From www.manutd.com

UNITED are another step closer to retaining the Carling Cup after seeing off a spirited challenge from Championship side Barnsley.

The Reds made the perfect start at Oakwell, taking a sixth-minute lead when Danny Welbeck buried a free header from Anderson's right-wing corner. A masterclass in finishing from Michael Owen early in the second half sealed a place in the last eight of the competition, despite Gary Neville's red card then reducing United to ten men.

The night was also notable for Gabriel Obertan's senior debut, more than three months after signing for United. The Frenchman completed a full 90 minutes, switching from one flank to another and showing flashes of promise.

Obertan started on the right and helped to create United's early breakthrough with a jinking run on that flank. The corner he forced was whipped in by Anderson and although he had defenders on either side of him, Welbeck was unchallenged as he nodded the ball past former United goalkeeper Luke Steele.

The cool-as-you-like youngster nearly had a second reason to show us his Usain Bolt style celebration when he killed a ball into the Barnsley box with a sublime first touch and fired in a low strike that Steele did well to save. It was an impressive move, even if Owen was in a position that cried out for a pass rather than a shot from Welbeck. A third chance for Welbeck was more difficult, his header sailing high and wide from Obertan's cross.

Corner kicks at the other end threatened to give Barnsley a way back into the contest. Daniel Bogdanovic came the closest to an equaliser when he beat Federico Macheda at the near post and clipped the outside of the woodwork with his header. Tykes skipper and boyhood United fan Steve Foster caused further moments of alarm for Foster and his back four when he met corners from the left and right, only to twice head the ball off target.

If Welbeck was the main instigator of United's attacks in the first half, he started the second in the same vein, slipping a ball through to Owen who might have done better than toepoke wide had Steele not come off his line to put him under pressure.

United's first goalscorer was withdrawn only a few moments later, apparently having taken a knock. His replacement, Zoran Tosic, almost immediately picked up from where Welbeck had left off. Running across the Barnsley backline to collect the ball, the Serbian sub bent a shot just wide of the top left corner.

Owen's miss just after half-time was just the warm-up for what was to come. From a similar position, but with significantly more to do, United's number seven received a pass from Anderson with his back to goal. In the blink of an eye, Owen turned and then tricked his way through a pack of Barnsley defenders before stroking the ball beyond Steele's dive into the bottom right-hand corner.

It was a stunning goal, reminiscent of the young Owen who came to prominence with England and a certain North West club. At 29, he's still got it - and Sir Alex has more justification for his surprise summer swoop.

The next drama centred on another player currently out of the England picture, Gary Neville. The United skipper slid in to challenge Adam Hammill, probably the home side's most creative player, and although he won the ball, he caught the opponent above the ankle. The contact prompted an angry reaction from the Barnsley man and a surprising one from referee Chris Foy who produced a straight red card. Neville seemed to be in shock as he headed for the dressing room half an hour early.

Hammill recovered sufficiently to break down the left soon after and deliver a cross for substitute Iain Hume to head wide. The latter then turned creator in Barnsley's next attack, feeding Bogdanovic for a low shot that Foster, diving to his left, managed to flick wide. From the resulting corner, Anderson De Silva became the latest Barnsley player to win a header at a setpiece only to send the ball off target.

Another Tykes sub, Jacob Butterfield, forced Foster's best save of the night with a venomous strike that the United keeper parried superbly with his left hand. With lightning reactions, he then gathered the ball with Barnsley strikers closing in.

As an ex-Reds striker, Barnsley boss Mark Robins will rue his side's failure to convert any of their chances. But Foster deserved his clean sheet - the only man to beat him was an injury-time pitch invader - and United certainly merited safe passage to the quarter-finals.

CLICK HERE FOR TICKET INFORMATION FROM OAKWELL!!!