Manchester United 5 Nantes 1CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Manchester United survived an early scare last night before sweeping their French opponents aside with a five-goal onslaught that consolidated their position at the top of Group A and put them within touching distance of the European Cup quarter-finals.
Reaching their most exhilarating form with an impeccable sense of timing, United responded to Nantes' opening goal with three of their own before half-time. Ruud van Nistelrooy added another after the interval to take his personal tally, Charity Shield included, to 30 for the season before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer rounded off matters nicely with his second of the evening.
After a hugely satisfying night United can make sure of reaching the knockout stages for the sixth successive season when they meet Bayern Munich, who beat Boavista 1-0 last night, at Old Trafford in two weeks' time.
Alex Ferguson had emphasised beforehand that Nantes' relegation form in the French league should not lull United into a bloated sense of optimism. However, this was a watered-down Nantes team from that which drew 1-1 with United in the Beaujoire Stadium six days earlier. Ferguson was particularly relieved to see Viorel Moldovan and Marama Vahirua, two strikers who had caused them problems last week, relegated to the bench.
Old Trafford, on the other hand, will have been relieved to see the United manager dispense with the 4-1-4-1 system which at times this season has given his players the impression of trying to squeeze into an ill-fitting suit.
Nantes' football throughout the opening exchanges was neat and adventurous with width and penetration. United, in contrast, needed the shock of going a goal down to work up a head of steam.
Only four minutes had elapsed when they failed to clear a corner from the right and Frederic Da Rocha headed the ball against the crossbar. In the chaotic few seconds that followed, Van Nistelrooy appeared to handle inside United's penalty area but the Spanish referee Manuel Enrique Mejuto Gonzalez gave the striker the benefit of the doubt.
On 16 minutes they were not so fortunate and, for that, Beckham must accept an element of blame. First he failed to get his usual accuracy on a corner and Nantes broke upfield to win a throw-in on the left. Beckham should have picked up Pierre-Yves Andre but dawdled and a quick throw from Jean-Hugues Bilayi Ateba released his team-mate to whip in an exquisite cross for Da Rocha to score.
Roy Keane ensured that Beckham knew exactly what he thought of it, but within a minute the England captain had made amends. Yves Deroff handled the ball 30 yards from goal and the subsequent free-kick was curled wonderfully into the top right-hand corner of the goal.
Suddenly United were playing with a renewed verve. Just after the half-hour Denis Irwin released Van Nistelrooy to the right of goal with a pass that any of his more attack-minded colleagues would have been proud of. The Dutchman crossed to the far post where Ryan Giggs headed back for Solskjaer, 29 yesterday, to nod in a birthday goal.
United's third, five minutes later, came from a more unusual source. Beckham was the provider, swinging over a fine free-kick from the right, and Mikael Silvestre ghosted in to direct a firm header beyond Mickael Landreau for his first of the season.
Van Nistelrooy stepped up to rifle a penalty past Landreau, after himself being tugged back by Nestor Fabbri. Solskjaer completed the scoring when he glanced in another Beckham free-kick 12 minutes from time.
Guardian Service
MANCHESTER UTD: Barthez, Irwin, Blanc (Johnsen 68), Gary Neville, Silvestre, Beckham, Veron, Keane (Butt 75), Giggs, van Nistelrooy (Forlan 69), Solskjaer. Subs Not Used: Carroll, Phil Neville, Scholes, Yorke. Goals: Beckham 19, Solskjaer 31, Silvestre 38, van Nistelrooy 64 pen, Solskjaer 78.
NANTES: Landreau, Deroff, Cetto, Fabbri, Armand, Ateba (Vahirua 62), Djemba-Djemba (Savinaud 57), Berson, Ziani (Quint 78), Da Rocha, Andre. Subs Not Used: Grondin, Moldovan, Ahamada, Devineau. Booked: Berson. Goal: Da Rocha 17.
Referee: M Mejuto Gonzalez (Spain)
