Wayne's World again for United

Wayne Rooney was all smiles as Manchester United beat Bayer Leverkusen.

All is forgiven.
Wayne Rooney scored twice and Manchester United won their Champions League opener 4-2 against Bayer Leverkusen so everything is right with the world.
That is one view to take but those within the Old Trafford hierarchy will need a little bit longer to forgive and forget after this summer's transfer saga.
It's fair to say it wasn't entirely smooth sailing for United in the off-season with Rooneygate taking months to fizzle out and Marouane Fellaini the only new arrival on a frustrating deadline day that saw deals for Leighton Baines, Ander Herrera and Fabio Coentrao slip by.
There was also the possible interest in a reunion with Cristiano Ronaldo coming to nothing as the forward extended his megabucks deal at the Bernabeu.
That has left Red Devils fans nervy in the aftermath of Sir Alex Ferguson abdicating his throne following Premier League title number 13.

David Moyes still has a long way to go to convince his doubters - plenty of whom will never take to him wearing the United crown - but it's been a solid start to his reign.
Tuesday night's goal-laden victory over Leverkusen contained more good than bad for Moyes' men with Rooney the number one tick on his list of positives.
The fans were happy to chant Rooney's name as he was replaced by Javier Hernandez in the final stages of Tuesday's win and they are right to do so if basing their support purely on performances on the pitch.
If they are taking other factors into account it may have been wise to wait before falling in love again. It should be twice bitten in transfer sagas, thrice shy.
That isn't to take anything away from Rooney. The continuation of the 27-year-old's time at Old Trafford is clearly a good thing for United as there aren't many - if any - better players available to replace him.
Chelsea and Arsenal have both already shown in their limitations so far this term what a difference getting Rooney's signature would have made to their endeavours.
His partnership with Robin van Persie continues to evolve and the Dutchman remains - despite Rooney's desire to get top billing - United's star man.
He's continually a goal threat and even when quiet - like for large portions of the win over Leverkusen - it's no surprise to see him get on the scoresheet with one moment of magic.
Hernandez and Danny Welbeck sit in reserve as well so it definitely won't be a lack of goals that costs United this season.
The midfield continues to have a question mark over it but at least Fellaini provides a more physical and dynamic presence to go alongside the ever-dependable Michael Carrick.
It wasn't a vintage display from the Belgian powerhouse on his Champions League debut for the club but his presence alone was enough to cause Leverkusen discomfort.
It must be a bit tougher for Shinji Kagawa to feel optimistic about his short-term future.
The Japan international is a very good player but it's not clear where he's going to fit within Moyes' line-up.
Being out on the left doesn't suit him and it was up to Antonio Valencia on the opposite flank to provide the vast majority of United's hustle and bustle on Tuesday.
It's tough to see Kagawa starting in the Manchester derby and he will have to get used to life on the fringes unless a more central role opens up thanks to the never-ending turn of circumstance.
That means we will have to wait to see the class displayed by the playmaker during his time at Borussia Dortmund.
The two goals conceded against Leverkusen will be a concern to Moyes but the response to being pegged back to 1-1 was impressively decisive in moving the game out of reach.
David De Gea is a lot more confident than he was at this time last year and it isn't even a question now whether he should be first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Anders Lindegaard.
The rise of the Spaniard has to be considered a major boost and vindication of the faith shown him by Ferguson at the start of the previous campaign.
The next big test for new chief Moyes comes as soon as Sunday and avoiding defeat against Manchester City is a must after the disappointment of the 1-0 loss at Liverpool just before the international break.
Rooney will start and playing his part in beating City would see his hero status further enhanced.
The United fans will love him tomorrow but for how long after that?

Manchester United - Bayer Leverkusen 4-2

David Moyes' first Champions League group match ended in a convincing victory, with a rampant Wayne Rooney leading the way with two goals and an assist.

Wayne Rooney scored his 200th goal for Manchester United as David Moyes' side beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The England international became only the fourth man in United's history to score 200 goals after notching either side of half-time.

Rooney opened the scoring in the first half with a guided volley but Simon Rolfes equalised against the run of play shortly after the break.

Robin van Persie put United back ahead shortly afterwards, before Rooney pounced on a lapse in the Leverkusen defence to make it 3-1 and Antonio Valencia scored from a superb counterattack.

Omer Toprak pulled one back for Leverkusen with three minutes left - but it was scant consolation.

Marouane Fellaini made his first start for United since his deadline-day move from Everton, while Shinji Kagawa was included in the starting XI for the first time this season.

