Although the Red Devils are through to the semi-finals, Goal.com's Greg Ptolomey wonders how Man Utd managed to keep Carlos Tevez benched throughout a crucial Champions League encounter in Portugal.
Let's not beat around the bush, Manchester United were very professional in the way they went about their business at the Estadio do Dragao. They flew out of the traps - Cristiano Ronaldo scored a 35-yard screamer after six minutes - and the first ever English win at Porto followed. The Red Devils are through to the Champions League semi-finals to face Arsenal, and that should be a cracker.
However, we're at the business end of the season now, and there's some strange business to be noted: Carlos Tevez didn't get a run-out.
United's performance tonight was a textbook away performance in Europe: a really satisfying grind against an outfit who showed during the 2-2 draw at Old Trafford that they have some claws and are willing to scratch without provocation.
There were solid performances throughout, to be sure. Edwin van der Sar was confident between the sticks, barring a few flaps towards the end, and his defence, off-colour Patrice Evra aside, looked back to their best. The four man midfield put in a power of work, with the vintage Ryan Giggs masterful on the left and Wayne Rooney bullish and honest on the right, of all places. Up front, Dimitar Berbatov and Cristiano Ronaldo put themselves about and did the simple things well. Yes, even the laconic Bulgarian looked up for the battle.
For all that, though, a late equaliser on the night would have sent the hosts through and the European champions crashing out. Nani came on for Berbatov on 69 minutes and was shockingly off the pace, and United were perhaps lucky that Porto didn't muster more of a cutting edge.
Sitting on the bench throughout - and Sir Alex Ferguson only made two substitutions - was the powerful Argentine Tevez. There were tired legs out there, and the hard-working forward would have relished the contest. There's few in the game who provide the blend of raw energy, versatility and attacking quality which the floppy-haired buzz-bomb guarantees, so to bring the unpredictable and unproven Nani on ahead of him spoke volumes.
Tevez is on loan from his parent company MSI, of course, and United are yet to stump up the money to secure him on a permanent basis. This latest snub was needless and detrimental, and I'd guess wouldn't have happened to a permanent Red Devil.
The striker has done more than enough this season to merit a higher standing at the club, and can have a massive say in the run-in if Fergie puts his trust in him. If there's more going on behind the scenes regarding his complex contract scenario, then the United fans need to know. This uncertainty isn't fair on anyone, and Tevez is a United player on merit. The club should certainly be bigger than this silly loan arrangement, and his sketchy future shouldn't have a say in a Champions League contest.
Manchester United can be very satisfied with a fine away performance, but the Tevez scenario leaves a bad taste in the mouth. It simply didn't make sense not to involve a crucial player in a crucial match.
One gets the feeling that the full story isn't being told to the media or to the United faithful, and it's clearly not good enough. Okay, Federico Macheda has emerged, but there's room for both in an attacking pool light on numbers. Sure, it'd cost them an arm and a leg to secure Tevez's permanent signature, but it would have cost more if Porto had converted a last-gasp half-chance. Worse, he may just come back to haunt them in the colours of Real Madrid or Inter next season.
Greg Ptolomey, Goal.com
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