A seven from heaven

Ronaldo a real turn-on at Old Trafford as Sol suffers Highbury off-day

If Manchester United fans have been fretting about who could be the new David Beckham, they can stop now. Even the older ones who have spent all these years waiting for the new George Best can probably hang up their well-worn worry beads.

Cristiano Ronaldo has arrived at Old Trafford and to judge from the Portuguese midfielder's performance yesterday in the 4-0 demoliton of Bolton Wanderers, the £12m-plus that Sir Alex Ferguson gave Sporting Lisbon for the 18-year-old was money well spent. He may have played for only 30 minutes, but his trickery and invention, his creativity and perception inspired Ferguson to say: "Ronaldo had a terrific debut. He changed the game and the fans have gone home with a new hero."

Down in north London there was a cameo performance of a different kind that did not last even half an hour. Sol Campbell, under scrutiny after his apparent retaliation following a rash lunge by United's Eric Djemba-Djemba during last week's Community Shield match, cut short Thomas Gravesen's run from Everton's midfield with a professional foul and earned an inevitable red card. "Sol told me at half-time that he caught the player so I have no complaints," Arsène Wenger said of the 51st dismissal of his Arsenal reign.

Still, Arsenal have had plenty of practice at playing with 10 men and they put that experience to good use in giving Everton the runaround for much of their 2-1 victory. Thierry Henry scored a penalty after 35 minutes, after Alan Stubbs handled, and Robert Pires added to that before the hour-mark. Tomasz Radzinski raised Everton's hopes with a late response. Another Arsenal home win and another yellow card for Patrick Vieira. Plus ça change, as they say down Highbury way.

They say something similar around Old Trafford, but perhaps in a little less fancy way, certainly since Eric Cantona headed for the beach. But they had fancy and fantasy aplenty yesterday, especially from Ronaldo. Bolton never made life easy but Ronaldo, cheered to the echo from the moment he rose from the bench wearing Beckham's old No 7 shirt, made runs like Ryan Giggs but rounded them off with Beckhamesque crosses, provoking a penalty (which was missed) and setting up the crucial second goal that Giggs tapped in.

The Welsh international had a few points to prove. His fine approach work lacks finish, they say, so he is no Beckham. He put this to the sword with one swing of his left boot 10 minutes before half-time by curling in a 22-yard free-kick for United's opener. "Ryan used to take them when he was younger," Ferguson said, as if Giggs' feat required some explanation. If fact, Ferguson has little to explain. It seems life goes on at Old Trafford post-Beckham and for red-eyed locals it is as good as ever.