goal in the 81st minute when Gibson smashed home a cross from Rooney.

He almost added a fourth but his 25-yard volley was well saved by Davis.

Southampton: Davis, James, Perry, Lancashire, Skacel, Smith (Holmes 69), McGoldrick, Gillett (Schneiderlin 56), Surman, Gobern (McLaggon 56), Paterson. Subs Not Used: Forecast, Wright-Phillips, Euell, Molyneux. Sent Off: Paterson (37). Booked: Skacel, James.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, Evans, Vidic, O'Shea, Nani, Anderson, Carrick (Gibson 56), Giggs (Possebon 56), Welbeck (Rooney 63), Berbatov. Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Park, Rafael Da Silva, Fletcher. Booked: Evans, O'Shea.