Evening all and welcome to our minute-by-minute coverage of this evening’s Champions League semi-final second leg between Manchester United and Schalke 04.

Following United’s 2-0 victory in Gelsenkirchen last week, some people have branded this tie a “dead rubber.” When I say “some people,” I mean the bookies who have priced the home side up at odds of 1/200 to progress to a Wembley date against Barcelona on May 28.

Sadly, I tend to agree. But the powers that be have decided that tonight is my night to work, so here I am for the next couple of hours, hoping and praying for a decent game of football at least.

I’ll have the team news for you presently.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Rafael Da Silva, Smalling, Evans, O’Shea, Gibson, Scholes, Anderson, Valencia, Berbatov, Nani.

Subs: Kuszczak, Evra, Owen, Giggs, Hernandez, Vidic, Fletcher.

Schalke 04: Neuer, Uchida, Howedes, Metzelder, Escudero, Papadopoulos, Jurado, Farfan, Baumjohann, Draxler, Raul.

Subs: Schober, Sarpei, Edu, Schmitz, Karimi, Huntelaar, Matip.

Well, judging by the United line-up, it seems that Fergie is firmly in the “dead rubber” camp himself. He seems to have gone for 4-5-1 with Berbatov leading the charge from the front by himself. It’s quite a young side too with Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Gibson and Anderson all aged 23 and under.

Of course, the big man in goal brings the average age of the side up quite a bit but that’s a different conversation for a different day.

It’s definitely the optimism talking but does that lineup make anyone else think that Schalke could make a game of this tonight? United fans, is it a bit of a risk or does Lord Ferg know best (as always)?

ESPN’s “soccer” man Janusz Michallik has just tweeted the following. Could Fergie’s decision to field an understrength team give the Germans a bit of an edge?

Before you say it, I realise that I am trying to stir up something out of nothing and that United will win 2-1.

All over Britain right about now, tabloid subs are wondering if they can get away with rehashing the greatest headline ever written – Super Cally Go Ballistic, Celtic Are Atrocious.

It’s 3-1 to Inverness at the moment with about 20 minutes to play. If things stay that way, Celtic will remain a point behind Rangers with three games left to play each.

Now, where did I leave that bottle …

But back to more important matters. Remember when you were in school and there was one kid who used to love / was bullied into helping everybody else with their homework? Well, we’ve got the Champions League equivalent (minus the bullying, of course) in Paul Ring.

Check out his study guide for tonight’s game here.

Nothing much happened last week but nothing much seemed to happen in the opening episode of The Wire either. We have to dig deeper.

Were the Germans lulling United into a false sense of security? Is it all a ruse by them to ensure United play Michael Owen and they will then instruct their defenders to defend, midfielders to run and strikers to take the odd shot.

All in the game yo.

Just about ten minutes to kick off at Old Trafford. Send your prediction in via the usual means – I’m sure there’s a prize knocking about somewhere for anybody who manages to get the scoreline right.

“With Gibson on the pitch, anything is possible,” writes John Gorman over on our Facebook page.

Ssshh, he might hear you and get all upset. Again.

The teams are out and the United fans appear to have pulled off a pretty decent looking mosaic à la Barcelona last night. Nicely done, lads.

I should have mentioned that John O’Shea captains Manchester United for the first time in Europe tonight. A big honour for the man from Waterford.

We’re off, United playing from left to right.

Schalke have come to have a go tonight by the looks of things. They’re pressing United very high up the pitch in these opening minutes. Some nice little link play between Jurado and Raul as well around the edges of the United box. It’ll be interesting to see if they can make any chances out of it though.

Rafael and Scholes double up in midfield to win possession, setting Nani free on a jinking little run. He beats a couple of rather flatfooted Schalke defenders before winning a corner which ultimately comes to nothing.

United back off Farfan and he takes a couple of strides before deciding to fire in a daisy-cutter from 20 yards out. It ends up about a foot wide of Edwin van der Sar’s right-hand post but I think the big Dutchman had the threat covered.

