Berbatov bags brace in cruise against Celtic
Reuters - Tuesday 21 October 2008, 21:14
MANCHESTER - Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov took his Champions League goal tally to four in two games as the holders thrashed Celtic 3-0 at Old Trafford to stay top of Group E on Tuesday.
United's record signing followed the brace he scored at AaB Aalborg on his Champions League debut for the club with two more as Celtic's miserable away record in the competition continued.
Wayne Rooney also extended his prolific scoring run with the third goal for United as Celtic slumped to their 18th defeat in their last 19 away games in the Champions League.
Bulgaria international Berbatov scored on the half-hour and after 51 minutes with England forward Rooney completing the scoring 14 minutes from time to take his personal total to nine goals in his last seven games for club and country.
Two years ago Celtic pushed United all the way in Manchester before losing 3-2 but manager Gordon Strachan said this time his side faced a scary prospect and his worst fears were realised.
United were without injured captain Rio Ferdinand but manager Alex Ferguson sprung a surprise by including Cristiano Ronaldo in his lineup after suggesting the winger might be due a rest as part of his comeback from close season surgery.
The Portugal international got through 82 minutes and, like most of his team mates, rarely had to extend himself to see off a limited threat from the visitors.
Celtic held out for almost half an hour but once Berbatov scored for the second home game running the result was never in doubt and United could easily have made it a more emphatic victory in an increasingly one-sided game.
DOMINANT UNITED
United had dominated the first half without turning their superiority into goals.
Celtic's defence was constantly stretched in the wide positions with Nani raiding down the left while Ronaldo and Gary Neville took it in turns to attack down the right.
Despite that pressure, Celtic had the first two serious efforts on goal with Aiden McGeady and Gary Caldwell forcing Edwin van der Sar into saves.
But it was no surprise when the European champions went ahead through Berbatov, whose goal was allowed to stand even though he was in an offside position.
The former Tottenham Hotspur striker had taken four games to get off the mark for his new club but continued to make up for lost time when he hooked the ball in from close range after John O'Shea had twice helped on a corner from the impressive Nani.
Darren Fletcher should have made it 2-0 moments before halftime but the Scotland captain lifted his shot over the bar.
United did not have to wait long to put themselves in complete control as Berbatov doubled their lead six minutes into the second half, tapping in his fifth goal in four games after goalkeeper Artur Boruc could only parry Ronaldo's freekick.
Two minutes later the home side had the ball in the net again but this time Celtic benefitted from an incorrect decision as Wayne Rooney was wrongly penalised for being offside.
With United rampant, Rooney had another chance to score but lifted his shot over the top following another mistake by Boruc.
Ferguson replaced Berbatov, who suffered a slight hip injury earlier in the game, with Carlos Tevez and the Argentina forward went close before Rooney got the goal he had been threatening by firing low into the bottom corner from just outside the area.
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