Ronaldo at the double as United crush hapless Kiev

Facing a Kiev team so defensively hapless they would struggle to survive against any credible opposition, Manchester United moved to the brink of the last 16 with a victory as comfortable as it was impressive.

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Kiev, frankly, were awful. Laughably so. But Sir Alex Ferguson's team put them away with admirable efficiency and the English

champions' form continues to improve ominously as they begin to find their true selves at home and in Europe.

United's goals last night came from Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo during a first half that could have yielded many more and from a Ronaldo penalty with 22 minutes left.

The only real surprise was that the home team managed two of their own, Diogo Rincon momentarily interrupting the procession with a

2 MANCHESTER UNITED 4 IAN LADYMAN

reports from Kiev

header in the 33rd minute and Ismael Bangoura with a 20-yard snap-shot 12 minutes from time.

Kiev — third in the Ukrainian league and on their second manager of the season — hardly represented the most fearsome opposition for a team in such prime form as United.

Without a win at the Olympic Stadium in this competition for three years, Kiev were far from optimistic in the run-up but they must have taken some heart from the problems that afflicted United in the 24 hours before the game.

First, Paul Scholes felt pain in his knee during United's training session here on Monday evening — forcing him out — then defender Patrice Evra withdrew with a calf problem during the warm-up.

Scholes's absence will worry United — given that he had knee trouble in pre-season — and they will have to wait until later today for news after attempts to fly him home yesterday were thwarted by a lack of available flights.

He was replaced in the centre of midfield by the Brazilian Anderson, while Darren Fletcher made his first start of the season in midfield and John O'Shea moved to left back.

Certainly, United have had little luck with injuries this season and it is a wonder really that Ferguson's team have managed to make such a competent start in the Premiership and in Europe.

Indeed, United began last night's fixture knowing that a victory would place them on the threshold of qualification with only half of their games in Group F played. Motivation indeed.

Points mean prizes: Rio Ferdinand, flanked by Carlos Tevez (left) and Wes Brown, celebrates scoring United's first goal

Kiev's home ground is an impressive place and was the venue for the football tournament when the Olympics were held in Moscow — before the break-up of the old Soviet Union — in 1980.

Nevertheless, it was far from intimidating last night.

With the ground less than half full and the supporters some distance from the playing surface, it will not have fazed United one bit.

For his part, Ferguson will have been slightly concerned to see the centre of his midfield disrupted so savagely but will have been heartened by the return of Nemanja Vidic at the heart of the defence.

United are a more secure looking team when Vidic plays, though it was his defensive partner Ferdinand who gave the Premiership champions the perfect start last night.

Take that: Ronaldo thunders a header in for United's third goal

Kiev had threatened briefly in the opening stages as Diogo Rincon shot powerfully at Edwin van der Sar from distance and then appealed in vain for a penalty after falling down in the box.

From United's first real attack, however, they took the lead.

Cristiano Ronaldo drew a foul from Tiberiu Ghioane by the left corner flag and when Ryan Giggs curled over the free-kick Ferdinand rose well to head powerfully past goalkeeper Olexandr Shovkovskiy and into the roof of the net.

Ferdinand's second goal in four days — after his strike in the 4-1 win at Aston Villa on Saturday — served its purpose beautifully for United as it drew the early sting from Kiev and only deepened the impression that the home team never really believed they could beat their opponents in the first place.

And eight minutes later, United were two goals to the good.

This time the goal came on the counter-attack as Kiev lost possession in the United half and found themselves critically outnumbered down the right.

Ronaldo led the charge and when he entered the area he fed the ball to Wes Brown on his outside. The ensuing low cross arrived on Rooney's right foot six yards from goal and the finish could not have been simpler.

Before our eyes we were seeing two issues effectively settled in the group. United were making sure that they would qualify while Kiev were on their way out.

Kiev, to their credit, did their best to rally and threatened to get behind United on a couple of occasions. But at the back they were embarrassingly outclassed by United and almost conceded a third midway through the half when Rooney was denied by the keeper and a follow-up by Ronaldo struck a defender.

Kiev managed to score in the 33rd minute when Rincon headed a corner past Edwin van der Sar but United were soon back in control.

Rooney set O'Shea up for a chance he wasted from six yards but then a Giggs run and cross saw Ronaldo — totally unmarked — head United's third past Shovkovskiy in the 41st minute.

United began the second half in the same fashion as Anderson advanced to strike a post early on.

Kiev again tried to rally and forced a succession of corners. But every time United advanced into the home half they looked as though they would score.

Ronaldo struck his second of the night in the 68th minute, from the penalty spot, after Goran Gavrancic handled a Carlos Tevez cross.

i.ladyman@dailymail.co.uk