The Times:
Alex Ferguson would like everyone to believe that Manchester United's young players are as good as those being cultivated by Arsène Wenger at Arsenal, but there was little evidence of that being the case at Old Trafford last night.
For the second season running, United were eliminated in the early stages of the Carling Cup by a Coca-Cola Championship side as Coventry City took full advantage of the home team's youth and naivety to book their place in the fourth round with a thoroughly deserved 2-0 victory.
A goal in either half from Michael Mifsud, a former Maltese Sports Personality of the Year who earned the nickname of "mosquito" by virtue of the fact that he is always buzzing around, ensured that there was a nasty sting in the tail for Ferguson. The Coventry striker would even have had a hat-trick, but somehow fired wide after Stephen Hughes's free kick was spilt in the 82nd minute.
It was United's worst result in the competition at Old Trafford since they lost 3-0 to York City in September 1995, but even allowing for the 11 changes Ferguson made to the team who defeated Chelsea 2-0 on Sunday, there was little to excuse such a sorry showing.
The Guardian:
Sir Alex Ferguson admitted last night that he was "flabbergasted" by Manchester United's third-round exit from the Carling Cup after a dismal 2-0 home defeat against Coventry City.
The United manager changed the entire team from the side that started the Premier League game against Chelsea on Sunday but he still included £34m worth of summer signings in Nani and Anderson and sent on Michael Carrick and Wes Brown in the second half in what proved to be a failed rescue attempt. Instead Coventry's Michael Mifsud scored in each half to take his side into the fourth round.
Mifsud, nicknamed Mosquito by the Coventry assistant manager, Tim Flowers, for his frenetic style of play, scored a goal in either half as Ferguson's collection of youngsters and fringe players fell victim to lower-league opposition at Old Trafford for the first time since York City triumphed 3-0 at the ground in the same competition 12 years ago.
With the Carling Cup lying a distant fourth in United's list of priorities this season, it was hardly surprising that Ferguson opted to use this game as an opportunity to hand playing time to those fringe players and youngsters unlikely to come close to Premier League or European action.
Jonny Evans and Danny Simpson were both handed full debuts, while Gerard Piqué, Lee Martin and Dong Fangzhuo were also called upon to prove their credentials. But although Coventry warmed up for this encounter with a 4-1 Championship defeat at Ipswich at the weekend, Dowie's team possessed enough experience and quality to embarrass the 2006 winners.
United's kids may ultimately have the potential to enjoy long and successful careers at Old Trafford, but the same was said of the team that Ferguson sent out against non-league Exeter in the FA Cup third round almost three years ago and that tie ended in a humiliating 0-0 draw which as good as ended the United careers of David Bellion and Eric Djemba-Djemba.
The Telegraph:
Michael Mifsud, a Maltese forward nicknamed the 'Mosquito', provided a true sting in the tail for Sir Alex Ferguson's selection gamble with both goals as Coventry City claimed a Carling Cup upset against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
United, weakened by the absence of a host of first-team regulars, were outplayed and outfought throughout by Iain Dowie's team, who booked their place in the fourth round with unexpected ease.
Ever since a then unknown Paul Scholes marked his senior United debut by scoring twice in a League Cup victory at Port Vale 13 years ago, Ferguson has cocked a deaf ear to suggestions that his preference for youth over experience in this particular cup has devalued the competition.
Yet turning to the club's lesser lights has not always resulted in success for Ferguson. York City humiliated United by claiming a 3-0 League Cup victory at Old Trafford in September 1995, while non-League Exeter City escaped with a 0-0 draw in the FA Cup third round three years ago
Sprinkled among the present crop of youngsters, however, were multi-million pound purchases such as Nani and Anderson and neither they, nor their junior colleagues, appeared capable of competing with Coventry's energy and desire in the first half.
Dowie's team, having suffered a 4-1 defeat at Ipswich at the weekend, were clearly under orders to show an improvement from that display and they were fully deserving of their lead when Mifsud opened the scoring on 27 minutes.
The Indie:
If the Carling Cup has become the measure of the next generation for Arsène Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson then it is the Arsenal manager who will be anticipating the future with the greater pleasure this week. A day after Wenger's fledgling stars had so impressively seen off a strong Newcastle side, Ferguson's found that a middle-of-the-road Championship side simply knew too much.
With a goal in each half from the impressive Maltese international Michael Mifsud, Iain Dowie's Coventry City pulled off a memorable victory to end United's interest in the competition at what for their team is the first hurdle.
"The performance was a shock to us all," Ferguson said. "These are players whose talents we have been trumpeting for a while but I was flabbergasted with the performance."
Ferguson had gambled with a complete change of team after Sunday's win over Chelsea, knocking on the head the notion that Wayne Rooney might be given his third game in eight days after his recovery from injury. He picked nine players aged 21 or younger. These included Nani and Anderson but at the start the only real senior experience was provided by John O'Shea, who captained the side from central midfield on his 129th start since making his debut in this competition in 1999.
The back four included two players, Jonny Evans and Danny Simpson, who were making their senior United debuts and while both gained useful experience on loan with Sunderland last season, protecting United's 100 per cent record of clean sheets at Old Trafford this season proved to be a testing challenge. It was one that proved beyond them, as Coventry emphasised their intention not to be compliant guests at some kindergarten party by going ahead in the 30th minute, much to the raucous delight of the 11,000 fans they had brought with them up the M6.
The first goal tore United's defence apart in classic style. Leon Best spread the play by releasing Michael Doyle wide on the left, the Coventry captain responding with a low driven cross to the opposite post. Mifsud arrived to meet it, the Maltese international firing in his fourth goal of the season, three of them in the Carling Cup after a second-round double against Carlisle United.
Moments later he almost added another, attempting to convert Robbie Simpson's low cross from the right with the inside of his right heel. United were relieved that it bounced away after clipping the foot of a post.
By now the enthusiasm of the home crowd had been dampened somewhat as a United attack, in which the winger, Lee Martin, made probably the most eyecatching contribution, began to look rather less confident.