Van Nistelrooy tour de force heads roll call of trophy glory

Back in the studio Des Lynam's Mr Urbanity act was all askew. He was most anxious to interpret the mood of an emotional David Beckham at the end of another Ruud Van Nistelrooy show.

Was he going? Was he staying? What was he saying to Gary Neville, who had hobbled out on to the pitch for a season's-end farewell to the fans which Sir Alex Ferguson insisted would have to wait for next Sunday's game at Goodison Park?

Ally McCoist, who, as something of a goalscorer himself, was clearly more anxious to talk about the deeds of the phenomenal Dutchman, chose diplomacy. He didn't read lips. He did, he implied, football assessment rather than sales patter and it would be nice, if a little optimistic, to think that he had caught the mood of a nation which the following morning would be assailed in at least one Sunday print by equal billing for Van Nistelrooy's latest stupendous effort and Beckham's after-match kick-about with son Brooklyn.

Let us cut to this particular chase and give Beckham his due. In the 11th minute he used his left foot, which was rather remarkable in itself.

Helpfully, the resulting shot took a big deflection off the Charlton full-back Chris Powell and flew beyond a stranded Dean Kiely for United's opening goal. Eight minutes into the second half Beckham made his second major contribution, a sumptuous cross-field ball which found Van Nistelrooy in the box and poised for another perfect example of the scorer's art. Van Nistelrooy killed the ball with one touch and drove it powerfully past the helpless Kiely. The Dutchman's celebration was muted. He walked away as though he had performed the simplest of chores. It was an affectation, of course, but it had the impact of a gale of fresh air. His glory is achievement, relentless achievement, and as to the acclaim, well, he lets it fall where it may.

The value of Beckham as a footballer is, of course, merely cheapened rather than diminished in practical terms by his endless self-advertising. That he has unique ability to exploit a dead ball is self-evident. So is his capacity to provide the kind of beautiful and biting cross which set up Van Nistelrooy's hat-trick. But in other areas, he tends to overplay his hand, as we saw so painfully in the latest public-relations offensive at a time when United fans had every reason to celebrate a superb communal effort which had left an eighth Premiership title in 11 years just a breath away.

If individuals had to be picked out, Beckham, far from the first time in the post-Christmas phase which has seen the team physically and morally outstrip an Arsenal which had performed so luminously in the early going, was some way down the pecking order.

First place was occupied beyond any question by the 46-goal Van Nistelrooy. This was a collector's piece of a striking performance: intense, power-laden, acute and, in the matter of execution, quite masterful. In the roll call of glory he was followed, after a decent interval, by Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and John O'Shea.

Keane said that he had been treated with a lack of "respect" in the period of his rehabilitation from injury and surgery. Maybe – maybe not. Keano lives in his own black and white world of the football verities. What was not in question as Alan Curbishley's game but outgunned and defensively weakened team were repeatedly cut apart, was that the United captain was again a central force.

Boldly, Roy Carroll sought to at least share blame with Keane for Charlton's 13th- minute goal. Carroll kicked the ball straight to the feet of Claus Jensen, who promptly returned it to an empty United net, after Keane had put him under some pressure with a back-pass. Keane acknowledged that it was maybe not the best back-pass he had ever delivered, but the implication was clear enough. It was not sufficient cause for such a panicky response. Carroll's chances of outlasting Keane, which were not so bright even before this powerful warrior statement of a performance from the captain, were not enhanced.

Keane injected himself into the United effort at every phase. He had the hunger again and, more significantly, the legs.

Giggs ran unremittingly. Scholes underpinned his status as a genuine contender for anyone's footballer of the year award. O'Shea bristled with well-founded ambition. He looks as if he could play at full-back until he is 50, but down the road he may well be drafted into more influential duties.

But, of course, everything was secondary to Van Nistelrooy. He was a front player beyond comparison, playing with his back to goal, at times with three players behind him, turning with the strength of a pack horse, moving with wonderful control on goal. Yes, beyond compare. Denis Law was waspishly sublime beside a big target man. Georgie Best was unplayable at times, but never consistently in that hurtful position in the middle of a defence. Van Nistelrooy was consuming new ground with a ferocity of purpose that took your breath away.

Meanwhile, David Beckham was playing the celebrity game and Des Lynam was agog to read his lips. Charlton's defence, at least, must have found it a little bizarre. They were cross-eyed and exhausted from trying to read Van Nistelrooy's feet... and monitor his heart.

Goals: Beckham (11) 1-0; Jensen (13) 1-1; Van Nistelrooy (32) 2-1; Van Nistelrooy (37) 3-1; Van Nistelrooy (53) 4-1.

Manchester United (4-4-1-1): Carroll 4; Brown 5, Ferdinand 5, Silvestre 5, O'Shea 6; Beckham 5, Keane 8, Scholes 6 (Veron 5, 70), Solskjaer 5 (Forlan, 77); Giggs 6 (Butt, 77), Van Nistelrooy 10. Substitutes not used: Barthez (gk), . Neville.

Charlton Athletic (4-4-2): Kiely 5; Kishishev 4 (Sankofa 4, 73), Young 4, Fortune 4, Powell 4; Lisbie 5 (Johansson, 83), Parker 6, Jensen 6, Konchesky 5; Euell 4 (Bart-Williams, 77), Bartlett 4. Substitutes not used: Rachubka (gk) Stuart.

Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire) 5.

Booked: Charlton: Fortune.

Man of the match: Van Nistelrooy.

Attendance: 67,721.