"Bloody football," was Alex Ferguson's memorable first statement after the frenetic finale to Manchester United's European Cup final last May. Last night he was entitled to say: "bloody brilliant football." He was entitled to, but didn't.

He did come close, though, saying: "It was absolutely superb. What concerned me was that we have been playing in fits and starts, but tonight's was a relentless performance. I don't think there is any doubt that it's the best performance of the season. I think when we're faced with the big challenges, time and time again we have proved that it suits us. It was a really top display, the teamwork and imagination was excellent."

So invigorating was it that Ferguson said he felt it had "rekindled" the United players' enthusiasm at the stage of the season when others are tiring. A special occasion when, as Ferguson said with a smile: "You didn't hear a crisp paper rattle anywhere." He added: "The good thing for them is that the players rekindled everything tonight. The noise, the atmosphere in the stadium, these players need that."

Ferguson was in such good form he even praised Gabriel Batistuta's goal as "breathtaking" and when he was asked if he agreed with Fiorentina's manager Giovanni Trappatoni's assessment that United have it within them to go on and recapture the European title, Ferguson just said: "Yep."

"Now we have to go to Valencia and win the group. But we go with confidence really high. We know about the ones that are left in, Bayern and Barcelona, we know about Chelsea. The important thing is that we maintain that level if we can. That's the challenge now. But we prepare for March and April, always have."

Cheerful and ominous, Ferguson then departed.

Valencia need just one point to join Manchester United in the quarter-finals after crushing Bordeaux 4-1 in France last night.