AS Roma travelled to Old Trafford with a one goal advantage after the bloody first leg in Rome, and many pundits thought that the game would be explosive for all the non-footballing reasons. The Manchester United players had other ideas, within twenty minutes they were winning 3-0 with goals from three different players.

The first came from the unlikely source of Michael Carrick who coolly chipped the ball in to the goal from twenty-five yards. Five minutes later Alan Smith joined him on the score sheet. His strike from the edge of the box was a fitting end to a United move that fluidly moved from end to end. Roma were reeling and again the United players took advantage just two minutes after the game was restarted Ryan Giggs broke down the right to put a low cross into the box which found its way into the back of the net via the boot of Wayne Rooney and the post.

Roma were not playing like a disciplined Italian side with a well-marshalled defence. To compare their poor performance to that of a pub team would only be an injustice to the description of the standard of pub league football.

Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed a brace one either side of the half time interval. Another splendid pass from Ryan Giggs allowed Ronaldo to strike from the edge of the Roma box in to Doni’s goal just before the break. Giggs was provider for Ronaldo again four minutes into the second half with another low cross that Ronaldo dispatched for his second of the night.

Michael Carrick made it 6-0 on the hour when he guided the ball in to the top left hand corner of Doni’s goal with a majestic twenty-five yard strike.

Roma managed to score a consolation goal when De Rossi cushioned a Francesco Totti cross from the right wing, in to the United goal at the near post.

Substitute Patrice Evra registered number seven in the final ten minutes his shot finding its way to the back of the net off the post.

United will face either AC Milan or Bayern Munich in the next round, they will not be looking forward to the prospect of facing the former Champions League Champions in the semi finals.