Yesterday's
routine win against Norwich was a perfect warm-up for Sir Alex
Ferguson's side ahead of Tuesday's visit of mighty Real Madrid to Old
Trafford in the Champions League.
First blood: Shinji Kagawa scored Manchester United's first of the afternoon
Brutal: Wayne Rooney rifled home his side's fourth of the match
MATCH FACTS
Man United: De Gea, Evra, Evans, Smalling, Vidic, Valencia, Anderson (Cleverley 74), Carrick, Kagawa, Rooney, Van Persie (Welbeck 66)
Subs not used: Lindegaard, Rafael, Nani, Young, Hernandez
Goal: Kagawa 45, 76, 87, Rooney 90
Norwich:
Bunn, R Martin, Bassong, Turner, Garrido, Johnson, Snodgrass (E Bennett
73), Howson, Pilkington, Hoolahan (Kamara 72), Holt (Becchio 90)
Subs not used: Camp, Whittaker, R Bennett, Fox
Booked: Snodgrass, Garrido, Johnson, Turner
Referee: Neil Swarbrick
Attendance: 75,586
Shinji
Kagawa's first hat-trick in European football forced him back into the
reckoning to face the Spanish champions after his disappointing
contribution in the first leg at the Bernabeu.
Wayne
Rooney scored a brilliant fourth goal yesterday to announce he is
raring to go after an indifferent spell and Robin van Persie played for
an hour to prove his back injury is fine, despite it being tested by a
hefty barge from Sebastien Bassong.
When
you consider that other potential starters like Giggs - stuck for now
on 999 career games - were not involved yesterday, it would be possible
for Ferguson to name two different XIs to play Madrid and think he would
have a chance.
United hardly broke sweat re-establishing their 15-point cushion at the top of the Premier League.
Challengers
Manchester City don't play until Monday night and even City boss
Roberto Mancini could not complain his rivals were lucky here.
Ferguson
said: 'We didn't think about Tuesday, which was important. As far as
the league is concerned we are better off now than we were before,
because it's one less game to go.
Eyes on the prize: Kagawa slotted home his third Premier League goal for Manchester United
Just like that: Kagawa rushed to celebrate with Rooney after netting his second of the day
Icing on the cake: Kagawa took his third goal competently to make it 3-0 to the hosts
'The
spirit is great whichever team I put out. It didn't look like being a
4-0 game midway in the second half when we got a bit ragged. But Kagawa
is a good finisher, his third goal was brilliant. It's been a great day
for him.'
Perhaps
the most significant contribution came from Rooney, who was taken off
after putting in a primarily defensive shift in Madrid and had not
started a game since until yesterday.
'Strikers need to score goals and that will do his confidence good. That's what we needed,' said Ferguson.
Norwich,
not completely safe from relegation, are an organised team under
manager Chris Hughton and Ferguson clearly felt he needed to pick
first-choice strikers Rooney and Van Persie so close to the arrival of
Cristiano Ronaldo, Jose Mourinho and all.
Big guns: Rooney (right) was deployed up top by Sir Alex Ferguson
Tussle: Grant Holt tries to beat Chris Smalling (back) in the air
For
44 minutes, United played pretty football without being incisive. Then
Antonio Valencia crossed from the right, Van Persie bravely touched the
ball on and Japan international Kagawa finished from close range.
There
was a brief moment of concern when Van Persie, who took a bang from
Bassong in the build-up to the goal, did not join in the celebrations,
instead nursing the back which had caused his early departure at QPR
last weekend.
But
the Dutchman recovered to take his place for the start of the second
half. Van Persie is becoming a big personality at United and he showed
his anger when Rooney selfishly shot after an hour rather than teeing
him up.
But United seemed to improve once RVP had departed.
Beaten to the punch: Rooney is sent flying by Mark Bunn (left) after the Norwich keeper slid in
Not this time: Norwich defender Michael Turner (left) snatches the ball away from Kagawa
For
44 minutes, United played pretty football without being incisive. Then
Antonio Valencia crossed from the right, Van Persie bravely touched the
ball on and Japan international Kagawa finished from close range.
Home comfort
Manchester United have now scored in 63 successivePremier League home games, to extend their all-time PL record.
The last time that they failed to score in a top-flight home game was in a 1-0 defeat by Aston Villa onDecember 12, 2009.
There
was a brief moment of concern when Van Persie, who took a bang from
Bassong in the build-up to the goal, did not join in the celebrations,
instead nursing the back which had caused his early departure at QPR
last weekend.
But
the Dutchman recovered to take his place for the start of the second
half. Van Persie is becoming a big personality at United and he showed
his anger when Rooney selfishly shot after an hour rather than teeing
him up.
But United seemed to improve once RVP had departed.
Suddenly,
Kagawa, Rooney and Danny Welbeck interchanged passes with speed as
Norwich tired. The killer second goal arrived 14 minutes from time when
Michael Carrick's long ball found Rooney and he turned and twisted
Bassong before rolling a pass to Kagawa for a tap-in.
The
Rooney-Kagawa partnership again sliced open Norwich's defence three
minutes from the end and Kagawa dinked a clever finish over Mark Bunn.
Besides becoming the first Asian player to score a Premier League hat-trick, Kagawa's treble took his season's tally to five.
You're surrounded: Rooney tries to weave his way through a group of Norwich defenders
There is certainly the promise of more to come from the double Bundesliga winner when at Borussia Dortmund.
Kagawa
reflected: 'I know this will be big news in Japan but the one they are
really looking forward to is Real Madrid. I am, too.'
With
the visitors completely demoralised, Rooney went past a half-hearted
challenge by Bradley Johnson before cracking a shot into the top corner
from 25 yards, then blowing kisses in celebration.
Norwich
director and luvvy actor Steven Fry promptly tweeted: 'Oh lord! This is
becoming a slaughter. Simply horrid of you, you beastly Red Devils.'
Almost: Robin van Persie sits on the turf at Old Trafford
Formalities: Sir Alex Ferguson is greeted by Fred the Red on the pitch before the game
Manager
Hughton said: 'You know United are going to have the majority of
possession in games like this but their first goal was poor from our
point of view.'
Russell
Martin did contrive to miss from four yards for Norwich but his shame
was eased when he learned referee Neil Swarbrick had already blown for
offside in the build-up to the effort.
Apart
from the win, Ferguson was happiest that his troops remained
injury-free. Norwich did compete - particularly Johnson, who caught
Rooney on the right shin, and Robert Snodgrass, who scythed down Patrice
Evra.
'There
were a few hefty challenges,' said Ferguson, who can now look forward
to one of the great European nights. 'It will be fantastic. It can't
fail to be a great game,' he said.
Now, who to pick?
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