Evergreen Giggs gives Grant a false start

MANCHESTER UNITED began the season fearful that the departure of a 24-year-old Portuguese winger would destroy their title equilibrium.

They should have known a 36-year-old Welshman would inevitably restore the balance.

Ryan Giggs celebrated his birthday on Sunday 24 hours after rolling back the years with a vintage performance that inspired his team to a routine victory over Portsmouth and eased memories of Cristiano Ronaldo gently into the shadows.

There’s no doubt that United have missed Ronaldo at times this season. His unrivalled ability to win a match on his own would have made a huge difference away to Chelsea or even against Besiktas in the Champions League, when United lost their long unbeaten home record in Europe last week.

But his absence has given Giggs a more prominent role than perhaps he would have enjoyed if the Real Madrid man had stayed. And against Portsmouth his quality was easily the difference between the sides, even though Wayne Rooney’s hat-trick, which included two penalties, paved the way to three points.

Giggs’ unique record of having scored in every season of the Premier League since its inception in 1992 guarantees him iconic status and the challenge now is for the winger to maintain his performance throughout the entire season if United want to recreate the achievements of last year.

Remember, he also started 2008-9 in outstanding form but was gradually eased out of the picture as Ronaldo took centre stage – so much so, in fact, that there were rumblings of discontent when Giggs was named PFA Player of the Year having started only 12 matches up to that point.

Judging by Saturday’s performance, however, Giggs still has the ability to be a real influence in the title race, a point made by his grateful teammate Rooney.

“He surprises me every week, he is amazing,” the striker said. “His performance today was the key to two of my goals, I don’t know how he does it, he is unbelievable.

“I think he is as good as ever. He is one of the sharpest every day in training and in this game on a quite difficult pitch and in difficult weather he puts in a performance like that. He is quite incredible. He plays like a 26-year-old.”

In fact, Rooney wasn’t the only one paying tribute to Giggs after he inspired United’s second-half transformation; there seemed to be queue of admirers from both teams lining up do so.

That wouldn’t have been the case after a first half that saw Rooney win and score a dubious penalty and the excellent Kevin-Prince Boateng reply from 12 yards, although no-one inside the ground could work out why on earth the second kick was given.

But after that it was Giggs who laid on Rooney’s second in the 47th minute with a perfectly-weighted pass, Giggs who was brought down by Piquionne to earn a penalty for Rooney’s hat-trick and Giggs who curled home a 20-yard free-kick for 4-1, his third goal of the season.

“He’s an absolute legend,” admitted Portsmouth midfielder Jamie O’Hara. “To play against people like that is an honour and to be that good at 36 is incredible. Every time he gets the ball you’re wondering what he’s going to do because he can do anything with it.”

Portsmouth, playing their first game under new manager Avram Grant, can take consolation from the fact they were probably the better team in the first half and created enough chances to make United nervous.

Thomas Kuszczak made excellent saves from O’Hara, Boateng and Piquionne, while substitute John Utaka hit the bar late on, so there was something, at least, for Grant to chew on, “You can learn a lot from this match because you see the spirit of the team even though we’re last in the table, you can see the quality of the football,” he said.

“Even the big teams don’t create so many chances against United. If you continue with this and concentrate more in front of goal and don’t give away easy soft goals then we can stay up. It’s a big challenge, but what’s important is that it’s possible.”

You have to admire Grant’s confidence but even considering the promise shown against United his future may well depend on whether Portsmouth’s new owner Ali Al-Faraj is willing to undergo a shopping spree in the January sales.

Finding a player of Giggs’ quality and experience, however, will not be easy. So perhaps it is fair to offer Grant the last say on the performance of a man who highlighted just what a big job he has ahead of him.

“He’s a great player, so clever,” the Israeli admitted. “He plays so good – I like this player and I think we will still see him in 2015!

“I like him and also Wayne Rooney because I like clever players with enthusiasm, passion and quality.”

Fortunately for Alex Ferguson he already has those players at his disposal and together they make such a classic combination that it would seem madness to separate them.

Now what was the name of that lad who used to play instead last season?

REFEREE: Mike Dean (Wirral) 5: The penalty he awarded to Portsmouth was inexplicable and the first for United harsh. He ended up booking seven players

MATCH RATING: **** A fascinating game with controversy galore, a wonderful cameo performance from Giggs and some good football from a Boateng-inspired Portsmouth, especially in the first half.