LONDON: Manchester United fans fearing they might miss seeing great goals scored from free-kicks following the departure of David Beckham can think again.

Ryan Giggs proved on Saturday he can be just as devastating from around the penalty area as his old teammate who has moved to Real Madrid when he scored with an outstanding dead-ball kick from 20 metres, the opening goal in their 4-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers at Old Trafford.

Bending the ball just like Beckham but with his left foot, it flew past Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen and into the back of the net off the post to give United a deserved 35th-minute lead.

"With Seba (Juan Sebastian Veron) and Becks not here, I get a few more chances so I was very pleased to see it go in," Giggs told Sky Sports afterwards.

"I couldn't really have hit it any better. We've still got a lot of capable free-kick takers - Ruud (van Nistelrooy) can take them, Scholesy (Paul Scholes). We've still got plenty of options," added the Welsh international, who also scored United's second with a tap-in after 74 minutes.

Giggs was delighted with United's opening-day performance, the only minor disappointment being a van Nistelrooy penalty saved by Jaaskelainen, although the Dutchman did get on the score sheet after 87 minutes.

Goals record

That goal established a new Premier League scoring record of nine successive matches, with van Nistelrooy beating his own record of eight games in the 2001-02 season.

Although it was the second successive penalty that van Nistelrooy has seen saved - Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann stopped an almost identical effort in the Community Shield shoot-out on August 10 - Giggs had no doubts about the Dutchman's intentions.

"I'm sure Ruud will take the next one and he'll score. The two he's missed have been great saves by both the goalkeepers. No one will be able to get him off the ball for the next one."

Giggs was also delighted with the impact made by Cristiano Ronaldo, United's new 18-year-old Portuguese winger who came on late in the game for his league debut.

"I think he did very well. There was a general buzz around the place when all the fans saw him come on. Obviously they have heard a lot about him and we've seen him first-hand against (Sporting) Lisbon last week and of course in training," he said.

"He's that kind of player who gets people off their seats and that's what this club is all about. You want players like that. We've got a good team spirit here. We make all the new signings welcome and I think they have all fitted in."

One man not so happy about the afternoon was Bolton manager Sam Allardyce, who left Old Trafford a winner in the two previous seasons.

"Up to the 73rd minute, it looked like we were right in the game, but we were really very, very disappointed to concede the second goal so quickly after the penalty was saved. That was the turning point," he said.

Agencies via Xinhua

(China Daily 08/18/2003 page8)