R & R Strikes To Dump Aston Villa Out Of FA Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney both scored in the last ten minutes as United bucked up to book their place in the FA Cup fourth round.

The Portuguese star stole in front of Aston Villa full-back Wilfred Bouma to prod home the first goal from Ryan Giggs's low cross in the 81st minute, just when a dour tie seemed destined for a replay at Old Trafford. And when Ronaldo's 89th minute shot was initially blocked, substitute Rooney drilled the rebound past Scott Carson - this just moments after the Villa keeper had made a double save from Michael Carrick.

With only stoppage time remaining, there was really no time for Martin O'Neill's side to recover - especially when it was a side so devoid of any real attacking threat. United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar had even less to do than he did in his previous appearance, when he kept a clean sheet at Liverpool in mid-December.

Van der Sar's return was one of four changes to the team which narrowly defeated Villa’s arch-rivals Birmingham on New Year’s Day. Ryan Giggs replaced Nani, Louis Saha deputised for the injured Carlos Tevez and Wes Brown - the subject of a rejected bid from Newcastle - returned at right-back at the expense of John O’Shea.

Anderson fired the first shot across Villa's bows when he burst forward from midfield in the fifth minute. The Brazilian travelled a similar distance to Giggs in his epic ’99 goal on the same ground but unlike Arsenal, Aston Villa didn’t present a string of defenders for the United attacker to slalom around. The exposed Carson blocked Anderson's shot, although it was too strong for the Villa keeper to clutch it at the first time of asking.

With Giggs operating through the middle to support Saha, it made room for Ji-sung Park to catch the eye on the left flank in the first half. Moments after delivering one menacing cross which Carson did well to claim, the Korean laid a neat pass into the path of his pal Patrice Evra. The French left-back fizzed the ball into the box and Giggs met it with a header that packed a punch but lacked precision.

Giggs had a more clear-cut opportunity on the brink of half-time when Ronaldo drove in a fierce shot from the left. England goalkeeper Carson could only parry the ball into his opponent's path but unlike the Croatians in November, the United captain couldn’t capitalise and his clumsy half-volley crawled wide of the far post.

At the other end, any hopes that Gabriel Agbonlahor had of impressing new England coach Fabio Capello were crushed by the experience and strength of Nemanja Vidic. The Italian will have scribbled down Rio Ferdinand's name, however, after the England defender restricted Villa's John Carew to one shot into the side netting.

The first 45 minutes were surely the poorest half seen in the four recent meetings between United and Villa at this stage of the competition. And the cagey tie barely improved after the break, at least not until Sir Alex Ferguson gave the noisy away fans the personnel change they were chanting for.

Rooney came on for Park in the 70th minute and was soon involved in United's best move of the match, a long one-two with Ronaldo which ended with the sub striking a great shot just over the crossbar.

Another of Villa's young England hopefuls Ashley Young may have fired a shot just inches wide but United looked much the better - and fitter - side as the game entered its decisive final phase. The introduction of Rooney - scorer of two league goals at Villa Park in October - made all the difference. It even seemed to perk up his sidekick Ronaldo who scored the first goal and then assisted the second.

In the brief spell between United's goals, Villa sub Craig Gardner went close with a header from Gareth Barry's superb left-wing cross but van der Sar and the visitors were not to be beaten. Certainly not at Villa Park, where the Reds remain undefeated since 1995 in all but one League Cup tie. With the firepower of Ronaldo and Rooney and a water-tight defence in which Ferdinand and Vidic excel, few would bet against the Reds returning to their favourite away ground next April for yet another FA Cup semi-final.

Aston Villa: Carson, Mellberg, Laursen, Davies, Bouma (Gardner 83), Petrov (Maloney 75), Reo-Coker, Barry, Young, Carew (Moore 64), Agbonlahor.

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Knight.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Park (Rooney 70), Anderson, Carrick, Giggs (O'Shea 90), Ronaldo, Saha (Hargreaves 79).

Subs Not Used: Heaton, Nani.

Goals: Ronaldo 81, Rooney 89.

Att: 33,630

Ref: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).

The visitors go through courtesy of two late goals, the first from a sliding Cristiano Ronaldo

The second arrives when Ronaldo's shot is parried by Scott Carson and Wayne Rooney tucks away the loose ball