Fergie's boys go ultrasonic

But never in his wildest dreams did the Manchester United manager imagine anything like this.

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Ryan Giggs helps celebrate Wayne Rooney's goal which put United 3-0 up in the rout of Roma

The greatest European performance of this great club's glorious past? That particular debate will run for a while. But none has been more spectacular. Few have been more gratefully received.

After the horrors of Rome last week, United's defeat of the esteemed Italian club was a thing of genuine and welcome sporting beauty.

If last week's tableau of street violence and police beatings represented a throwback to the Seventies and Eighties, then this display went back to the glorious Fifties and Sixties.

Football played at breathtaking pace by players not afraid to impose their extravagant gifts on an occasion that may have daunted lesser men.

Last week in Rome, as his city's police beat United fans black and blue in the stands of the Olympic Stadium, home coach Luciano Spalletti turned to Ferguson and bowed out of respect in the wake of his team's 2-1 win.

Six days later, Ferguson and his team brought Spalletti's men to their knees. It will take Rome, and the image of Italian football, a long time to recover from this.

Roma contributed to their own downfall. For a team rightly proud of their defensive record, they were pitiful in that area. The game plan of organisation and tactical obedience that has traditionally been the cornerstone of the Italian game was left on the dressing room floor.

But to allow that to detract from the majesty of United's football would be quite wrong.

Clearly steeled by the many injustices of last week, a United team missing five first-choice players tore Roma apart with chilling efficiency.

For Ferguson, it was a reward for a brave team selection. Leaving Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the bench in deference to Alan Smith was a calculated gamble. Smith had shown no sign of real form since his horror injury at Liverpool in January last year.

As such this was a huge night for him and his response was typical of United's effort.

But it was Michael Carrick who began the landslide with a landmark goal of his own — his first in the Champions League.

Roma had been the better team for the first 10 minutes but the early exchanges were soon rendered irrelevant as Cristiano Ronaldo wriggled clear to feed Carrick in the 12th minute and the England player curled the ball into the net from 25 yards.

As Carrick danced away to celebrate, Roma keeper Doni was left to wonder why he was positioned seven yards from his line and why he had not dived for a ball that appeared to be within reach.

For United, it did not matter. The tie was theirs to win and they took to their task with the enthusiasm and resolve of a team clearly hurt by the events of the first leg.

The second goal had disaster written all over it for Roma, but United's passing and speed of thought was telling. It was like that all night.

Carrick and Wayne Rooney funnelled the ball from the left to Ryan Giggs and when the 33-year-old's pass was criminally miscontrolled by Cristian Chivu, Smith gleefully broke into the penalty box to despatch a calm side-footed shot past the goalkeeper in the 17th minute.

Overwhelmed by the onslaught, Roma looked beaten already and 90 seconds later they were ready for home.

Giggs beat the Italian offside trap down the right-hand side and when he cut the ball back, Rooney moved intelligently in front of three Roma defenders to divert the ball in off the far post with his right instep.

There was still time for Carrick to miss a sitter before half-time but just as Roma were edging towards the dressing room and a tactical reshuffle, Ronaldo advanced down the right and spanked in the fourth from the edge of the penalty area.

The game was now well and truly over.

Indeed, as skipper Giggs celebrated the third goal with Rooney, the United veteran wore a look of incredulity. His team-mates seemed to struggle to believe what was happening.

Three minutes into the second half and the magical Ronaldo capitalised on more hesitant Roma defending to slide in another Giggs cross from three yards.

And there was still plenty of time for Carrick to deliver another crushing blow with his right foot and for substitute Patrice Evra to score from distance.

Somewhere in the middle of all this — in the 69th minute, to be precise — Daniele de Rossi scored a very good goal for Roma. But it was not even a consolation.

It is 39 years since United beat Irish team Waterford 7-1 in the first round of the 1968 European Cup. United lifted the trophy that year, of course. There is no reason why they should not do so again.

MAN UTD (4-2-3-1): Van der Sar; O'Shea (Evra, 52min), Brown, Ferdinand, Heinze; Carrick (Richardson, 72), Fletcher; Ronaldo, Giggs (Solskjaer, 61); Rooney; Smith. Booked: Smith, Ferdinand.

Scorers: Carrick 12, 60, Smith 17, Rooney 19, Ronaldo 44, 49, Evra 81.

ROMA (4-2-3-1): Doni; Cassetti, Mexes, Chivu, Panucci; De Rossi (Faty 86), Pizarro; Wilhelmsson (Rosi 88), Vucinic, Mancini (Okaka Chuka 90); Totti.

Booked: Chivu, Mexes.

Scorer: De Rossi 69.

Man of the match: Michael Carrick.

Referee: Lubos Michel (Svk).