Ferguson defends Coppell's FA Cup stance

MANCHESTER, England, Feb 16 (Reuters) Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has defended Steve Coppell's decision to send a Reading reserve team to Old Trafford for their FA Cup fifth round match tomorrow.

Coppell, a former Cup winner with United, will again rest his top players, who have taken Reading up to sixth place in the Premier League, even though a quarter-final place in the Cup is at stake.

''Steve Coppell has put the cat among the pigeons saying he's playing his reserve team tomorrow, which is very, very interesting,'' Ferguson told reporters.

''But I can understand him. The position they are in the league gives them an outstanding chance of getting into the UEFA Cup and therefore it must colour his thinking.'' Ferguson added: ''He has to win the FA Cup to get real glory for Reading, whereas he'll get real glory by being fifth, sixth or seventh. That's (like) winning a trophy by being in a UEFA place.

''I think it's a realistic view, although I may be wrong in the way he's viewing it. Maybe he feels having given these players chances in the earlier rounds he's giving them a chance in the bigger games, and I think that's admirable.'' Ferguson is full of praise for the job Coppell has done in lifting Reading into the top echelons of English football, particularly with a squad of mainly home-grown players.

''Of course it's a duty of each manager to try and get the best team he can but I think Steve Coppell has done it in a way which is surprising people,'' Ferguson said.

''I think it's encouraging because there is a contentious issue in our game over the last few years about how many foreign players should be playing in the league.'' Ferguson will also make several changes as he looks to keep league leaders United on course for a domestic double.

Wayne Rooney is suspended, while Edwin van der Sar's return from a broken nose is set to come in Tuesday's night Champions League tie away to Lille.

Reuters DH DB2059