'It is about time Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsène Wenger had a good argument. Four or five months ago they were all we used to talk about. But that was back in the days of food fights and mind games before Jose Mourinho began to steal their thunder and their headlines and their reputations for making mischief. The FA Cup has provided a battleground for the managers of Manchester United and Arsenal to begin hostilities again. The most traditional competition of them all has renewed a most traditional rivalry.
Tradition lost something in translation on Saturday. For once, there was far more resting on the evening's sling-throwing for Goliath than David. United followed Arsenal into the semi-finals at a saunter because Southampton had other things on their minds. Half-a-dozen of the resistance fighters that Harry Redknapp has gathered around him for the Premiership relegation struggle were otherwise engaged. Ferguson unleashed the full hell of United's Champions League exit on the surviving Saints. It was a contest for less than 90 seconds.
Southampton's young goalkeeper, Paul Smith, has been staging his own private Save of the Month competition just lately. But once the lofty head of Peter Crouch had deflected Roy Keane's angled drive past Smith in the opening moments, the rest was a formality. A goal at either end of each half emphasised the gulf between the two teams in class and priorities. "Defeat would have been unthinkable," concluded Ferguson. "Survival is all that really matters," admitted Redknapp.
Ferguson fielded 10 of the Champions League line-up that fell in Milan. The FA Cup campaign that began with the likes of Jones, Pique and Spector against Exeter City in the third round has become the potential silver lining to the rather cloudy outlook at Old Trafford. United had talent to spare. Chelsea may weave deadlier spells, Arsenal can create prettier patterns but Ferguson still possesses the best collection of natural football talent in England.
Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes, Cristiano Ronaldo and the absent Ryan Giggs were all born with a ball at their feet. They are street dribblers blessed with the individual ability to leave opponents dizzy and defenceless.'