UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE/ Manchester Utd ... 1 Basel ... 1: Ordinarily, Alex Ferguson would like to brush over this type of inelegant display and move on, but UEFA might yet ensure there are repercussions.
The governing body have indicated they will want an explanation about the weakened nature of Ferguson's team.
Certainly UEFA are entitled to ask why Ferguson made seven changes from their tie against Juventus - who defeated Deportivo La Coruna 3-2 last night - in Turin two weeks ago, fielding the sort of side he usually reserves for the early rounds of the League Cup.
Darren Fletcher, a 19-year-old debutant, and Kieran Richardson, making only his third appearance, occupied the areas where Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs usually patrol, while Laurent Blanc was dusted off for his first start since January 4th, having been told a few weeks ago he would only be used "in emergencies".
In mitigation, Ferguson can cite injuries to Roy Keane, Mikael Silvestre and Juan Sebastian Veron. The United manager can also point out that, after qualifying from the competition's opening phase, he picked his strongest team against Bayer Leverkusen at Old Trafford in November only for Rio Ferdinand and David Beckham to pick up injuries that kept them out for six weeks and four weeks respectively.
United may have to use that argument if UEFA opt to remind them of paragraph 1.08 in their Champions League regulations before Tuesday's game against Deportivo La Coruna in the Riazor stadium, when Ferguson intends to play another shadow XI.
"The rules state clubs have to field their strongest teams, even if they have already qualified," said a UEFA spokesman. "If Manchester United are not doing this, our disciplinary body may have to consider possible sanctions. We have a range of disciplinary measures starting from a warning, then a reprimand and a fine, to the nullification of the result and ordering the match to be replayed." UEFA can also deduct points but the chances of that happening are minuscule.
Ferguson will be more concerned about the lack of marking which allowed Christian Gimenez the space and time to chest down a right-wing delivery from Sebastien Barberis before shooting emphatically past Roy Carroll.
Devoid of their driving forces, United's response to this 14th-minute setback lacked the usual self-belief. But Giggs replaced Richardson at the interval and the home side began to play with authority.
Even so, it still required a moment of good fortune to restore parity eight minutes into the second half. Gary Neville's shot, after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had headed on Fletcher's cross, was unlikely to have troubled Zubi until it took a decisive deflection off Timothee Atouba, giving the defender his first goal of the season and only the fourth of his Old Trafford career.
At this stage Ferguson will have expected his players to sniff out a winner, especially when Beckham and Scholes emerged. Yet Diego Forlan, Phil Neville and co continued to flounder. The one beam of light on a murky night was Fletcher, a player of poise and purpose. But the lingering memory was of men in suits crowding round the televisions in the executive boxes to watch Killer Corrie, desperately in need of some drama.
Guardian Service
MAN UTD: Carroll, Gary Neville, Blanc (Scholes 73), Ferdinand, O'Shea, Fletcher (Beckham 73), Phil Neville, Butt, Richardson (Giggs 45), Solskjaer, Forlan. Subs Not Used: Ricardo, van Nistelrooy, Pugh, Webber. Booked: Phil Neville. Goals: Gary Neville 53.
BASEL: Zuberbuhler, Atouba, Murat Yakin, Zwyssig, Haas, Chipperfield, Cantaluppi, Barberis, Hakan Yakin, Gimenez (Tum 77), Juilio Rossi (Huggel 62). Subs not used: Rapo, Quennoz, Varela, Duruz, Degen. Booked: Cantaluppi. Goals: Gimenez 14.
Referee: Claus Bo-Larsen (Denmark).
