Leeds United well beaten by slick Reds, but one-eyed media bleating about chanting is nauseating ...

United are through to the fourth round of the Carling Cup following the Premier League Champions three goal destruction of Leeds United at Elland Road.

Sir Alex Ferguson confounded many a pundit with his team selection for last night's Carling Cup tie with Leeds. Ahead the game, it was reported that the United manager would send out a team made up of a mixture of youth and experience - many expected Paul Pogba, among others to start. As things turned out, the manager had other ideas. There was no place for Anders Lindegaard, the Dane wasn't even included in the squad - instead Ben Amos was given the nod in goal, which came as a big surprise, as did the fact that Michael Carrick was chosen to partner debutant Ezekiel Fryers in central defence. Ryan Giggs partnered Park Ji-Sung in midfield. Biram Diouf played on the right in front of makeshift fullback, Antonio Valencia. On the opposite flank Fergie picked Kiko Macheda and Fabio with Owen and Berbatov up front.

On paper, it looked like Fergie had drawn the names out of a hat, with the aid of a blindfold, but it went better than most could have possibly hoped for, against what has to be said was a hugely disappointing Leeds United team.

Ferguson had obviously been keen to give everyone a game, but he could just as easily have started with a younger less experienced team; the fact that he chose not to once again illustrated that he is without doubt the fairest manager in the land. Everyone at Manchester United gets a fair crack and his players must respect that fact.

Leeds were given early warning of United's counter-attacking intent when Diouf was put through, however, he had the misfortune to completely miss the ball with a fresh-air shot, but the laughter of the home supporters didn't last long as Michael Owen opened the scoring 15 minutes into the tie. Owen created his own space inside the Leeds box with a quick step inside his marker and with his second touch he tucked the ball into the corner with an unconvincing left foot effort.

If Owen's opening goal was untidy, his second on 32 minutes was anything but. Diouf found Owen lurking on the edge of the Leeds penalty area and once again it was the striker's quick thinking and movement that did the damage, with just two touches, the ball was drilled into the top corner giving Lonergan in the Leeds goal no chance.

Ryan Giggs wrapped up the tie and the scoring on the stroke of half-time after he'd nut-megged his marker on the left edge of the Leeds penalty area; the Welshman's shot might well have taken a deflection but it took nothing away from United's elder statesman who continues to defy the years. Giggs was replaced at half-time, by Paul Pogba and so we can more than likely expect the mercurial Welsh wonder to start against Stoke City on Saturday.

Paul Pogba didn't disappoint on his debut, the French youngster looked assured from his very first forty yard raking pass, one that found Diouf who was hugging the touchline. Pogba certainly wasn't intimidated by the home crowd, although by the time the rising midfield star had entered the action the Leeds team were pretty much in tatters.

Ferguson will have been very pleased with the performances of Pogba and Fryers, but the latter had to leave the action 10 minutes before the end due to an injury, but like Pogba, he too can be well satisfied with a very confident debut.

Ferguson also blooded winger Larnell Cole when he replaced Macheda on 77 minutes, but he didn't see quite as much of the ball in the limited time he was on the pitch, but nonetheless his first-team debut went well.

In the wake of what was a very good night on the pitch for United, much has been said about the events off the pitch. Predictably, there was trouble between both sets of fans and according to one report, the Police were "surprised" by this turn of events.

While this blog does not condone violence in any way, shape or form, we would have been truly amazed if it had turned out to be a trouble free night.

The bad blood that exists between Leeds and Manchester United goes right back to the mid-60s, but much of the trouble is connected to the 1958 Munich Air disaster in which Manchester United lost several players. Leeds United 'fans' have consistently sang songs about the tragedy including the ditty "who's that dying on the runway"... This disgraceful behaviour has continued unabated throughout the decades, by and large, the media have done their level best to ignore the morons who shame the Yorkshire club, but it hasn't stopped them...

Then in the year 2,000 two Leeds fans were killed in Turkey in a football related incident involving supporters of Galatasaray and Leeds. Having taken abuse about the Munich air disaster for donkeys years from Leeds United supporters, sadly some Manchester United fans have stooped to the same sorry level as the morons who sing about the dead of Munich when goading the death of the two Leeds fans.

Manchester United fans unfurled an Istanbul banner at Elland Road last night and both sets of fans engaged in singing songs about their respective tragedies. The media reaction to the events of last night by some pundits has been, to put it mildly, naive.

Manchester United fans have been taking abuse about Munich for a very long time from Leeds, Man City, Liverpool and Bolton fans. But following the events at Elland Road, some well known football journalists have been laying most of the blame on Manchester United fans. These journalists want a reality check - where have they been for the last 20 years? Do they have selective hearing and memories? Or is it the case that these journalists are currying favour with the ABU nation when highlighting the behaviour of Manchester United fans?