All the noise in Old Trafford seems to be coming from the away end where the travelling supporters are in fine voice. I wish I could tell you what they’re saying but my Leaving Cert German is a bit rusty.

Darron Gibson appears to be in quite considerable pain. He managed to dispossess Jefferson Farfan with a well-time challenge in the middle of the park but Peruvian accidentally caught him with a boot to the ribs as the two collided. The medics come on and do their thing and it looks like he’ll be ok to continue.

Hmmm. Unusually, considering his performance last Tuesday night, Neuer looked a little bit uncertain as he tried to come and claim a deep United cross. He gets away with it though as the ref adjudges Valencia to have fouled him and awards a free-kick.

For all of their good intentions and hard-work, Schalke haven’t really tested van der Sar who looks comfortable every time the Germans pump the ball into the United area. Almost 20 minutes gone and there have been no real chances of note for either side yet. Still, a decent game …

Another quarter-chance for United. Gibson sets Berbatov free inside the Schalke box but the Bulgarian takes an unnecessary touch and Howedes is able to get back in time to knock his squared ball behind for a corner.

GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Schalke 04 (Valencia, 26′) I’m not quite sure how this happened but at some stage over the last few minutes (possibly during the earlier injury break) United somehow managed to switch Darron Gibson with Andres Iniesta. I kid you not.

Schalke carelessly give away possession as they try to work the ball out of their own half. It’s knocked to the Northern Irishman on the edge of the centre circle and he strokes a perfectly-weighted pass which splits the Schalke defence and sets Antonio Valencia free. He finishes coolly, if somewhat fortunately, through Manuel Neuer’s legs and just like that, it’s game over.

The United fans treat us to a chorus of “Que sera sera, whatever will be, will be. We’re going to Wem-ber-ley.” They’re in full voice now.

GOAL! Manchester United 2-0 Schalke (Gibson, 32′) Who else? The ball falls perfectly to D-Ron on the edge of the Schalke box, the crowd (ironically?) screams “SHOOOOOOOOOOOOT” and the man of the moment obliges.

He hammers a low piledriver straight at Manuel Neuer who seems determined to lose all the fans which he won last week. He rather clumsily palms the ball into the net and it’s game over. Again.

GOAL! Manchester United 2-1 Schalke (Jurado, 35′) My little fingers can’t quite type quickly enough. Jurado steps onto a bobbling ball just inside the United box and rifles one past a helpless van der Sar.

Still game over, mind you – the Germans need three more to progress.

Farfan stands over a free-kick about 22 yards out and, after what seems like an absolute eternity in which Gibson and Scholes both pick up yellow cards, he smacks it straight into the wall.

Might I be the first to say that Schalke will never get three more with free kicks like that.

Another yellow card for United, this one for Anderson. Note to United players: stop going in with your studs up; this ref doesn’t approve.

This just in, direct from the Sky Sports studio presumably.

HALF TIME: Manchester United 2-1 Schalke (4-1 agg) That’s our lot for the moment. I’ll be back after I pop the soup in the microwave. Send in your thoughts if you’re so inclined.

Billo and the lads in the RTÉ studio have just described Neuer as having “a touch of Gomes” following his disappointing attempt to deal with Gibson’s strike.

What a fickle, fickle world we live in.

On the plus side (and as a final word before I get accused of turning the liveblog into some sort of TV review column), I’m delighted to see Richie Sadlier has gotten the call-up for one of RTÉ’s big games. More of that, ya hear me.

Just about ready to go again at Old Trafford and Ralf Rangnick has made an attack-minded substitution, bringing Edu on for Baumjohann.

We’re off.  I think the best we can hope for is a couple of more goals in this half while United fans will be keeping an eye on their cautioned midfield trio (Gibson, Scholes, Anderson) to make sure that they don’t manage to get themselves ruled out of the final.

There was a bit of commotion towards the end of the first half as the travelling supporters set off a couple of flares in the away end.

I’d imagine that’s what’s going on in this picture (via Mike Egerton/EMPICS Sport).

