Soccer: It’s a Ruud one for Red Devils

Man Utd 2 Stuttgart 0

Earlier in the day, both David Beckham and Ronaldo expressed their hope that van Nistelrooy would become Real's latest 'galactico' this summer.

Alex Ferguson may not agree, but without van Nistelrooy life would be very bleak for the Red Devils.

This evening he almost single-handedly drove United to top spot in Group E, first equalling Denis Law's club record of 28 European goals, then sending Ryan Giggs away to avenge the 2-1 defeat in Germany earlier in the competition.

While the merits of the result will only be determined in Friday's draw for the first knock-out phase, it should at least ensure United avoid Real, Juventus and AC Milan.

Although most neutral observers believed topping their group was of major importance, Ferguson gave higher priority to Saturday's Manchester derby and kept his promise to leave Roy Keane and Tim Howard on the bench.

After expressing frustration at the lack of first-team opportunities this season, Nicky Butt was alongside them for the full 90 minutes.

After 10 years spent filling in for older, more established team-mates, Butt tonight watched Phil Neville, Darren Fletcher and Quinton Fortune in midfield.

All three are younger than him, as is second-half sub Eric Djemba-Djemba and, while Ferguson would be reluctant to let the England international leave the club where he has spent his professional career in a ruthless, commercial world, a January departure may be inevitable.

A lacklustre opening half hour was notable only for two bizarre offside rulings which penalised van Nistelrooy for latching onto a backpass and Giggs for taking possession at a throw-in both decisions were impossible under the laws of the game.

Stuttgart played most of the flowing football, with Aleksander Hleb and Horst Heldt impressive, but Roy Carroll was only troubled once.

Giggs should have hit the target when van Nistelrooy and Fletcher combined to pass onto his favoured left foot barely eight yards out.

Fletcher also showed a lack of confidence when he elected to check inside onto Paul Scholes' pass when a fierce angled drive looked on.

Scholes' return for the first time in two months was welcomed by all United fans.

The flame-haired midfielder's calmness in possession and eye for an opportunity has been badly missed, but it was tough usually poorly timed tackles which were more in evidence here.

He was booked five minutes before the break when he left Hleb in a crumpled heap with a crude challenge from behind and should have seen red after the re-start when he caught Christian Tiffert with the ball gone.

In between, United had been able to enjoy the half-time break thanks to van Nistelrooy's record-equalling strike, which Giggs created out of nothing, picking out his striker partner with an excellent cross that invited the headed finish.

The seriousness with which Real Madrid are actively pursuing van Nistelrooy has yet to be verified, but there is no doubt, given even the merest encouragement, president Florentino Perez would have his cheque-book open in an instant.

Three Stuttgart players attempted to shrug the Dutchman off the ball when he took possession on the half-way line just before the hour mark.

When he looked up, he not only spotted Giggs' run, he found the Welshman with a perfect pass.

Giggs took his time, drew Hilderbrand, then stroked the ball into the net.

MAN UTD: Carroll, Gary Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, O'Shea, Fletcher, Phil Neville, Scholes (Djemba-Djemba 79), Fortune, van Nistelrooy (Forlan 71), Giggs (Bellion 70).

VFB STUTTGART: Hildebrand, Hinkel, Meira, Wenzel, Lahm, Soldo, Vranjes (Tiffert 45), Heldt, Hleb (Centurion 76), Kuranyi, Szabics (Cacau 45).

Referee: Eric Poulat (France).