TALES FROM THE PRESSBOX

If Manchester United's fans were going to be really pernickety - and it has
been known - they might think it a shame that Sir Alex Ferguson's players
approached the second half last night in a mood of conservatism rather than
intent on breaking records.

Had they been feeling particularly ruthless, the Premiership champions might
easily have emulated the nine goals they put past Ipswich in 1995, or at least
racked up a club record in Europe.

His team also set about answering some of the misgivings that are likely if
they fail to reach the European Cup final in Gelsenkirchen next May.

Quibbling with Ferguson's decisions can be a hazardous pastime, but after he
sold his two best passers in David Beckham and Juan Sebastian Veron there
are legitimate concerns that United may no longer have the same creativity.

The only disappointing aspect for Ferguson was the premature departure of
Solskjaer, Butt and O'Shea with slight injuries. Yet this was the only item of
bright news for the Highbury contingent keeping a watching brief for Arsène
Wenger. On last night's evidence Ferguson's players are brimming with
confidence and will relish meeting the deposed Premiership champions.

The likelihood, too, is that Van Nistelrooy will be even more motivated than
usual, for he will not have appreciated being overlooked in the goal rush.
"When people see it was 5-0 and Ruud didn't score they will probably think it's
a mistake, but his contribution was terrific," said Ferguson. "When a forward
doesn't score he has to contribute in other ways and Ruud showed he's a real
footballer."

The Telegraph

Midfield chiefs and chief executives may come and go but the big red
machine that is Manchester United rolls on regardless. Goals from Mikael
Silvestre, Quinton Fortune, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Nicky Butt and Eric
Djemba-Djemba launched another Champions League odyssey in style,
equalling United's biggest margin of victory in this competition.

More awkward assignments lie ahead such as the trips to Rangers and
Stuttgart but this was the perfect start for United and a riposte to those who
felt that Ferguson's club would fall apart without David Beckham and Juan
Sebastian Veron in the dressing-room and Peter Kenyon in the board-room.
With Ferguson in charge, United will never fade away.

The Greeks' Achilles' heel was swiftly discovered by United, who ripped a
hesitant defence to pieces so swiftly, so brutally that Antonis Nikopolidis, the
Panathinaikos keeper, was withdrawn at half-time to save him further
humiliation; four goals had shredded his self-esteem.

Ferguson has looked far and wide for a true successor to the great Peter
Schmeichel and the search may now be over: Howard's shot-stopping and
mastery of his area even drew praise from Schmeichel, the legend who was
again sounding off at Old Trafford yesterday, albeit via the radio airwaves.

Howard's sunny demeanour contrasted with the darkness settling over the
hapless Nikopolidis. When the keeper's goal-kick was headed powerfully back
by Fortune, Panathinaikos were again caught out by the speed of United's
thought and movement. Giggs raced down the left and, espying Solskjaer's
cross-over run with Van Nistelrooy, paused fractionally as the Norwegian
darted towards the near post. Giggs' aim was true, the ball flew to Solskjaer
and he adroitly turned it into the net at speed. Devastating.

The Times

AT A time when he is said to be preoccupied by a legal battle over the stud
rights to Rock Of Gibraltar, Sir Alex Ferguson might be advised to defy
conventional wisdom and look gift horses in the mouth, but there was little
prospect of his Manchester United turning up their noses at the largesse of
Panathinaikos last night. While it has become customary to talk of Greeks
bearing gifts on their travels, it was no exaggeration on this occasion as
United accepted five of them, equalling their record victory in the Champions
League without performing at anywhere near their best.

Ferguson, quite understandably, chose to laud the merits of his team’s
performance, not least that of Ryan Giggs, who had a significant hand in four
of the goals, but he did at least hint at the opposition’s frailties when he said
that they had been “nervous” in the early part of the game.

It was quite an understatement, for Panathinaikos, who reached the quarter-
finals in 2002, played as if this was their first appearance at this level,
conceding four goals during a first half in which they were never subjected to
a period of sustained pressure.

Wretched as they were, Panathinaikos are the second seeds in group E, but
that serves only to underline the ease with which United should progress to
the knockout stage. On this occasion, they scored five goals without the
influence of Roy Keane, who was left on the substitutes’ bench to nurse an
ankle injury that should have cleared up in time for the visit of Arsenal on
Sunday, and Paul Scholes, whose condition before a possible hernia
operation that would rule him out of club and international duty for a month,
fluctuates from day to day.