Wayne Rooney returned to the side after missing out on the 1-0 win over Wolves due to injury. There was a media circus around David Beckham ahead of the game, but he had to start the game on the bench.
United were never going to sit back and let Milan attack for 90 minutes so it wasn’t much of a surprise when it was United who had the games first few chances. Firstly Rooney blasted the ball over the bar, not long after that it was followed by Gary Neville having a crack, which wasn’t too far away but still went over the bar.
United had got off to a great start, we looked comfortable on the ball but Milan did have a few good opportunities to go ahead. Andrea Pirlo saw his free-kick helped on by Luis Nani, right into the path of Ronaldinho who’s header fell just wide of Edwin Van Der Sar’s post.
This was then followed by an opportunity for Klass Jan Huntelaar after he found some space in the penalty area, his first touch was too heavy and the situation was dealt with.
Milan’s hopes of going through took a big blow 13 minutes in courtesy of yet another Rooney headed goal. Neville’s cross in from the right was nodded past Christian Abbianti.
With a 4-2 aggregate score line only 13 minutes in, it only got worse for the visiting team.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s half time message was to go and get another goal, two minutes into the second half and United did have a second, another from Rooney. His 30th goal of the season came after some good work by Nani down United’s left. Nani’s wonderful ball to Rooney only had to be touched past the keeper and it was in the back of the net.
The second goal didn’t change things; Milan still needed to score three, which is a very difficult task against United let alone at Old Trafford.
With an hour played, United had a third, Scholes ball in to Park looked like it had got the better of him, the South Korean managed to stay on his feet and slot the ball past the Milan keeper for United’s third.
Milan had no chance of getting back into the tie but there was time for another goal and the moment everyone had been waiting for. With 64 minutes on the clock, Beckham made his Old Trafford return for the first time since leaving in 2003. He came on to a standing ovation, his first few touches were jokily booed by the United fans and after the game, he had an even better standing ovation from the fans.
Rooney may have been on a hat-trick but after the recent injury he picked up and the score line, he was brought off and replaced by Dimitar Berbatov with 25 minutes remaining. Gary Neville was also brought off at the same time, he was replaced by Rafael Da Silva. Later on in the game Sir Alex decided to bring off Scholes, who was on a yellow card, Darron Gibson replaced him with just over 15 minutes to go. Gibson came close to bagging United’s fourth. Nani’s low ball into the box was flicked on by Antonio Valencia for Gibson, who blazed the ball over the bar.
United weren’t finished at three, there was time for one more. With three minutes left remaining, Rafael’s cross into the area was headed past Abbiati by an unmarked Fletcher.
The game finished 4-0 (7-2 on aggregate) to United, it was a fantastic win for United. I did expect Milan to threaten more than they did but apart from a few times, United weren’t really troubled that often.
