Boss Calm After Gunners Rout

Sir Alex Ferguson was in magnanimous mood after United’s merciless thumping of a severely-weakened Arsenal team at Old Trafford, but still hailed his side’s energy and enjoyment after the swaggering display.

Wayne Rooney hit a superb set-piece hat-trick, while Ashley Young (2), Danny Welbeck, Nani and Ji-sung Park also struck as United stormed to the top of the league on goal difference.

“It’s unusual because you don’t expect it,” the Boss told MUTV. “We’ve scored six against them twice in the past, so maybe when we hit form like that somebody suffers. Today it was Arsenal who unfortunately suffered.

“We’ve had a couple of big results against them in the past, but when you see Arsenal’s team like that, we do expect to score goals. I felt all their quality was in the forward positions and they were a threat at times. They could have scored more than two goals.

“It was a funny game, a strange result but we can only do our jobs and I think the players kept it professional that way and did their best. We’re showing great energy at the moment and great enjoyment in our game, and that’s important.”

The forward-thinking efforts of Rooney and Ashley Young drew praise from the manager; the former for his seamless evolution into the leader of United’s new-look attack, and the latter for how quickly he has settled into life at his new club.

“Fantastic,” said the Boss, of Rooney. “He’s thriving in his role of leader of the front players. Welbeck’s young, Hernandez is young, Ashley Young has just joined and Wayne’s thriving in the responsibility and I think that’s important.”

On Young’s spectacular brace, Sir Alex marvelled: “Marvellous goals, fantastic. He’s settling in very well, good understanding of the game, great energy, beautiful balance… he has all the assets to be a really top player.”

Having stoutly defended Arsene Wenger in his programme notes, Sir Alex reprised his stance by conceding that he felt a degree of sympathy for adding to the Frenchman’s woes.

“Of course, because he’s a great football man,” he said. “He’s done an incredible job for Arsenal for 15 years, he’s given them a quality of football that they’ve never experienced. He’s brought some exciting players to his club and he deserves respect for that, especially from myself.”