Banking on Larssony

English FA Cup: Daniel Taylorcan't find anyone who has a bad word to say about Manchester United's new boy who's an old head

Henrik Larsson signalled he was ready for English football when he skipped round a couple of challenges and chipped Edwin van der Sar on a training pitch at Manchester United's practice ground this week. It was reminiscent of Wayne Rooney beating three men and lifting the ball over David James in his first England training session. Except Rooney was 17 at the time, whereas Larsson is at the sort of age when, for many footballers, insecurity can appear on the horizon.

Three months into his 36th year, Larsson will become the oldest striker Alex Ferguson has used when he makes his debut against Aston Villa in the FA Cup tomorrow. He looks sleek and athletic, 35 going on 25, and Ferguson spoke regretfully about what the striker might have achieved for the club if he had signed five or 10 years earlier.

After training with him for the past fortnight, Ryan Giggs has called him a "natural goalscorer". Ronaldinho, his former Barcelona team-mate, described him yesterday as his "idol", while Gordon Strachan, his former manager at Celtic, predicted Larsson would "make himself a legend" at Old Trafford.

Craig Brown, the former Scotland manager, went even further. "Michael Owen is the poor man's Henrik Larsson," he said. "Will Larsson score goals in the Premiership? Well, he's scored plenty at international level, and often against England."

What a strange game football is. If Ferguson had announced last season that he intended to sell Ruud van Nistelrooy and bring in a 35-year-old on loan from Helsingborgs there might have been mutiny among United's supporters.

When that player has a European Cup and Golden Boot on his CV it is different. Larsson is a more accomplished finisher than Rooney. He is a better reader of the game than Louis Saha. A more prolific scorer than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He may be at the end of his career, but for the next 10 weeks his presence could be hugely significant to United's season.

"When he came to Barcelona, Henrik said nice things about me, but by the time he left he was my idol," said Ronaldinho. "In fact, he was my idol even before that. I remember him playing for Sweden in the 1994 World Cup. Henrik taught me a lot about football and I learned even more from him as a person. I was disappointed that he left for Sweden because I would have loved to have played with him for longer. Now United will benefit from his experience and knowledge. They are incredibly lucky. He is still in incredibly good shape and could carry on playing at the highest level for a long time."

Ferguson spoke of a player who will bring a new dimension to an attack that has already scored 49 goals in 22 league games this season. Larsson may fundamentally be a striker, but he can also play left or right. He is guileful and experienced enough to slip in seamlessly and Ferguson has talked about him being an "impact player" when he starts on the bench.

After their 2-2 draw at Newcastle on New Year's Day, Ferguson complained that United had missed "enough chances to win five games", and in that area it is hoped Larsson will fill the void left by Van Nistelrooy, albeit only temporarily.

Aside from Solskjaer, he will become the only United player who could be classified as a predatory taker of chances. A player, in other words, whom Chelsea, among others, could desperately do with.

"This is a guy that has been at the top end of striking for over a decade," said Ferguson. "He virtually won the European Cup for Barcelona last season. He's still in great shape. He's sharp, alert. He's quick. He looks really good. Everybody's looking forward to seeing what he can do."

The one danger is that Larsson has been so hyped that it could cloud Old Trafford in anti-climax if he does not star in every match until March 12th, when his loan expires. Ferguson might have done him no favours by musing about him having the Cantona effect. Larsson, remember, is available only for a maximum 13 games - seven in the Premiership, possibly four FA Cup ties and both legs against Lille in the Champions League.

Yet it is difficult to be too guarded. Larsson's talents have quickly come to the fore throughout his career. At Celtic, he scored 242 times in 315 appearances in all competitons; for Sweden, he has 36 goals in 93 games; at Barcelona, the club legend Julio Salinas, writing in El Mundo Deportivo, awarded him 10 out of 10 for his performances last season, higher than any other player, including Ronaldinho.

"He had an incredible season," Salinas said last night. "I had no option but to give him 10 out of 10. He always went about his job in the right way. He spent time on the bench but never once did he moan. His whole demeanour was admirable and when he was given his chance he took it. I can only be impressed by Larsson as a person and a player. He is 35 but he runs around like a 20-year-old. It was a shame he did not stay as he still has a lot to give at the highest level."

There are one or two stories to suggest Larsson is not quite the angel that is often portrayed in the media. Yet it is safe to say he will not be photographed stumbling out of Manchester's swankiest bars in the early hours. Ferguson wants Larsson to be a role model for the likes of Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, and there is sufficient testimony from former team-mates and colleagues to suggest he will immerse himself in the camaraderie and togetherness that have been the hallmark of United's great teams.

The other benefit is that his presence could inspire others, and maybe drag Rooney out of what has been a slightly disappointing season. Saha might be motivated by the arrival of a challenger for his place.

"Even if Henrik is not in the team he will contribute a lot because of his attitude, his professionalism and his experience," said Kenneth Karlsson, his first coach at Hogaborg. "He knows he will be on the bench sometimes but he doesn't have a problem with that. He learned that at Barcelona - and he won the Champions League for them, which shows what he can achieve even from that position. Ferguson obviously knows that and I am sure that is part of the reason he signed him.

"I remember when he was 15 and 16. He was obviously very good then, but the thing about Henrik was how bloody stubborn he was. He would not give up anything. If he had put his mind to something, then he would achieve it. Even then. That is what has made him such an extraordinary player, such a winner. He was quite shy then and that has obviously changed, but he is the same person he was before he became a star."

Guardian Service