Reserves @ Birmingham tonight

PS18

Final pre-season friendly at St. Andrews, kicks off at 7pm.

No real team news yet, although MUTV say Kuszczak is in goal and Gibson plays (they mentioned one other as well but I can't remember for the life of me who). Not being shown live unfortunately, highlights tomorrow at half 7 though apparently.

No Amos or Welbeck due to international commitments, presumably no Drinkwater too seeing as he pulled out of the England U19 game through injury.

RedPhil1957

I think this is the team

Kuszczak
R. Da Silva
Gray
Eckersley
Chester
Stewart
Possidon
Hewson
Macheda
Cleverley
A N other

Subs: ---------- Not sure about them all
Brown
Evans
Brandao

Striker10

what's happened to fabio? Hasn't featured since the second chelsea game.

Strong side. Fancy we'll win 0-3

RedPhil1957

He has an injured shoulder ....... Derbyshire
might be the AN Other

Elliott

Gibson if the first post is right.

Striker10

agh thought so, at the time they said it was rafael. cheers for clearing that up

Striker10

gibsons playing

PS18

It was Rafael who went off with the shoulder knock, which didn't turn out to be serious.

Not sure if Fabio has an injury or not. Suppose with them being twins he might have a sympathy shoulder injury...

RedPhil1957

They are sure getting me confused

PS18

Confirmed team:

1. Tomasz Kuszczak
2. Rafael da Silva
3. Richard Eckersley
4. David Gray
5. James Chester
6. Cameron Stewart
7. Rodrigo Possebon
8. Darron Gibson
9. Federico Macheda
10. Sam Hewson
11. Tom Cleverley

12. Corry Evans
13. Magnus Eikrem
14. Reece Brown
15. Jimmy Derbyshire
16. Evandro Brandao

Striker10

agh, thought so. Thanks for clearing that up...

RedPhil1957

Birmingham playing 1st teamers - Bent, Jaidi. Jerome, McSheffrey and Agustien also a trial for a 29 year old Dutch winger Heuvel so they have a lot of experience - will be a tough test.

PS18

Finished 3-3, Cameron Jerome scored a couple for them. More to follow...

Kelvin

Ole unbeaten record remain intact.

Crustanoid

Could have given the Tov a 20 minute warm up at the end

PS18

Possebon, Gray and Brandao with our goals. We were 3-1 down at one point, Ole really has made this lot the comeback kings.

PS18

BLUES RES 3 MAN UTD RES 3

Striker Cameron Jerome made a goalscoring return to action with a brace in a 3-3 reserve friendly draw with Manchester United at St. Andrew's on Tuesday evening.

The frontman, back playing after recovering from a torn thigh muscle picked up just a couple of days before the Championship win over Barnsley on 23 August, pressed his claims for a place in the squad for Saturday's match against Doncaster in the best way possible.

Winger Gary McSheffrey had earlier put Blues 1-0 up over the side from Old Trafford after Jerome had been brought down following a burst into the box. McSheffrey stepped up and calmly slotted home the third minute penalty.jerome

United equalised on 15 when Rodrigo Possebon hammered an unstoppable 20-yard drive past Dean Lyness, who could do nothing in the home goal because of the power of the shot.

But anything Possebon could do Jerome could do better and he gave Blues boss Alex McLeish some real food for thought for the weekend with an absolute piledriver from 25 yards out that flew into the top corner past Tomasz Kuszczak.

Minutes before the break a free-kick from Arturo Ten Heuvel, a 29-year-old Dutch trialist who played the full 90 for Blues in a central midfield position, deflected just wide of the post.

Eleven minutes after the break the hosts extended their lead, this time after McSheffrey had broken clear down the left and whipped in a great centre across the face of the six-yard box that Jerome prodded home.

