Red-hot Devils blitz Greeks

Manchester Utd 5 Panathinaikos 0

Two goals in as many minutes from Mikael Silvestre and Quinton Fortune gave United the start they dreamed of, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Nicky Butt sealed the win long before Eric Djemba-Djemba tapped home a fifth.

United began their latest campaign without Cristiano Ronaldo and captain Roy Keane, who has still not fully recovered from the ankle injury he suffered in the victory at The Valley.

In Keane’s absence, Ryan Giggs was handed the captain’s armband as the Red Devils set out to improve on a record which has seen them qualify for the last eight a record seven times on the trot.

Mikael Silvestre and 1999 European Cup final-winning hero Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were brought back into Ferguson’s side, with Phil Neville moving into central midfield to partner Nicky Butt.

Ruud van Nistelrooy almost gave the home side a perfect start within 20 seconds when he latched onto a Gary Neville cross. From barely six yards out, the prolific Dutchman tried to steer his header back across goal and into the far corner, but instead sent it narrowly wide.

A one-touch passing move involving Nicky Butt and van Nistelrooy set up Phil Neville for a low, long-range shot which Antonis Nikopolidis fumbled behind for a corner.

It was to prove a costly mistake from the goalkeeper, as Silvestre met Giggs’ inswinging corner and though the initial effort struck van Nistelrooy, the French defender swung his leg at the rebound and smashed it in.

Within two minutes, United had doubled their advantage, with van Nistelrooy and Giggs again involved, the Welshman laying off a pass toFortune, who struck a first-time effort into the roof of the net.

It needed a lunging interception from Giorgos Seitaridis to prevent Giggs latching onto van Nistelrooy’s lofted pass as United continued the attacking momentum which was threatening to submerge their opponents.

Even an offside flag, which would have ruled the goal out anyway, could not mask the brilliance of Nikopolidis’ flying stop to deny van Nistelrooy’s close-range header after another Giggs corner had caused more mayhem in the Greek defence.

Nikopolidis was being kept busy dealing with Giggs’ set-piece delivery alone and he was forced to punch a dangerous free-kick away from his six-yard area which the defenders in front of him had failed to deal with.

The Greeks had created virtually nothing as the half-hour mark approached but, on his Champions League debut, American keeper Tim Howard proved his worth with a superb one-handed save to deny Michael Konstantinou's powerful header.

Any thoughts the visitors had that it was the start of a famous comeback were quickly dispelled when Giggs teed up Solskjaer for another shot, which Nikopolidis let squirm through his body and into the net.

Giggs curled a free-kick just over as the home side continued to push forward and a fourth was not long in arriving as Butt hung in the air and glanced an excellent O’Shea cross into the corner.

The half did not end without one problem for Ferguson though as Solksjaer limped off in stoppage-time after failing to recover from an early knock, although David Bellion could hardly have wished for a better position to make his Champions League debut.

With the visit of Arsenal in mind, Ferguson completed his substitutions for the evening before an hour had been played.

Butt and John O’Shea were given a rest as Eric Djemba-Djemba and Darren Fletcher were offered their chance to inflict some more misery on the visitors.

Papadopoulos had not enjoyed his return to England and his evening was brought to an end shortly afterwards when Poland international Emmanuel Olisadebe was thrown on to hunt for an elusive goal.

Chalkias turned a deflected Djemba-Djemba effort wide after Fletcher had made good ground down the right, then came out confidently to punch Giggs’ corner from danger.

Van Nistelrooy landed heavily when he slipped attempting to meet Giggs’ angled cross with a first-time volley, although there was no lasting damage.

Giggs was the next to try his luck, whistling a shot wide of Chalkias’ left-hand post. Bellion slipped as he sliced a shot wide when Ferdinand was well placed, but Panathinaikos did not escape the next time United attacked when Gary Neville’s cross found its way to Djemba-Djemba. Unmarked, inside the six yard box, the Cameroon international did not miss.

MAN UTD: Howard, Gary Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, O’Shea (Fletcher 57), Solskjaer (Bellion 45), Butt (Djemba-Djemba 57), Phil Neville, Fortune, Giggs, van Nistelrooy.

PANATHINAIKOS: Nikopolidis (Chalkias 45), Seitaridis, Henriksen, Kyrgiakos, Fyssas, Zutautas, Goumas (Epalle 45), Papadopoulos (Olisadebe 62), Sanmartean, Maric, Konstantinou.

Referee: Alain Sars (France).