Audacity

If it felt in that moment that all the noise and energy and optimism had drained out of the stadium, things rapidly got worse. Arsenal had not conceded a home goal in the competition for 514 minutes but shipped a second just three minutes later as Ronaldo did what he had done in Porto in the previous round – scoring from a position where few players would even contemplate shooting, beating Almunia with an audacious free-kick from 40 metres out and to the right of goal. Almunia, who had done so much to keep Arsenal in the tie at Old Trafford, seemed caught by surprise, diving in vain across his goal as Ronaldo flashed the ball over the two-man defensive wall and inside the near post.

Clinical counterattacking
Arsenal now needed four goals but there seemed little chance of that against a United side opening up their shell-shocked opponents with ease. Arsène Wenger's men could have conceded again as Rooney's curling strike drew a fingertip save from Almunia. Emmanuel Eboué replaced the unfortunate Gibbs at the interval but United were soon threatening again as Ronaldo drew a fine near-post stop from Almunia. Such is the quality of United's counterattacking that it was little surprise when the champions struck an exquisitely worked third after 61 minutes.

Exquisite third
Ronaldo's backheel to Park was the spark for a lightning counter: the Korean sped forward, supplied Rooney down the left and the England forward returned the ball crossfield to meet Ronaldo's run into the box where the Portuguese swept home. "We're going to Italy" sang the happy United fans but unfortunately for Fletcher, he will not be after he was adjudged to have tripped Fàbregas prior to Van Persie's 76th-minute penalty. Still there is no question that United, unbeaten in the competition for 24 months, will be travelling to Rome in expectation rather than hope.