United clinch group victory with easy win

Manchester United 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0

However, it wasn’t all good news for United, who were forced to play with 10 men for the final five minutes when, with all substitutes used, record signing Rio Ferdinand limped off with what looked like a thigh strain.

After a host of missed chances, United went in front three minutes before the break when Veron arrowed a 20-yard effort into the corner from Ruud van Nistelrooy’s lay-off.

Leverkusen should have taken the lead when the keeper was punished by only a yellow card.

Simak then strode up and blasted the penalty high over the bar.

Giggs was looking dangerous, running at opponents with the ball at his feet without quite finding the killer final ball and Veron provoked the ire of the home supporters with a mis-placed pass to van Nistelrooy.

Three minutes from the interval Veron produced one of those pieces of skill which makes you realise why Ferguson parted with £28.1m for him.

Beckham’s bullet pass into the box was laid into the Argentine’s path by van Nistelrooy. After taking one touch Veron buried a 20-yard volley into the left corner.

Leverkusen tried to counter but despite some poor United defending at a corner, the visitors were unable to force their way through.

Van Nistelrooy unsuccessfully tried to muscle his way into a shooting position after taking Fortune’s pass with his back to goal, then the Dutchman was flagged offside as he latched onto Beckham’s 30-yard forward pass.

Berbatov was replaced by Franca just past the hour, then Leverkusen twice went close in quick succession, Ricardo parrying Simak’s long-range effort round for a corner before Marko Babic’s far post cross drifted just wide.

Leverkusen’s outside hopes of victory disappeared almost immediately when Fortune’s pass inside reached Veron, whose through ball landed at Van Nistelrooy’s feet with only Butt to beat and he did.

Scholes went close shortly afterwards before Gary Neville was introduced to huge cheers from the home support, sympathetic to a man who had never hidden his pride at being a United player.

Butt produced a superb save with his feet to deny Veron, who met Scholes’ far post cross with a low diving header inside the six-yard box.

Luke Chadwick became the third United substitute when he replaced Giggs, Leverkusen also taking the chance to give a couple of fresh faces a run in the form of Huzefeye Dogan and Christoph Preuss.

United appeared content to run down the clock but suffered a late blow when Ferdinand limped off with what looked like a thigh strain.

Sebescen was cautioned for a foul on Chadwick as the young winger tried to dart down the left but it was the last meaningful action as United coasted into the last 16.

MAN UTD: Ricardo, O’Shea, Blanc, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Beckham, Veron, Fortune, Giggs, Scholes, van Nistelrooy.

BAYER LEVERKUSEN: Butt, Zivkovic, Kleine, Ramelow, Sebescen, Balitsch, Babic, Simak, Bierofka, Berbatov, Brdaric.