The Mexican marksman put the Reds through last night with a double but Mon Dieu it was a night of anxiety.
Sir Alex Ferguson had been unaware in his pre-match media conference until questioned by a journalist that Dimitar Berbatov had not scored in the Champions League since October 2008.
If that was the unknown fact that clinched £8m Chicharito’s selection ahead of the £30.75m club record buy, then that journalist deserves an exclusive one-to-one with the United manager!
Or perhaps we should record it as another masterstroke by the United manager.
The 22-year-old’s brace brought his total to 16 from his incredible debut season and he’s sneaking up on Berbatov as the Reds’ leading scorer.
Fergie had actually appeared somewhat subdued at that Euro briefing at Old Trafford on Tuesday. The theory was that his body language suggested the injury to Nemanja Vidic was worse than he was letting on.
And so it proved with the Reds captain KO’d, forcing the United boss into naming the Chris Smalling-Wes Brown combo that had suffered at Liverpool.
But if his mood had been apprehensive he had certainly been more chipper and bullish when he’d penned his programme notes. He sounded a ‘We must go for it’ rallying call and his demand to hit the ground running was certainly answered.
With only five minutes on the clock, United nosed ahead in the tie and it was a cavalier-style attack that Deschamps claimed before the first leg that this Red generation no longer possessed.
Fergie accepted the Marseille boss had a point when this team is compared to the ‘99 Treble winners but added nobody should underestimate his current players. Perhaps Deschamps had done just that because his team were caught cold by the Reds rapid opening.
It had all the hallmarks of the 1999 adventurous side who went for the jugular from the first whistle. Treble winner Ryan Giggs flashed a cross in from the left. It was doubtful that Wayne Rooney was the intended recipient but the striker intercepted then set up Javier Hernandez who’d ghosted into space on the blind side to poach the opener.
Fergie reminded us that his philosophy remains the same as that employed during that glorious European campaign where the Reds always risked losing a goal. He was right, as this edge of the seat encounter shifted from one end to the other with the visitors proving they had an adventurous streak they’d kept hidden at the Stade Velodrome a fortnight ago.
Mind you, they didn’t have any choice if they wanted to keep their Champions League hopes alive. And just like all United sides, this was another evening that tested the state of your nerves as Marseille threatened to nick that cherished away goal.
The French had lamented the loss of striker Andre-Pierre Gignac in the first leg in France and when Andre Ayew’s flick set him up in the ninth minute Old Trafford looked set to understand just why Marseille wanted him in their line-up.
But the hitman made a right pig’s ear of his chance and lobbed high and wide.
Gabriel Heinze had some uneducated notion that the United fans would welcome him back with open arms despite wanting to defect to Liverpool in 2007.
He was reminded of his heinous crime by suffering whistle and boos every time he touched the ball.
Before Marseille struck with more decent chances United were gifted an opportunity when keeper Steve Mandanda fluffed a clearance and it landed invitingly for Nani.
But with Mandanda racing back, the winger chose not to catch him out with a swift return and by the time he chose to pass to Rooney, the present had been swallowed up.
It was hearts in mouth stuff when Souleymane Diawara thundered a header just wide and then Loic Remy crashed a shot just off the mark.
At least Smalling was able to answer with a header from a corner that sent the Reds into the interval feeling a shade better.
The continued heady mixture of swashbuckling attack and defensive errors meant you couldn’t take your eyes off this knife-edge encounter. Look away and you risked either missing the Reds seal it or Marseille steal it.
The Reds defending became desperate and Old Trafford craved that second goal to ease the tension that was building.
Memories of Jose Mourinho racing down the touchline celebrating Porto’s equaliser in ’04 that KO’d United were not far from everyone’s thoughts.
Marseille almost did snatch it when Remy’s cross was sidefooted by Bruno Cheyrou but nobody catches Edwin Van der Sar out that easily.
United’s response to the scare was swift and cutting as they raced on the counter to end the torment for their fans. Substitute Antonio Valencia set up Giggs for a cross and once again poacher supreme Chicharito sneaked in to steer the second in.
But, as it ever was with United, they don’t do calm very well and the nerves were frazzled when Wes Brown headed a corner into his own net with eight minutes left to wreck Van der Sar’s 100 per cent clean sheet return in Europe this season.
But United survived a typical Champions League night of drama to go through. Tweet
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Can,t wait for the Summer to bring in some more quality players and hopefully have a massive bargain basement clearance sale.
Two very tough games and both won with less than full strength sides – A brilliant achievement.
