Manchester United reach last 16 in Champions League

Manchester United’s biggest away win in the Champions League – a 5-0 thrashing of Bayer Leverkusen – secures the team’s spot in the knockout stages with one game to spare. Veteran Giggs instrumental as Reds see positive signs going forward.

After 24 seasons, the perennial Ryan Giggs is still going strong. And two days before his 40th birthday, the veteran played a key role in his club’s best performance and result of the season so far – a 5-0 K.O. of the Bundesliga’s #2 team – Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. He was masterful in the midfield and together with Wayne Rooney produced another superb display.

“I’ve run out of things to say about Ryan,” Rooney said after the match.

“Our speed was key, we really killed Leverkusen on the counter attack,” Giggs said.

In a season that started shaky but now sees the the Reds on relatively solid ground after an 11-game undefeated streak, the knock-out punch in Leverkusen might just be the gift Giggs and his beloved Reds need to get their Premier League campaign back on track as they head to Tottenham on December 1. The reigning champions currently find themselves uncharacteristically half way down the Barclays Premier League table.

But the boys from Old Trafford feel they are finding their groove and seeing the positive signs.

“Our speed was key, we really killed Leverkusen on the counter attack,” Giggs said. “The first goal was a prime example of that – really quick play. It was a real pleasure to play the game.”

“Wayne Rooney was delighted with the Reds’ performance in Germany: “I think it's a great result obviously and, once the score was 2-0, we really did well to kill the game off. It's important we try to get that point in the next game now to finish top of the group.”

And most importantly, they believe in themselves and their coach:

“[Coach Moyes] is very tactically aware,” Jonny Evans said. “He is definitely improving the team in that sense, in terms of how he wants to play and the tactics he wants.”

Although many eyes were on Rooney and Giggs, Manchester United’s Facebook fans were watching Shinji Kagawa, whom Moyes said was “excellent” against Leverkusen. They voted him Man of the Match. But no worries – Wayne is up for Player of the Month. You can vote yourself at facebook.com/manchesterunited.