Wolfsburg 1-3 Manchester United

[Owen celebrating his third goal]

Michael Owen, hat-trick hero! Mickey who turns 30 in 6 days gets an early birthday present as he gets to keep the match ball after scoring all three Manchester United goals.

United needed only one point to make sure they come out on top of the group. It is an amazing win looking at the injuries that United has suffered. Starting the match with just one natural defender in Patrice Evra, United has never looked more weaker. The starting XI included eight midfielders, with Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick partnering Evra in a three-man defense. Paul Scholes leads the midfield alongside Anderson and Darron Gibson. Ji Sung Park mans the right wing, while Nani goes down the left. With Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov also unfit, Michael Owen and Danny Welbeck leads United's attack. Wolfsburg seems to have a very big chance of getting points here.

United marched into the last 16 of the Champions League as emphatic group winners, thanks to Michael Owen's second hat-trick on German soil.

The Reds’ number seven, previously the nemesis of Germany's national team with England, grabbed three goals to destroy Wolfsburg and cap a fine rearguard action by an unfamiliar looking line-up. A header from Nani’s cross just before the break, a late tap-in from Gabriel Obertan’s low centre and an unstoppable solo surge in injury time gave Owen a triple to remember as he continues to build hero status at United.

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