Last night we were fortunate once more. Another ‘battling’ performance at best. Once again we were clinical. We carved out two great opportunities and buried them both.
The defence didn’t look good last night. We are desperate to get back Vid & Rio. Both Wes & Smalling looked all over the place when crosses came in.
Playing two in CM with no mobility ensured we were chasing back and defending far too often.
Scholes almost disappeared completely in the second half. He has to have legs and cover around him. A 3 in CM is a must – once again we got totally over run with just Scholes & Carrick. We simply have no ball winners at all. Hurry back Fletch!
I think we hit teams on the break as well as we ever have but we cannot dominate any more ( not even for small periods) so most sides have a reasonable chance to create against us, as happened last night.
The strikers will take plaudits and they look to have a natural affiliation with one another so that is sorted. Fergie has once again (as last season) showed that he has no faith in Berbatov when the going gets tough.
Nani was hopeless but Valencia has been a revelation since he came back – I hope he can keep things going.
On this form we have no hope of winning the CL and I have said that since early season. So for me the FA Cup and perhaps the Premiership if we can get our defence sorted for the run in.
How nice it was to see Bayern go out last night on the ‘away goals rule’ after leading 3-1 on aggregate with half an hour to play!!!
We're Man United, we do what we want. Time to win a 4th Champions League it is long over due. I say bring on Barcelona, with Chicharito we have nothing to fear. Messi?, Xavi?, Villa?, Iniesta?, I say who cares, we have Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez, the hottest damn talent in the world, the future best player in the world, the Chosen One, with Chicharito anything is possible. The Treble is on, BELIEVE.
My heart bleeds for Bayern ('arking back to last season) Heee Heee!
I do not quite understand the lack of belief and ambition from so many so called UTD fans on here.
If our players were anything like you we would never win a thing. If you want to win honours you first have to believe you can.......
I hear all this talk of luck, how can it be luck when we do it so often? We did not win last night due to luck! The ball was not blown by a freak gust of wind and land in the back of the net!
Chico did not find himself in that position by luck, Rooney's pass to Giggs was not luck. Valancia's pass to Giggs was not luck.
They did not score we scored for them that was not luck for them or bad luck for us, that was poor positioning and desicion making.
Yes we will play better teams, on the flip side we have and can also play a better game than we did.
Barcelona, Barcelona for all their greatness they have still lost 1 and drawn 3 in la liga this season, they have still lost 1 and drawn 2 in the europe. They are only in the leauge cup due to the away goal rule.
This means they can be beaten, nothing they have done in the past matters on the day!
If you wear a UTD shirt and you claim to be a UTD fan then have belief and dont be affraid to dream. This has been a part of UTD for so many years and has always contributed to our successes!!!
And for those of you that keep talking about the class of '99' please remember the final in which they also needed that belief!
Loved the banner for Japan and the one minutes silence. Nice touch!
I hope that we don't have any bent cynics on here mentioning shirt sales!
I came on to pass my view on the game ,there is a present three comments one wanting a clear out and quality buys nothing on the match.What Bayern as to do with our performence beats me .As for( I am God Ect ) if he thinks this team could realisticly compete with Barcelona he is deluded and as stupid as hes comments are.We were second best last night and Fergie once again diverted our attention from the poor showing .Take a look at whats happening Nani wants away Berbatov seems to be out of favour ,seems to me that Fergie as also put hes notice in .He knows that investment is not forth coming and players are aware of this ie Rooney.Our mega rich neighbours have shown their intentions with the massive investment for Eastlands , make no mistake if they and other clubs in Europe challenge Plattini ,with the amount of money involved both here and in Spain and Germany especially under this global recession Plattini will be pushed aside .It is only by the skin of our teeths we are where we are our luck want last for ever.
Last night showed a number of things:
1. Centre halves don't just rely on talent they need to communicate. Smalling looked jumpy because Vidic and Ferdinand were not there. Brown is getting on and he is not Laurent Blanc!
2. Starting with Giggs and Scholes is all very well, but as the game goes on, with no Keane/Essien figure around, we get overrun in midfield. Can Anderson/Fletcher full that gap? Barca would have got four lasy night.
3. Valencia is a more inteligent and astute player than Nani. He uses the ball better, wastes possession less and picks out his team mates.
4. Rooney's vision and long range passing was back to his best.
What does this mean? Avoid Barca, get the midfield sorted and hope that the injuries heal quickly.
all united need this summer is a goalkeeper...a world class goalkeeper and a dynamic midfield player. we have all the rest...and the manager not to retire!!