Giggs earns United point

Only an unlikely set of results, including a four-goal win for Aalborg at Old Trafford next month can rob Sir Alex Ferguson's men of qualification.

But it would have been very nervy indeed had Giggs, who celebrates his 35th birthday this month, not been on hand to finish from close range after Artur Boruc had failed to hold Cristiano Ronaldo's stinging shot.

Scott McDonald's precise lob came too early to allow the Scottish champions to cling on, leaving them only able to claim a moral victory and the possibility of a UEFA Cup consolation prize.

Set-pieces would have been a more likely route to goal had Jan Venegoor of Hesselink or Giorgios Samaras been fit but the Bhoys had enough height and muscle to make life uncomfortable for United.

Such was the desperation to clear their lines when Nemanja Vidic headed away Shaun Maloney's free-kick that McDonald was left on his own 10 yards out as Gary Caldwell nodded the ball back into the United danger zone.

Ben Foster was left in no man's land and McDonald's lob looped over his head and dropped neatly into the visitors' net. It was the first European goal United had conceded since they lifted the trophy in Moscow.

The European Champions gradually took control of the match and the introduction of substitutes Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov gave United the edge.

The pattern was already set. United attacks, Celtic clearances. Ronaldo broke it by needlessly kicking out at Scott Brown by the touchline. None of the officials spotted it but UEFA might take a look.

No-one will need to have a second viewing at Ronaldo's next contribution though as his wickedly swerving shot had Boruc flapping. The Celtic keeper meekly pushed it into the air, offering Giggs the easiest of close-range tap-ins, much to Ferguson's relief.