Source: Manchester_EveningNews
Owen comes in from the cold
Michael Owen gets another chance to revive his United career tomorrow but this time it will at Glanford Park not Wembley. The Reds striker's last two starts have been at the national stadium. But now he has a date against Scunthorpe tomorrow night. And it could be a case of the old and the new in Sir Alex Ferguson's Carling Cup XI against the Championship side, with surprise £7.4m summer import Bebe also possibly in for the third- round tie. While the 20-year-old Portuguese is looking to get his foot in the Old Trafford door, 29-year-old Owen is attempting yet another breakthrough. The last time he was in Fergie's first XI this season was against Chelsea in the Community Shield and his previous start was in the Carling Cup final last February. Owen scored United's equaliser against Aston Villa in the final then pulled up with a serious hamstring injury and, apart from matches in the pre-season tour, didn't reappear until the August curtain raiser. But he's had only two Premier League sub appearances since Wembley. Owen is getting frustrated with his lack of opportunities. Fergie sympathises but has dismissed a January move to Aston Villa. I understand Michael's frustration - he's exactly right - but it's because Berbatov started the season so well, then the international break came. It's difficult, says Sir Alex. We've got this Carling Cup game and he'll start that. He'll get enough football. Bebe, who predicts he will be brilliant for the Reds after playing in his first reserve outing last week could step up his fitness and conditioning in the tie.