United go Sturming into the final stages

His patience had finally run out after a run of poor performances, which culminated in their dismal display against Panathinaikos last week.

Ferguson challenged his players to win back his trust and prove to him that they are still capable of winning the Champions League.

To hammer home his point the United manager made five changes from the side that played so badly in Athens with David Beckham the most high-profile of those casualties.

Dropped or rested call it what you like, but the fact was that Beckham began the game on the bench along with Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Phil Neville and Wes Brown.

In came Denis Irwin, Nicky Butt, Teddy Sheringham, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Luke Chadwick, who made his full European debut.

The challenge to these five and the other six starters was clear and Ferguson declared in his programme notes: ''I want a performance in keeping with the standards we have set ourselves over the past few years.''

United, still smarting no doubt from their well-warmed posteriors, answered Ferguson's rallying call as they finally booked their place in the Champions League quarter-finals for the fifth successive year at the third time of asking.

They go through as runners-up in Group A and Sir Alex relished the challenge of perhaps facing Champions Cup holders Real Madrid in the next round.

United finished the second group stage as runners-up to Valencia following their 3-0 win over Sturm Graz at Old Trafford.

''We experienced that last year and I think we would do better this time,'' said Ferguson of the possibility of meeting the Spanish club who knocked United out of last season's Champions League semi-finals.

Ferguson had called for commitment from his team before the game and praised their display.

''I thought they did well. We kept the momentum of our passing going all the game,'' Ferguson told Onsport.

''We had good movement, I was pleased.

"We scored a couple of good goals. It was a good result for us.''

Although disappointed not to win the group, Ferguson was happy to see his team progress.

''The important thing was to qualify and we are in the next round.

''It was a good night for us, the fans played their part. I thought they were terrific for us tonight.''

United began at breakneck speed before tailing off and they almost scored inside three minutes.

Irwin's corner was nodded on by Mikael Silvestre and Solskjaer connected with a point-blank header, which was parried by Graz goalkeeper Kazimierz Sidorczuk.

That proved to be only a temporary reprieve for Graz and two minutes later United scored.

Solskjaer twisted and turned in the area and when he was blocked, Graz could only clear the ball as far as Butt, who drilled it home his fourth goal of the season from 20 yards out.

It was all too easy for United and on 20 minutes it was 2-0.

Butt fed Solskjaer on the left and he pulled the ball back for Sheringham to tuck home his 20th goal of the season.

United were transformed from the side which had been extremely fortunate to escape with a point from Greece last week.

United pressed for a third and Chadwick found Solskjaer in the box and the Norwegian turned and unleashed a shot, which was well saved by Sidorczuk.

Just after half-time Stam went close when he forced a decent save from Sidorczuk with a header.

Finally Graz stirred and Mario Haas fired over before Gyorgy Korsos forced Fabien Barthez to make his first save.

A minute later the Frenchman was called into action again to keep out an Ivica Vastic free-kick.

Normal service was soon resumed at the other end and Sidorczuk pushed away a Paul Scholes piledriver before Keane hit the post.

The hard-working Solskjaer deserved a goal for his efforts and it almost came when he touched the ball past the onrushing Sidorczuk only for it to trickle wide.

It mattered little and in the 86th minute Keane scored United's third.

Chadwick broke down the left and centred to Sheringham, who flicked the ball on for Keane to ram home his third of the season