United's Champions League campaign began with a frustrating 0-0 draw at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, against a Rangers team that, for long periods, bore more resemblance to Hadrian's Wall than a football side. Such was the strength and breadth of the visitors' defensive line.
The Scottish champions, who netted 82 goals in 38 league games last season, did little more than “park the bus” at Old Trafford, defending with a five-man backline and almost always 10 men behind the ball.
Rangers' tactics certainly weren't pretty but, as Reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson admitted afterwards, they were mightily effective. United struggled to break down the wall of blue and visiting goalkeeper Alan McGregor didn't have to make a single meaningful save.
"You have to give credit to Rangers," the boss said. "They have a formula for playing away from home that's successful."
To make matters worse for the home side, Antonio Valencia was carried from the pitch with a broken ankle and will undergo surgery on Wednesday morning. It's feared he will miss the rest of the season.
The 0-0 draw definitely wasn't the result the majority of the 74,408 fans inside Old Trafford had hoped for, but Sir Alex's men still have five games to secure safe passage to the knockout rounds of Europe's premier club competition.
"Tonight, that was a blemish," he said. "I always say you need 10 points to qualify – now we need nine points from five games."
For Rangers' visit, the boss made 10 changes – only Darren
Fletcher survived – to the Unted side that drew 3-3 at Everton on Saturday and handed Champions League debuts to summer signings Chris Smalling and Javier Hernandez. There were also welcome returns to action for both Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown and Darron Gibson, all of whom hadn't previously kicked a ball this season.
But all the talk in the press lounge surrounded the inclusion of Wayne Rooney. Rested against his former club at the weekend to shield him from fans' venom, the striker was unleashed at Old Trafford against the Scottish champions for his first club outing since allegations surrounding his private life surfaced nine days ago.
If Rooney was nervous, it didn't show. Straight from the kick-off he carried the ball forward with purpose and, in the early minutes, often came short to receive balls from Fletcher and Darron Gibson. Rooney's wanderings weren't just the work of a man determined to make an impact: they allowed Javier Hernandez – clocked as the fastest player at the summer's World Cup – to operate on the shoulder of 40-year-old Rangers defender David Weir.
It was the visitors, though – Weir, even – who registered the first shot on goal, a flicked header from a Steven Davis free-kick that trickled through harmlessly enough to Tomasz Kuszczak. At the other end, Hernandez hung in the air for what seemed an eternity to head Fabio's cross just wide of the post before Rangers survived a half-hearted shout for handball after a penalty-area scramble.
United looked comfortable but didn't create a clear-cut chance until, in the 21st minute, Hernandez and Rooney –
playing their first minutes of football together – exchanged passes to break clear of the five-man Rangers defence. But with only one man back for cover, Rooney hung onto the ball too long and his attempted return pass deflected off veteran centre-back Weir and into the arms of goalkeeper McGregor.
There was little for either set of supporters to get truly excited about until Gibson unleashed two efforts from distance in quick succession. The first, on 34 minutes, arrowed inches wide of McGregor's left-hand post; the second forced the custodian into a routine save.
Rangers' objective was clear: get men behind the ball and stifle United's creativity. Often, there were 30 to 35 yards between the midfield bank of four and lone striker Kenny Miller. All the Reds could do was play patiently, keep possession and probe for openings.
Rooney continued to seek the ball, tear about the pitch and, as is his want, berate team-mates when passes failed to land at his feet. There were fears for his fitness just before the break when he appeared to turn his left ankle but the England forward soldiered on and by half-time was again moving freely.
United emerged brightest after the interval, with Gibson almost volleying a spectacular effort into the top corner within a minute of the restart. The Irishman's appetite for the ball was insatiable; he constantly sought to win possession and pull the strings from midfield.
But Rangers stood firm. Neither Park and Hernandez nor Hernandez and Rooney could combine successfully on the edge of the area to pass their
way through the defence, while Gibson was increasingly denied space to pull the trigger from distance.
The Reds then lost Antonio Valencia just before the hour-mark to a horrific leg injury that left the Ecuadorian requiring oxygen as he was carried from the field on a stretcher. It had appeared an innocuous incident – the winger tangling with Kirk Broadfoot – but afterwards his left ankle hung at an unnatural angle and, tellingly, TV producers only showed one replay.
Ryan Giggs was sent on – Park switched to the right flank – and orchestrated United's next chance, clipping a cross towards the penalty spot. Rooney met the ball but, backpedalling, couldn't direct his header on target.
Rangers then had a penalty appeal turned down – it certainly wasn't frivolous to ask the question – when Chris Smalling caught Kirk Broadfoot's trailing leg before Sir Alex made a double substitution with 15 minutes to play, sending on Michael Owen and Jonny Evans for Ji-sung Park and Fabio.
Rooney had a chipped effort easily fielded by McGregor, Fletcher sprung the offside trap but couldn't get away a shot in time and Gibson saw another long-range effort just miss the target. Not even the six minutes of injury time yielded a goal. Instead, this was a night in which defending – organised, disciplined and resolute throughout – triumphed.
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