Reminds me of the Shed End in Inchicore on a Friday night.

A bright start to the second half from both sides. Raul tries to tee up Farfan but the Peruvian’s shot is deflected behind for a corner. Which comes to nothing.

Then Valencia breaks down the pitch and wins a corner. Which comes to nothing.

Are you sensing the same pattern that I’m sensing here?

Oooooh. Nani and Berbatov combine to play the ball back to Anderson on the edge of the Schalke area. He curls a beautiful first-time shot goalwards but Neuer gets the faintest of fingertips to brush it onto the post and behind for a corner. Nice move.

Evening, stats lovers – don’t worry, I haven’t completely forgotten about you. Apparently Schalke have had more possession and more shots on target than United so far. How about that?

United make their first change of the evening, bang on the hour mark. Evra comes on for Rafael, with O’Shea switching over to right-full presumably.

The zip has gone out of this one slightly over the last few minutes. Farfan tries and fails to direct his header towards the United goal but it doesn’t really matter as he was offside anyway.

He’s only been on the pitch for about six or seven minutes, but it looks like Patrice Evra may have pulled a hamstring. That is not exactly ideal for Manchester United. Fergie sends Vidic out, presumably with instructions to warm up properly, and they’ll probably be forced to make a change in a minute or two.

Another attacking substitution for Schalke, for whatever it’s worth at this stage. Huntelaar on for Howedes.

Smalling sticks the ball in the Schalke net from about three yards out but it’s chalked off for offside.

GOAL! Manchester United 3-1 Schalke (Anderson, 72′) Game over. Wait, I already said that, didn’t I?

Full credit to Nani who wriggled free to tee Anderson up inside the Schalke. The Brazilian would have scored with his first touch but for a brilliant last-ditch tackle from Uchida. However, Anderson simply gets back to his feet in drills underneath Neuer’s outstretched right arm.

Once again, the keeper doesn’t cover himself in glory. Cue the inevitable (and totally unjustified) Gomes comments once again.

GOAL! Manchester United 4-1 Schalke (Anderson, 76′) A lovely ball from Valencia springs Berbatov. He rolls the ball past the advancing Neuer and across the face of the goal where Anderson taps it into the unguarded net.

That chant rings out around Old Trafford again. You know the one I mean, “he shits on Fabregas” etc etc.

Indeed.

Even at 6-1 on aggregate, Edwin van der Sar can’t switch off. He hares out of his goal and gets down smartly to block Huntelaar’s effort.

And now it’s Schalke’s turn to have a goal ruled out for offside. Edu puts all of his pent-up frustration into a shot from about 25 yards out and it’s too hot to handle for van der Sar who palms it onto Huntelaar’s toe, allowing his fellow countryman to finish.

The flag is up though and replays show that Huntelaar was about a tenth of a yard offside. Which is the same as being ten yards offside really, so he can’t have too many complaints.

Of course, it’s right about now that I should point out that Fergie was right about the tactics for tonight and I was wrong. The man’s a genius, pure and simple.

Wazza seems confident enough that Schalke won’t get five in the next three minutes.

Into injury time at Old Trafford. Not an awful lot left to be said about this one really.

Cracking save by Neuer to deny Michael Owen. Where are the Gomes comparisons now, eh?

FULL TIME: Manchester United 4-1 Schalke 04 (agg. 6-1)

So there you have it, a third Champions League final in four years for Manchester United which is a truly remarkable achievement by anyone’s standard.

Nobody really expected anything but a United win tonight, but few would have confidently predicted the level of performance and the emphatic result which we have just witnessed, particularly when Alex Ferguson handed in his team-sheet before kick-off.

If you haven’t already done so, you might want to mark Saturday May 28 in your calendar: Manchester United versus Barcelona in the 2011 Champions League Final in Wembley. I can’t see how that is going to be anything other than a cracker.

That’s all from me for this evening, thanks for stopping by. We’ll be back with some more reaction to tonight’s game in the morning. See you then.