Champions League: United through after five-goal rout

Champions League: United through after five-goal rout

 

Manchester United secured their berth in the last 16 thanks to their largest away victory in the UEFA Champions League against Bayer Leverkusen, who are second in the Bundesliga.
Wayne Rooney was not on the scoresheet but was instrumental in the first four goals, crossing to Antonio Valencia to finish at the far post for the first, sending in the free-kick that Emir Spahic headed into his own net for the second, providing the shot that was parried into the path of Jonny Evans to score and lobbing the ball for Chris Smalling to convert to make it 4-0.
Nani got the fifth for the win that extended United’s unbeaten run to 11 matches in all competitions and put them on top of Group A with 11 points. Avoiding defeat at home to Shakhtar Donetsk in the final fixture will guarantee them winning the group and David Moyes, the United manager, is hoping for more of such performances.
“I’d say it’s the best we have played because we scored five goals, but it’s something I want to do regularly, not now and then,” he said. “We are in a good run of form, we had a slip-up on Sunday [in the 2-2 draw against Cardiff City, when their opponents scored in stoppage time], but in the main we’re playing well and the biggest thing is we’re improving, progressing.”