• Capital One Cup

Rooney: Cleverley angered Sir Alex

Cheick Tiote and Wayne Rooney battle for the ball © PA Photos

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Wayne Rooney revealed Tom Cleverley received the hairdryer treatment from Sir Alex Ferguson at half-time before he notched the winner in Manchester United's 2-1 Capital One Cup victory over Newcastle at Old Trafford.

Cleverley missed a glaring opportunity to put Ferguson's side ahead before the break, moments prior to Anderson opening the scoring, but redeemed himself by grabbing the second goal that eventually set up a last-16 clash with Chelsea.

Papiss Cisse pulled a goal back for Newcastle 80 seconds after coming on as a substitute and hit the bar with an audacious overhead kick in the dying stages.

"The manager wasn't too pleased with Tom because of that miss in the first half,'' said Rooney. "But it was a nice goal by him and a great strike by Anderson. I am delighted for the two of them, especially Tom because it was his first one.''

The prize for victory was a fourth round encounter with Premier League pace-setters Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next month. It represents a major test for United, not least because of their growing number of injured defenders, Nemanja Vidic and Phil Jones will both still be sidelined.

The departure of Alex Buttner before the end of the contest was another worry for Ferguson. However, there was consolation in the performances of youngsters Scott Wootton and Michael Keane who, until the final 20 minutes when Cisse scored, kept Newcastle at bay in impressive fashion.

"For two young centre-halves playing against top strikers they were fantastic,'' said Darren Fletcher, who was making his first start after 10 months out combating a chronic bowel condition. "They were talking to me the whole game.''

Keane went into the match with just one substitutes' appearance under his belt, while Wootton was making his debut. Marnick Vermijl was also handed his debut at right-back, while Robbie Brady and Ryan Tunnicliffe - whose dad landed a hefty wager at 100-1 that his son would play a first-team game for United, struck when the midfielder was only nine - were also given their first experience of senior combat.

"Newcastle had a stronger team than us physically but we played some fantastic football and we deserved to win,'' said Ferguson. "We want to progress as far as we can in this competition and will do our best to do that.''

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew was disappointed with the outcome, believing his side had done enough to at least take the tie into extra-time. However, their best chance disappeared when Cisse's overhead kick came crashing back off the bar near the end.

"There are a lot of positives to take out of tonight,'' he said. "The media can't hang that tag round Papiss' neck that he has not scored anymore. That goal means everything to him. There is nothing in his work-rate that has changed. Sometimes a goal can make a difference.

"You could see that little bit of exuberance return to his game with the overhead kick. I thought that was in.''

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