VIEWS FROM THE PRESS BOX

Last updated : 14 November 2002 By Editor

If there is one player at Old Trafford with something to prove after Saturday's trauma at Manchester City, it should be Juan Sebastian Veron rather than Gary Neville, the resident scapegoat. Neville found himself out of the team last night, even if publishing deadlines meant he appeared on the f the programme cover with the rather inappropriate headline, "Neville Worship." Veron, meanwhile, responded to Sir Alex Ferguson's febrile criticism with a splendid goal to help assure Manchester United winning their group.

Yet again the thought occurs of how such a talented player can lurch so unpredictably between beguiling and bewildering football but Veron's contribution - he was also heavily involved in Ruud van Nistelrooy's goal - should, at the very least, earn him some respite from the critics who have been queuing to question his commitment. Until the next time, anyway. For now, however, United will prefer to look forwards than to the past.

The benefit of finishing top will be gauged only after tomorrow's draw in Geneva, but it earns a guarantee of having to face only one of the other seven group winners, a formidable list incorporating, among others, Real Madrid, Internazionale and Valencia. Teams from the same country will be kept apart, meaning United cannot meet Arsenal, but unlike the first stage there will be no seeding and Ferguson is acutely aware of the prospect of Serie A and La Liga opposition.

While Klaus Toppmöller had left six first-team players in Germany, apparently conceding any hope of establishing the two-goal winning margin that would have seen them win Group F, Ferguson reacted to Saturday's defeat by making four alterations. The all-important question, one he was naturally not willing to answer, was whether Fabien Barthez, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the Neville brothers were rested or dropped.

Instead United's defensive frailties were exposed yet again, with 16 minutes gone, when Dimitar Berbatov's smart pass dissected Rio Ferdinand and Laurent Blanc for Thomas Brdaric to run clear, holding off Mickael Silvestre and twisting past Ricardo Lopez before being taken down by the goalkeeper for a clear penalty.

Ricardo should be relieved the Slovakian referee did not deem it a red-card offence and United's impressive fortune continued, Jan Simak hoofing the spot-kick so far over the bar it was of more danger to the Stretford End's executive boxes.

A number of Veron's passes that went astray, but he was influential in concocting Van Nistelrooy's goal, quickening the pace of an ambling move with a crisp ball into Paul Scholes that was nudged beyond a static defence to leave the Dutchman clear. With Butt hopelessly exposed, Van Nistelrooy's finish was a formality.