GERMANY: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Manchester United manager David Moyes says his team's 5 - 0 Champions League defeat of Bayer Leverkusen is their best performance since he took over.

Record ID: 336540

  • Title: GERMANY: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Manchester United manager David Moyes says his team's 5 - 0 Champions League defeat of Bayer Leverkusen is their best performance since he took over.
  • Date: 27th November 2013
  • Summary: LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY (NOVEMBER 27, 2013) (REUTERS) MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER DAVID MOYES ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED COACH DAVID MOYES SAYING: "Its the job, we won 5:0, we won well, we played well with some outstanding performances and I think I said it before, to come to Germany and to win 5:0, I
  • Embargoed: 12th December 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVACASL98Q3HQWFWFBNE71Z8DVEN
  • Story Text: Wayne Rooney set up three goals as Manchester United cruised to a 5-0 victory at Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday (November 27), booking their Champions League knockout stage spot and ending the Germans' eight home-game winning run in the competition.
    Rooney tormented Leverkusen with pinpoint passes throughout the game and found Antonio Valencia with a deep cross for an easy tap-in before floating a free kick into the box which defender Emir Spahic headed into his own net in the 30th minute.
    Jonny Evans added another after taking advantage of some confusion in the box and Chris Smalling scored in the 77th before a cute Nani finish sealed United's biggest away win in the Champions League.
    It also made sure of English clubs' fifth win in seven matches against German teams this season.
    Afterwards, United manager David Moyes said: "We played well with some outstanding performances and to come to Germany and to win 5:0, I think they have a great record here in Leverkusen so that puts it into perspective as well.
    "Just the whole team performance tonight was probably in lots of ways the best we played because of the goals, because of the clean sheet, but more importantly it was an important game because we had to win to make sure we stayed at the top of the group and we are now qualified, which was the job at hand."
    Leverkusen coach Sami Hyypia was a sadder and wiser man after the thrashing.
    "That was a football lesson. I think United did a great job today and after 2:0 they played differently, falling back deeply into their own half of the pitch and then countered from there. This made it difficult to get chances to attack," he said.
    "We understand that we have alot of work ahead of us to make steps forward. I hope and believe that all the players will work hard to reach our goals."
    The win lifted United, who were playing without injured Nemanja Vidic and Robin van Persie, to 11 points in Group A, three ahead of Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk, with Leverkusen in third on seven.
    A win or draw against the Ukrainians at home in the final group game on Dec. 10 will guarantee the English team top spot.

    Group A
    Shakhtar Donetsk 4 Real Sociedad 0
    Bayer Leverkusen 0 Manchester United 5

    Standings P W D L F A Pts
    Manchester United* 5 3 2 0 11 3 11
    Shakhtar Donetsk 5 2 2 1 7 5 8
    Bayer Leverkusen 5 2 1 2 8 10 7
    Real Sociedad 5 0 1 4 1 9 1
    *Denotes qualified for last-16
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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