With Kemy Agustien, Radhi Jaidi, Marcus Bent and Jordon Mutch adding first team experience to a Blues team that also experienced a number of Academy players, the home side battled manfully to hold on to the lead but a David Gray header from corner on 70 brought United back within a goal.

And the visitors concluded the scoring and made it 3-3 with an Evandro Brandao finish from a fairly tight near post angle with just five minutes left.

RedPhil1957

Good result for us ------- Ole seems to have have them battling to the end.

Striker10

defense let me down but pleasing against a decent birmingham side away from home. Great to see the goals shared around.

marcus agrippa

the Brummies put out a very experienced lot.

good for our lads, though.

i'm excited about the Carling Cup for the first time in ages.

Elliott

Possebon seems to be making a habit of 20 yard screamers. Awesome. Brandao's in fine goal scoring form these days too.

prateik

http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=6618043

Pre-season friendly
St Andrews, 9 September 2008

BIRMINGHAM CITY 3
McSheffrey (pen 3), Jerome (37 & 56)

MANCHESTER UNITED 3
Possebon (15), Gray (70), Brandao (85)


United’s Reserves roared back from the brink of defeat to draw with a strong Birmingham City second string at St Andrews on Tuesday evening.

The Reds trailed 3-1 with 20 minutes remaining, but struck twice to ensure an unbeaten pre-season campaign and stretch Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s unyielding record as manager.

Against a Brum side containing first team regulars like Cameron Jerome, Marcus Bent and Gary McSheffrey, United’s young side were posed plenty of questions, and found themselves a goal down inside three minutes.

David Gray, operating at centre-back for the evening, was perhaps harshly adjudged to have taken out Jerome inside the area, and McSheffrey beat Tomasz Kuszczak from the spot to put the hosts ahead.

Quarter of an hour into the game, United drew level. Rodrigo Possebon bagged yet another scorching goal, this time hammering home a 30-yarder that gave Brum goalkeeper Dean Lyness no chance.

Shortly before half-time, Jerome restored the hosts’ advantage with a stunning shot of his own, and then converted a fine McSheffrey cross just before the hour mark to seemingly put the game beyond United’s reach.

However, having come back from two-goal deficits against Oxford, Northwich Victoria and Chelsea already in pre-season, the Reds have shown great resilience under Solskjaer’s reign, and grit was again on show at St Andrews.



our report says it was a 30 yarder

Elliott

I wonder which foot he used. It's almost 50/50 with that bastard, isn't it?

Top

It is quite special how many times Possebon scores a screamer.

marcus agrippa

like one of our youth coaches said recently (Choccy perhaps?), he can 'really leather a football'...

samabachan

So can Gibson - I wish he would have a crack more often.

Danny Meehan

So fabio not even on the bench?

kps88

He's injured.

Mr. MUJAC

Substitute details as follows:

No keeper was announced or named on the teamsheet

12. C. Evans (6) 58 mins
13.
14. Eikrem (9) 75 mins
15. Brown (10) 87 mins
16. Derbyshire (2) 88 mins
17. Brandao (7) 75 mins

Striker10

just a few things. I don't think it was gray that gave away the pen, it looked like chester but it was a pen, I didn't think it was harsh

Chester made up for it, good pass from the halfway line into possebon who turned one touch and put it top corner. It was about 30 yards pretty much central

Jeromes goals was good but possebons was better, run into space and I think PIG got a slight touch but not enough. At 3-1 Pig made a good save low down from a good header

Their third goal was a rafael error, trying to break forward they won the ball sprayed it outwide and jermone couldn't miss. Pig no chance

Grays goal was a great goal. Deep corner flighted in and he just headed it from one side of the goal to the other. He got under so it lobbed right into the corner

The equalizer was we had a throw in. Rafael at that point was roaming further forward. Started off close to the byline spun and ran at the heart of the defence pulling their players inside, then he touched it through the gap and brando put it right in the corner with a great first time finish

Sorry I felt like doing a commentry - A great result in hindsight, good goals