Similarly, Leverkusen boss Sami Hyypia brought in Giulio Donati, Toprak and Emre Can to bolster the side that defeated Wolfsburg 3-1 on Saturday.

United controlled the tempo in the early exchanges and Chris Smalling almost broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute when he looped a header narrowly over the crossbar.

But just two minutes later the home fans were celebrating a goal their team's play deserved.

Patrice Evra gathered the ball on the left and played a pin-point cross to Rooney, who hit a first-time volley that hit the floor and bounced into the roof of the net – although television replays suggested that Valencia may have blocked goalkeeper Bernd Leno from an offside position.

Moyes' side nearly grabbed a second before half-time when Rooney's 25-yard free kick from the left bounced narrowly wide of Leno's near post before Rooney pounced on a Toprak slip just after the restart but rounded the goalkeeper only to fire wide.

United were immediately punished when Leverkusen made it 1-1 in the 54th minute.

Heung-Min Son held the ball up well in the box before laying back to Rolfes, who hit a first-time bending effort from 20 yards that deflected off Michael Carrick and beyond David De Gea.

They were not level for long, however, as Van Persie restored United's lead in the 59th minute when Valencia surged down the right and centred for the Netherlands international to stretch and guide his volley into the back of the net.

And with 20 minutes remaining, the result was seemingly put beyond doubt when De Gea's long punt down field caused confusion in the Leverkusen defence and Rooney collected on the left before calmly slotting home at the near post. It was a landmark strike from the England man.

Moyes' night got even better when with just 10 minutes left United broke from their own half before Rooney played an accurate ball into the path of Valencia, who rifled home.

With three minutes left, though, Toprak grabbed a consolation when he tapped home a rebounded effort after Stefan Reinartz headed against the crossbar from a corner. But the day belonged to United - and Rooney in particular.

22′ Wayne Rooney

Simon Rolfes 54′ 

59′ Robin van Persie

Ömer Toprak 88′ 

70′ Wayne Rooney

79′ Antonio Valencia

Champions League elite has lost its power

Man Utd and Milan move over,after years of dominance and control at the top-end of the sport.The top teams have seen their power weaken as more leagues and rivals threaten their hegemony.

When Arsene Wenger actually agrees to spend €50 million on one player, you know it has been one hell of a transfer window.
And that is exactly what it was. This has been a summer that could signal the beginning of a new era in European football. For the first time in at least two decades, the established order is being seriously threatened - and potentially overthrown - by new challengers.
Since the creation and then expansion of the Champions League, Bayern Munich have been - until the recent arrival of PSG - the only European superpower outside of the Premier League, La Liga or Serie A. Barring the odd anomaly - such as Porto’s shock 2004 success – just a handful of teams from these three countries have been equipped to conquer the previously-named European Cup. Eight clubs have won the last 16 editions - Barcelona and Real Madrid six of them - compared to 13 teams from nine nations who shared out the 16 titles before that.
All of the individual talent and wealth has been – with the exception of Bayern – largely monopolised by the English ‘Big Four’, Madrid, Barca, Juventus, Milan and Inter.


This summer, though, the elite have been handed a rude awakening. Madrid may boast Carlo Ancelotti’s “best-ever squad” following the world record €100m signing of Gareth Bale, Barcelona may have snapped up Brazilian superstar Neymar, Arsenal may have created a club record transfer fee with a €50m Mesut Ozil, Bayern may have added two more potential world-beaters in Thiago and Mario Gotze, and Juventus, Chelsea and Manchester City may have all strengthened their personnel also – but the dominance these aristocrats once held over their dominions has weakened substantially.
Football at the highest level has once again expanded its borders. There are now five major European leagues – both in a sporting and financial sense. The all-German Champions League final in May was no accident and the Bundesliga – so self-sufficient and immune to any further European economic downturn – will continue to grow. Bayern are favourites to retain the Champions League, while last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund have arguably improved having only lost Gotze to their bitter rivals. Until recently, Dortmund would have seen their multi-talented squad picked apart in the summer market – like Porto’s Champions League winners of 2004 were – but BVB have proved they are now a major player, even beating the Premier League to the signing of Shakhtar midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Paris Saint-Germain may have already unofficially joined the elite with the takeover by QIA in 2011, but Monaco’s buyout by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev means that Ligue 1 now houses many of Europe’s best players – and more superstars than both Serie A and the Premier League. The nouveau-riche duo splashed a whopping €277m between them this summer, beating the EPL to the world’s two best penalty box strikers in Radamel Falcao and Edinson Cavani as well as stars such as Marquinhos, James Rodriguez and Joao Moutinho. It is inevitable that one of these two powerhouses will win the Champions League during the next five years and thus end a Ligue 1 dry spell that dates back, fittingly, to the very first edition of the rebranded competition in 1993 when Marseille – who have also assembled a decent side – controversially lifted the trophy.



