Back with a bang: Michael Owen enjoys his first
pre-season goal
Manchester United were in
town to open Dublin's new Aviva Stadium and they certainly put on a
show by hitting seven goals past the Airtricity League XI.
The United defence was rarely stretched, while attacking players
such as Park Ji-sung, who scored twice, Antonio Valencia and
Michael Owen enjoyed plenty of space.
Mexico's Javier Hernandez has made a good start to his United
career, impressing on the tour of America and producing a sharp
display here. Fergie must be considering him for when the serious
stuff starts.
Michael Owen was making his first appearance since suffering a
hamstring injury in the Carling Cup final in March which required
surgery, but he looked sharp before making way for Dimitar Berbatov
at half-time and took his goal well.
Ferguson has indicated that Owen will not be fit enough to face
his old club Newcastle in United's first Premier League fixture of
the season but, on this evidence, the former Liverpool and Real
Madrid striker is not far away.
Park Ji-sung also looked fresh despite his exertions at the
World Cup with South Korea this summer. It was his perseverence and
sense of anticipation that led to United's first goal and one of
several penetrating runs set up the second.
Settling in nicely: United new boy Javier Hernandez
(left) got on the scoresheet
Chris Smalling played with Nemanja Vidic in central defence for
the first time. The £10m signing from Fulham was rarely
troubled.
Javier 'Chicharito ' Hernandez took just 93 seconds to get on
the scoresheet after replacing Wayne Rooney at half-time - evidence
that the £7m Mexico striker is a natural predator.
Frustration: Wayne Rooney reacts to a challenge
Sir Alex Ferguson said: 'Our goals were good, some of them very
good. Hernandez's goal was fantastic - no drawback at all.
'We've got good, young strikers in the club and they're exciting
me very much alongside the experience of Rooney, Owen and
Berbatov.
'The only injury we've got is Michael Carrick, who has an ankle
problem which will put him out of Sunday's game (Community
Shield).
'Rooney has only been training for six days, along with Owen and
Park, and they're definitely not ready for real games so 45 minutes
was fine for them. I'll have to play them against Chelsea on Sunday
because that will help to bring them on.'
(4-4-2): Kuszczak (Amos
65min); Evans, Smalling, Vidic, O’Shea; Valencia, Carrick (Fletcher
37), Gibson, Park (Nani 64); Owen (Berbatov 46), Rooney (Hernandez
46).
If Wayne Rooney thought the spotlight was on him after his sorry
displays for England in South Africa and a much-publicised night
out in Manchester, he must have wished the ground would swallow him
up after 22 minutes when the goalkeeper saved Darron Gibson's shot
and Rooney blazed over an open goal from 15 yards.
The sky's the limit: Rooney blasts over from close
range
