All three United goals were magnificent.  For the first, an outrageous piece of cheek by Nani; Ronaldo himself couldn’t have done it better.  The second goal was stunning, and was evidence that Rooney may be top 5 in the world.  It started in United’s own box, as the aftermath from a corner played out.  Gallas and Vermaelen were in the box, and Sagna tried to take someone off the dribble.  He was dispossessed and the ball was played to Rooney.  Rooney immediately turned and found the fastest man on the field, Nani, on the right and the break was on.  However, if noone joined Nani, it would have amounted to nothing.  After playing the pass, Rooney was behind 5 Arsenal players, just outside his own 18 yard line.  By the time he entered Arsenal’s penalty area to receive the return from Nani, he had outrun them all with one of the alltime hungry lungbusting runs for a goal.  And then he had to finish.  That was a non issue.  Absolute world class.  Valdano is mistaken.  Rooney can play anywhere.  And the third?  Fletcher to Rooney to Fletcher in tight quarters, to set Park free.  And again, like any good fast break in basketball, Rooney and Nani’s running off the ball allowed Park to score and not be smothered.  Darren Fletcher does not represent anti-football.  He represents a great club/great manager’s commitment to young British talent.  For many years, he was held to be not good enough.  Now he’s a mainstay.  And United to the core.  But Ferguson had to suffer through his growing pains and ignore the critics.  And Fletcher doesn’t want to go anywhere else.  That’s what you get in return for that type of commitment to your youth program, particularly from British players.  Fletcher, Brown, Evans, O’Shea, etc.  Both Liverpool and Arsenal could learn something from Sir Alex.

                                                                                             Matt Switalski