Man Utd run riot as new strike force impress

Wigan Athletic 0-5 Manchester Utd

After losing 1-0 to Burnley in midweek, many people doubted how Manchester United would push for a fourth consecutive title without Cristiano Ronaldo.

But the champions proved many wrong in typical style, scoring a flurry of late goals to beat Roberto Martinez’s side. The day will belong to Wayne Rooney, who scored his 100th and 101st goal in a red shirt, and was praised by boss Sir Alex Ferguson after the game.

“It’s a great achievement as he is only a young lad. It will do him the world of good,” said Ferguson on Rooney. “Some players have been at the club for many years and not reached that total yet,” he said.

“Strikers have to score – that is their mantra. If they are not scoring they think the world is at an end. When they are scoring they think they will never finish scoring. But that is what they are.”

The impressive Dimitar Berbatov was also on the scoresheet, scoring a terrific individual goal as well as showing some lethal touches combining and linking up well as usual. Michael Owen also found the net with a trademark finish, his first goal for his new club, and the creator of that goal, Luis Nani, rounded things off with a last minute fifth after he curled a free kick past Chris Kirkland.

The United boss was happy to see Owen and Berbatov amongst the goals, and hopes the strikers can continue to find the net which will go a long way to United’s title bid.

“That is what he needed, he needed a goal,” the manager said of Owen. “It is what he is made of. I was so pleased for him and Dimitar Berbatov. If the strikers keep doing that it gives us a big chance.”

After a frustrating first half, where Paul Scholes and Darren Fletcher both missed golden chances, the second half was in no way similar. Antonio Valencia supplied a beautiful cross which Wayne Rooney headed home for his 100th goal before Berbatov conjured up a piece of magic minutes later. After a clever dink over the ‘keeper he then volleyed past two defenders to make it 2-0.

Rooney then made it 3-0 after a deflected effort capped up a good move for the visitors. Michael Owen then struck to make it 4-0, a little chip was just too good for Kirkland. And Nani completed the rout with a free kick showing there is in fact life after Ronaldo.