Plenty of Roon to improve for Fergie

MANCHESTER UTD 1 AS ROMA 0 Champions Lge Group F FROM OLD TRAFFORD

Sir Alex Ferguson said Manchester United's 7-1 win over AS Roma last spring was the greatest night in Old Traf ford's European history.

Frankly, that does not say a lot for his club's achievements in the Champions League. Or, rather, their under-achievements. It was a big night. Of course it was. United wiped out a 2-1 deficit from the first leg of their quarter-final with quite magnificent football.

It was a brilliant display, graced by sublime performances from Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and MichaelCarrick.

But it was a quarterfinal. That's all. It was a trifle. It did not lead to anything.

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For all the wild optimism that inevitably followed the swashbuckling win, the victory was not a new dawn for United in Europe.

It was a false dawn. A few weeks later, they were taken apart by AC Milan almost as comprehensively as they had destroyed Roma.

United were not just defeated in the San Siro. They were taught a lesson. The 7-1 game had counted for nothing.

So when Roma returned last night, itmarked a chance to gauge whether United are better equipped to achieve something more meaningful this season.

Owen Hargreaves, bought partly to plug the kind of gaps exploited by Milan, was out injured and his absence hampered estimations of United's development. United won courtesy of a moment of genius from Rooney but his 70th-minute goal could not camouflage United's labours. Last night's evidence suggested Roma have made a far more dramatic step forward than United.

United had more possession but sometimes it was hard to avoid the impression that Roma were toying with their hosts.

France scoTotti supplied some magical link play, including one ball to Mancini, that might have led to a goal had the linesman not flagged for offside.

Totti should have put Roma ahead fourminutes into the second half when he latched on to Ludovic Giuly's pass but he shot over the bar.

United deserved their win. Just. It was never going to be 7-1 again but last night's result underlined Ferguson's side are not playing any where near as sweetly as they were seven months ago.

Maybe they're just pacing the mselves. Maybe far, far better is to come.

They peaked too early last season. Maybe this time, they're saving their best for a bigger night than the quarter-final.

Source : www.mirror.co.uk