Foster set for Reds comeback
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United goalkeeper Ben Foster is set to make his return from knee ligament damage in the Reserves' clash with Middlesbrough tonight.
The 24-year-old underwent knee surgery last summer and, after a gruelling recovery process, has been named in the Reds' squad by Brian McClair and Jim Ryan.
Foster's United career to date has been a strange tale. Despite joining three years ago from Stoke City, his injury and two seasons on loan at Watford have prevented him from making a single competitive appearance for the Reds.
The England international has resigned himself to waiting until next season for a first team opening at Old Trafford, but Thursday's match against Boro will be a welcome step in the right direction.
Foster is the oldest member of a strong squad for the Teessiders' visit. Chris Eagles, Gerard Pique and Danny Simpson are also included, alongside the highly-rated Rodrigo Possebon and Danny Welbeck. -
Ben Foster completed 90 minutes on his return from knee surgery on Thursday evening, as United's Reserves registered a hard-fought win over Middlesbrough's second string with goals from Sam Hewson and Chris Eagles.
The England international goalkeeper turned in a solid display and showed no apparent ill-effects of his first competitive outing since his final loan appearance for Watford 10 months ago.
Foster was rarely tested by Boro's forwards in a scrappy match, but looked alert and was sharply off his line on a number of occasions. When he was finally beaten, it was by a controversial second half penalty from Boro's Graham Owens.
That spot kick cancelled out Hewson's fine opener for United, a goal which was the outstanding moment in a scrappy first 45 minutes. The Reds' skipper was on hand to convert after Danny Welbeck had fired Chris Eagles' neat pass goalwards.
Ten minutes after the break, Owens rattled the frame of Foster's goal with a superb 25 yard free-kick, but the Reds goalkeeper almost had a hand in United doubling their advantage six minutes later.
Foster picked out Danny Welbeck with a mammoth clearance and, although the England youth striker managed to head past goalkeeper Brad Jones, his effort was cleared off the line by Seb Hines.
The visitors were handed a route back into the match on 68 minutes when Danny Simpson was harshly ruled to have handled inside the area, and Owens hammered the spot kick in off the bar.Hewson then lashed a volley just wide and Eagles drove wide from 25 yards as United sought to regain their lead. Eagles' effort proved to be a valuable sighter as, six minutes from time, he had a more successful effort from similar range.
Picking the ball up from substitute Anton Bryan, the winger worked his way infield and, ignoring the runs of Welbeck and Tom Cleverley, lashed a superb 30 yard effort in off Jones' left-hand post.
It was the latest in a long line of special goals from Eagles this season, but he almost topped the lot three minutes later. From a free-kick 25 yards out, Welbeck flicked the ball up for Eagles to volley, and Jones had to fling himself to his left to claw the ball round the post.
Eagles then slipped a fine cross back to Welbeck in injury time, but the promising young striker could only clip his shot wide of the near post.
The two goals were enough in the end, however, to register a first win in four games for the Reserves, while Foster provided the evening's main positive with a long-awaited return to action.
United: Foster; Simpson, Pique, Chester, Eckersley; Cleverley, Hewson, Possebon (C Evans 75), Eagles; Fagan (Bryan 78), Welbeck.
Subs not used: Zieler, Lea, James. -
Rodrigo Possebon is impressive...
His video on youtube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sldXY8fTqPY
