Solskjaer sinks Celtic challenge
Manchester United clambered off the deck to emerge with a 3-2 victory from a pulsating 'Battle of Britain' clash with Celtic.
Louis Saha's first-half double and an Ole Gunnar Solskjaer effort 90 seconds after the re-start proved enough for United to conquer the Scottish champions, and some of the demons that remain from last season's disastrous European campaign.
It probably should have been more, with the brilliant Saha coming agonisingly close to a deserved hat-trick and Hoops keeper Artur Boruc reacting superbly to keep out Wayne Rooney and a header from his own team-mate, Paul Telfer, which he pushed onto a post.
But just to ignore the contribution of Celtic and their magnificent supporters to a truly memorable evening would be a supreme injustice as the United Kingdom's best two supported sides delivered a tie for the rest of Europe to envy.
Gordon Strachan's men fought valiantly, took the lead through Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Saha's major rival for the man-of-the-match award, then responded to the Frenchman's double by levelling themselves when Shunsuke Nakamura netted.
They might even have nabbed a draw when Thomas Gravesen strode through near the end, only for Edwin van der Sar to repel the former Everton man's effort and seal victory.
