PRESS BOX VIEW – INDEPENDENT

‘When the woodcutter's son delivers his scouting report from Craven Cottage today there will be mixed news for Sven Goran Eriksson. The England coach's assistant, Tord Grip, will purr over the contribution of Wayne Rooney to Manchester United's flowing victory by the Thames but express reservations over the form of Rio Ferdinand.

Rooney, playing behind Ruud van Nistelrooy in a Manchester United team that reverted to the attacking formation that conquered England and Europe in the late 1990s, was footballing eye candy. With Ji-Sung Park and Ryan Giggs willing wing accomplices, he tore Fulham apart.

Ferdinand, however, was as off the pace as Jonathan Woodgate had been for Real Madrid last week. He, though, did not have the excuse of an 16-month injury lay-off.

Having been complicit in both Fulham goals, Ferdinand's dire afternoon reached a nadir when United fans booed his assumption of the captain's armband when Giggs was substituted.’