United in pole position

Manchester U 2 Otelul Galati 0:NOW THAT Alex Ferguson's favourite scoreline is 1-0 it appears his team are doing their best to oblige him. But for a significant deflection to a rare Wayne Rooney shot four minutes from time Manchester United would have won by a single goal for the second game in succession. The United of old might have been expected to run riot against extremely ordinary opposition after taking the lead as early as the eighth minute but, just as at Everton on Saturday, United, with Rooney in midfield, played the game out unadventurously and contented themselves with the points.

There was never a question of the floodgates opening. It was hardly a statement of intent but back-to-back wins against the Romanian side have produced the effect Ferguson desired. United are top of the group on goal difference with Benfica in second after the draw with FC Basel.

“Michael is a phenomenon,” Ferguson said, by way of explaining his decision to bring back Michael Owen for this Champions League game. “Every time he plays he scores.”

The same can no longer be said of Dimitar Berbatov but he was brought back too, with Rooney again taking up a deeper than usual position in midfield.

Owen did not get much of a chance to score in this game, departing injured after 10 minutes, though by that time United were ahead and the unlucky striker could at least claim a part in the opening goal. Guessing right when Phil Jones sent over a low cross to the near post after seven minutes, Owen could not quite get enough of a touch to divert the ball past Branko Grahovac but his attempt distracted the rest of the Galati defence and it was a simple matter for Antonio Valencia to tap in unopposed at the far post. Owen appeared to overstretch himself in the process and was replaced shortly afterwards by Javier Hernandez, something of a goalscoring phenomenon himself.

Conceding so early didn’t tempt Galati to change their shape or go chasing the game. The Romanians kept most of their players behind the ball and made their opponents work. At least that allowed the home full-backs to push forward and attack.

Jones continued making promising overlaps on the right, with Rooney and Berbatov playing him into space behind the Galati defence almost at will, though the quality of his crossing was disappointing. Jones then cut inside for a shot on the half-hour but Cristian Sarghi got his head to the ball at the last moment.

Rooney looked comfortable in midfield, playing so far down the pitch he usually had time and space in which to work, though not all of his passes found their targets and it was hard not to feel his contribution was being missed closer to goal, where Berbatov and Hernandez were failing to strike up a productive partnership.

United needed a second goal to put the game to bed and were reminded of the slender nature of their lead when Galati briefly threatened before the interval.

Berbatov and Hernandez saw attempts saved early in the second half, the latter from a carefully weighted through ball by Rooney.

Berbatov had the best chance of adding to the scoreline before United scored their second when a stray backpass put him one on one with the Galati goalkeeper, but the Bulgarian fired his shot into the side-netting.

The late goal, unwittingly helped by Cristian Sarghi past his own goalkeeper, made the score identical to the one in the earlier game and possibly reminded United Rooney should be playing further forward when Benfica are the visitors.

MANCHESTER UTD: De Gea, Jones, Ferdinand, Evans (Fryers 89), Fabio Da Silva, Valencia, Anderson (Park 80), Rooney, Nani, Berbatov, Owen (Hernandez 11). Subs not used: Lindegaard, Evra, Welbeck, Pogba. Booked: Evans.

OTELUL GALATI: Grahovac, Rapa, Costin, Sarghi, Salageanu, Neagu, Filip, Giurgiu (Paraschiv 81), Antal (Iorga 61), Pena, Ilie (Frunza 52). Subs not used: Branet, Skubic, Benga, Punosevac. Booked: Costin.

Referee: M Strahonja (Croatia).