Tevez was one of the few United first-team regulars on show at a wet and windy Old Trafford as Sir Alex Ferguson made wholesale changes from the side defeated by Arsenal at the weekend.
Although United dominated possession throughout the first-half, chances were few and far between, and the home side only had a series of poorly-delivered corners to show for their dominance.
For most of the evening the hosts were lacking in quality, and despite some promising build-up play United’s finishing was not to their usual standard, with Nani and Anderson particularly wayward in the first half.
The visitors, who are currently without a full-time manager after the recent departure of Iain Dowie, struggled to provide any kind of service to lone striker Dexter Blackstock and failed to trouble Tomas Kuszczak with a single shot in the opening 45 minutes.
Rangers were forced into an early change when Akos Buzsaky was replaced by Patrick Agyemang on 33 minutes as the Hungarian was forced off by a knee injury.
Caretaker boss Gareth Ainsworth made further changes at half-time as Emanuel Ledesma replaced the disappointing Daniel Pareja.
The second half was a livelier affair as Nani beat several men before lashing a shot at goal and South Korea international Ji-Sung Park struck the post after some fine work on the right by young Brazilian Rafael Da Silva.
United’s players were clearly growing increasingly frustrated by their inability to create an opening and, no doubt frustrated himself, Ferguson withdrew Rodrigo Possebon for young striker Danny Welbeck.
It did not take long for Welbeck to make his mark and within two minutes he was hauled down by Peter Ramage and United had a penalty, which Tevez coolly converted.
Oliver Roland Jones / Eurosport
