TORONTO – No Wayne Rooney. No Michael Owen. No problem.
Strikers Dimitar Berbatov and Mame Biram Diouf more than picked up the offensive slack for Manchester United on Friday, forming a potent strike force that terrorized Celtic FC.
Both were lethal in a convincing 3-1 victory over the Scottish Premier League runners-up in an international friendly that kicked off Man United’s 2010 North American tour in style. Diouf assisted on Berbatov’s goal, while the Bulgarian tallied an assist on a second-half goal by Danny Welbeck to earn Man of the Match honors.
It was a stellar performance from the Bulgarian international and the kind of display many fans and media have been awaiting since he joined the club on transfer from Tottenham Hotspur after the 2007 season. Since his arrival, Berbatov hasn’t scored on a consistent basis, recording just 26 goals in 86 matches, and his partnership with Rooney hasn’t blossomed.
Last season, Berbatov had 12 goals in the English Premier League, compared to Rooney’s 26. But his output Friday night could create a good problem for manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
“[Berbatov’s] performance was excellent,” Ferguson said during the postmatch press conference. “With the strikers we have, it’s a matter of finding the best combination.”
Finding that precise combination isn’t Ferguson's only worry. With so many world class strikers at his disposal, the larger question is how he will divide playing time among them and keep everyone happy.
Aside from veterans Berbatov, Rooney and Owen, the club recently signed young Mexico striker Javier Hernández and have promising forwards in Diouf, Welbeck and Federico Macheda.
If Friday’s performance is any indicator, Ferguson may have solved the enigma that is Berbatov and found a highly effective strike partnership in the process. Berbatov was at his skilful best, threading nifty passes forward, many of which found Diouf, who used his speed to outrun defenders and threaten the Celtic goal numerous times.
Diouf was substituted in the second half, but Berbatov continued his great play, teaming with Welbeck on the Red Devils’ second goal. The abundance of strikers is an embarrassment of riches that, if managed properly, can help United regain their standing atop the EPL this coming season. But it can just as easily result in internal turmoil and failure.
Regardless, the resurrection of Berbatov and the the the young talent off the bench should be a welcome sight for Rooney, who won’t have to shoulder so much of the scoring load.
