End game near as United seize opportunity

Much like a millionaire finding a crumpled €20 note in a jacket, Manchester United thoughtlessly accepted their slice of fortune and got on with the business at hand.

The champions were already on top and passing their visitors — seemingly kept in their own half by an electric fence created by United’s high defensive line — to sleep when they were wrongly handed a numerical advantage and a penalty to boot after just 13 minutes.

Wayne Rooney clipped a ball through Akos Buzsaky’s legs and as Ashley Young, who had been in an offside position, scampered through to collect, he sensed contact coming from Shaun Derry and went down.