United eventually cash in but Laws finds plenty to appeal

The Burnley fans had accepted their defeat and now they began to make some mischief with a chant of "Where's your money gone?" It was met by applause around the ground, and a banner was unfurled from the Stretford End that summed up the philosophy of many here: "Love United, Hate Glazer".

Then, very poignantly, a chant of "Champions" rolled around the stadium. Manchester United may be staggering under the weight of a £700 million debt; they may not be playing with any real fluency; but they are still champions and they are not yet ready to embrace the twilight.

At the third attempt, Manchester United secured their first win of the new decade, with a scoreline that Sir Alex Ferguson reflected was "a bit unfair" on Burnley. Three-nil defeats are the standard punishment awarded against a team who do not turn up to fulfil their fixture. Burnley, having lost their inspiration in Owen Coyle, did more than just find their way to Old Trafford.

On this evidence, Brian Laws is unlikely to alter the club's core policy of playing attractive, attacking football. Laws' first game as Burnley manager, like his last four in charge of Sheffield Wednesday, ended in defeat, but for a side who last won in October it was a defeat that contained more than a few seeds of hope.

Both Burnley's new manager and the man who is entering his third decade at United's helm agreed that the turning point came when David Nugent was beautifully played through by Chris Eagles, who demonstrated why Old Trafford once held him in high esteem. Nugent is not an especially fast footballer but he outpaced Gary Neville with an ease that this proud and once genuinely great full-back would not wish to see again.

After this display and the one against Leeds, Neville has no real need to make an announcement about his retirement, but the old pro gave Nugent a little shove in the back that may have put him off a shot that slid past Edwin van der Sar's post. Moments later, Dimitar Berbatov, the man whom Ferguson thought most likely to score, found the net, and thereafter the nerves that had stalked the champions began to fade.

"It was a funny game, actually, we were very frivolous with our chances," Ferguson reflected. "Burnley have missed three breakaways and it could have been embarrassing for us because of the number of opportunities we missed. It was one of those days when Wayne Rooney kept shooting past the post or over the bar. He must have had 10 opportunities."

He scored from one, created by a delightful back-flick from Anderson that let in Berbatov. Brian Jensen in the Burnley goal could only parry the Bulgarian's shot and Rooney, having initially slipped, scored his 17th of the season.

Berbatov has seven, and in his pre-match press conference, Ferguson had talked about him finishing the season with 15, which does not seem a lot for a striker who cost £30m. This was a contest in which the cracks and highlights of his game were all displayed.

First he controlled a ball from Rooney, who along with Antonio Valencia seemed Manchester United's most obvious route to goal, with effortless grace, giving himself sight of goal from six yards out. The shot was directed on to the post.

When he did score, Rooney was once more the supplier and the chance was more difficult. Berbatov had to hold off Michael Duff and then drive his shot in from a relatively acute angle. Mame Diouf, brought from Molde, the club who gave Manchester United Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, did what the Norwegian excelled at – coming off the bench, eyeing his opportunity and then seizing it. No matter that the game was won or that Burnley had just struck the post, it was a goal and it was his.

Attendance: 75,120

Referee: Lee Probert

Man of the match: Valencia

Match rating: 6/10