With the exception of Spain’s La Liga, which is tediously and unfairly dominated by two teams, football has once again become competitive again. The astronomical new English television deal, which will supply a total of around €6.4bn (£5.5bn) in broadcasting rights over the next three seasons, has ensured that – from top to bottom – the Premier League is at its most competitive ever. Never before have modest sides like Norwich, Swansea and Southampton (unless you go back over 30 years to the shock signing of Kevin Keegan) been able to dream of stars of the calibre of Ricky van Wolfswinkel, Wilfried Bony and Pablo Osvaldo. Six teams will fight it out for four Champions League places - even Manchester United and Arsenal, ever-presents in the competition for well over a decade, will be sweating over their participation. Tottenham may have lost Bale, but they replaced him with Paulinho, Erik Lamela, Roberto Soldado, Etienne Capoue, Nacer Chadli and Christian Eriksen.
 HEY BIG SPENDERS | Top 10 clubs by expenditure

HEY BIG SPENDERS | Top 10 clubs by expenditure

			Gross outlay	Net outlay
1		Real Madrid	€181.5m	€67m
2		Monaco	€166.2m	€160m
3		Tottenham Hotspur	€121.9m	(€5.1m)
4		Manchester City	€116m	€104.3m
5		Paris Saint-Germain	€110.9m	€82.4m
6		Napoli	€87m	€16.3m
7		Chelsea	€77.9m	€67.7m
8		Barcelona	€70m	€41.9m
9		Dinamo Moscow	€67.9m	€48.9m
10		Shakhtar Donetsk	€67m	(€0.5m)

In Serie A also, Napoli and Fiorentina have developed into two of Europe’s most feared sides – signing top class players previously reserved only for those at the apex of the footballing pyramid. Napoli were comfortably the heaviest spenders in Italy (and sixth in Europe), bringing in the likes of Real Madrid trio Gonzalo Higuain, Raul Albiol and Jose Callejon, Liverpool’s Pepe Reina and PSV’s Dries Mertens. Fiorentina now play arguably the most entertaining football on the continent having added Bayern goal-machine Mario Gomez to their ranks. Traditional giants Milan and Inter have been caught by less storied outfits. The Nerazzurri are highly unlikely to qualify for next season's Champions League, while the Rossoneri face a battle.

The vast managerial changes at the top-end of the game will also work against the elite in the short-term. This was a summer that saw Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson retire, Jose Mourinho return to Chelsea and Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern, PSG and Inter appoint new coaches. There is bound to be a post-Ferguson blip at Old Trafford, a bedding-in period for Pep Guardiola in Munich and major challenges for all the new men in charge. Vulnerable, now is the perfect time for the challengers to strike.
While we will sadly never return to the days where a successful team could be built without money – such as when Brian Clough took Nottingham Forest from the English Second Division to European Cup glory in the space of two years – and we will never see Romanian and former Yugoslavian outfits rule the continent again, this summer has been a big victory for the chasing pack.

With more major leagues and more major teams, the Champions League elite who thought they could maintain control forever have lost their power.

The pressure is on Manchester United

Bayer Leverkusen head coach Sami Hyypia believes David Moyes is under more pressure than him to succeed in the UEFA Champions League.
Hyypia's side will travel to Old Trafford to meet Moyes' Manchester United with both coaches making their first appearance in Europe's pinnacle club competition.
But the Finnish coach insists that United's history in the tournament means Leverkusen can relax and enjoy the occasion.
 
"I think David Moyes has a little bit more experience in this area of football and he's the manager of this big club here in Manchester," Hyypia said.
"They are playing at home and I think they have big expectations in the Champions League this season.
"What happened last season (with the second-round exit to Real Madrid), that can't be the same, so I think he is more under pressure."
Hyypia backed the former Everton manager to succeed with United but hoped that it wasn't against Leverkusen.
"I think David Moyes is an experienced manager and I think that everyone should give him a little bit more time to get things running," Hyypia said.

"Hopefully it doesn't happen tomorrow that they get things running and we can give them enough problems that they can't get their rhythm in the game."