It wasn’t one of those perfect
hat-tricks. It wasn’t sublimely skilful, or greatly artistic in
execution, not the poetry in motion we have come to expect in this
tournament from Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.
Yet
it is hard to believe there will be a more valuable contribution to the
David Moyes era than that of Robin van Persie at Old Trafford on
Wednesday night.
He didn’t just put Manchester United into the Champions League quarter-finals. He may even have kept his manager in employment.
Considering
the wildly differing opinions about the job being done by Moyes around
these parts, this may one day be seen as blessing or curse.
On
Wednesday night, though, everybody seemed delighted, and that can only
be a good thing, having had so little to shout about of late.
Delighted: Van Persie runs towards the Stretford End after putting United ahead in the tie
All yours: Van Persie and strike partner Wayne Rooney celebrate on their knees after the third goal
Weight lifted: Moyes insisted after the game the pressure has only come from outside Old Trafford
Equaliser: Van Persie wheels away after levelling the score in the tie at Old Trafford
Double up: Van Persie slots home from close range to make it 2-0 to United
RVP, 123: The flying Dutchman gestures to the Stretford End after scoring the winner overall in the tie
The old days: Old Trafford erupted as Van Persie came up with the goods just before half-time
The one cloud was Van Persie’s
disappearance on a stretcher late in the second half, following a
challenge by Olympiacos defender Kostas Manolas.
On
this form, United will need him, if not this weekend, then certainly
against Manchester City here next Tuesday. Moyes was playing the injury
down on Wednesday night, perhaps anxious not to dampen the positive
vibes.
Up to his point of
departure, Van Persie’s contribution had defined the game. He won the
penalty, took the penalty, scored the penalty, scored the aggregate
equaliser, then nailed the winner.
On the touchline, Moyes was bouncing about like a man 20 years younger —
or 20 years older if one recalls some of Sir Alex Ferguson’s more
exuberant celebrations.
Indeed, there was an almost retro feel to this, a match and performance unlike any other in Moyes’s brief time at the club.
This was United as they used to be — bold, brave, cavalier, the defence
giving everyone kittens from time to time, the forwards making up for
it with awesome levels of energy.
Wayne
Rooney covered more ground than any player on the field, and Ryan Giggs
didn’t so much roll back the years as bathe in an elixir of youth.
All smiles: United players celebrate Van Persie's second goal, but there was more to come
Let down: After a fine first-leg performance, Olympiacos were poor at Old Trafford
He
is tipped to manage here one day and his sole disadvantage will be the
inability to throw himself into a match as important as this, to give
United’s midfield the poise, class and purpose it has lacked for so much
of this campaign.
Giggs
played a part in United’s first two goals and barely put a foot wrong
the rest of the night. Van Persie and Rooney were the fortunate
recipients of a mature, intelligent range of passes, while even the most
experienced members of Moyes’s squad — and the manager went for
experience all the way here — benefitted from his presence.
Van
Persie most of all. What a difference this was to last weekend. As
disengaged as the striker appeared four days ago, so he was United’s
life and soul on Wednesday night.
It
perhaps helped that Olympiacos quickly revealed themselves to be
defensive dunderheads.
United suffered a rash of penalties on Sunday
against Liverpool and events in the 23rd minute here quickly brought
back memories of Phil Jones’s clumsy and fateful challenge on
Liverpool’s Joe Allen.
Olympiacos
defender Jose Holebas committed a similar offence, getting on the wrong
side of Van Persie and then clattering into the back of him as Giggs
played a crossfield pass.
Referee
Bjorn Kuipers pointed to the spot, and Van Persie did the rest,
striking the ball right and firmly enough that goalkeeper Roberto could
not stop it, despite guessing correctly.
Old Trafford was lifted but it was the second goal, scored in first-half injury time, that sent the place into rapture.
Worrying: Van Persie was brought off on a stretcher after suffering a late injury
Support: 'The Chosen One' banner was put up on Wednesday night despite some calls to tear it down
Danny
Welbeck was fouled by Holebas and Rooney stood over the ball. He did a
dry run past, allowing Van Persie to come in from another angle and curl
it into the net.
It
passed perilously close to Roberto on the Olympiakos goal-line but he
was flat-footed. It wasn’t his finest night, to be frank.
It was a huge one for Moyes, though, whose gamble in giving Giggs his first start since January paid off handsomely.
As
for Antonio Valencia, it is fair to say he played Olympiacos with one
eye shut after an early collision with Joel Campbell left him looking
as if he had dropped his guard against Floyd Mayweather.
Yet,
Van Persie aside, the hero of the night was David de Gea. One goal from
Olympiacos, remember, and United would have needed four to progress,
and De Gea saved his team on three occasions, much to the obvious
exasperation of the Greek contingent in the Old Trafford directors’
box.
RVP, EASY AS ABC
The
flying Dutchman's hat-trick was his first in the Champions League and
United's first in the knockout stages of the competition
The first Olympiacos
chance to be wasted was their fault, just 16 minutes in, Arsenal loanee
Campbell skinning Jones and cutting the ball back to Hernan Perez, who
shot wildly over from no more than eight yards.
Shortly
before half-time, though, De Gea kept United in the tie. The defence
was carved open and a cross fell to David Fuster, who was thwarted by
the Spaniard, saving with his feet.
The
ball came out and in came Alejandro Dominguez, Olympiacos’s playmaker
and architect of the first-leg victory, but De Gea was equal to his shot
— feet first again. Shades of Peter Schmeichel and five-a-side over the
park.
+47
+47
+47
Ouch: Valencia is assessed by medical staff after the clash early on
+47
Brave man: Valencia continued playing after the incident despite the black eye
That way! Phil Jones wrong-foots Arsenal loanee Joel Campbell, who scored in the first leg
Feisty: Jose Holebas attemps to clear the ball as Rafael comes steaming in
+47
Tussle: United defender Phil Jones vies with Olympiakos' Brazilian defender Leandro Salino
The second half
brought scant respite for frayed nerves. In the 65th minute, De Gea
needed to be equal to another shot from Fuster and as a last act of
defiance parried a low one from Dominguez, which Campbell sent over on
the rebound. United were safe.
MIDFIELD GENERAL
This
was Ryan Giggs' 140th appearance in the Champions League, just two
short of Raul's record. His debut was in 1993 against Budapest Honved.
Whether
this is a first shoot of recovery or just an illusion courtesy of a
weak opponent remains to be seen; certainly United will be the name many
hope for in the quarter-final draw, a sobering thought for those still
giddy with excitement.
The
bottom line, though, is that this was a night for men to show their
mettle and some of United’s biggest names did just that.
There may be scepticism over Olympiacos’s quality, but here was a side of United too rarely seen this season. Scrappy and happy.
And in tomorrow’s draw, as if nothing had changed.
From behind: United defender Patrice Evra competes with Hernan Perez of Olympiacos
+47
The man who did it all: Sir Alex Ferguson was in the stands again on Wednesday night
+47
Onlooking: Avram Glazer (centre) takes his seat in the stands before the match
+47
Pressure on: David Moyes looks on before what was perhaps the biggest game of his managerial career
