'Only by their wretched recent standards do United have anything to shout about. This comfortable victory, against a truly abject Charlton Athletic, was only the second time since April that they have won consecutive Premiership matches. Ferguson talked afterwards of "going on a run now" — and the forthcoming run of fixtures, against West Bromwich Albion, Southampton, Fulham and Crystal Palace, should enable that — but he has been saying precisely the same thing since August and still they are nine points adrift.
If there was anything to celebrate on Saturday it was the performance of Paul Scholes, who scored for the first time since the FA Cup semi-final win over Arsenal last April and played as if cured of the malaise that has struck him with regularity over the past three years. His goal was spectacular, a beautifully executed scissors kick with his right foot, but it was other aspects of his performance — a deft touch here, a slide-rule pass there — that will have brought most reassurance for Ferguson.
A one-sided affair such as this, though, is no basis for a suggestion that Scholes and his team are back in the groove. Charlton were so awful, so lacking the basic aggression and conviction required of any visiting team at Old Trafford, that United could and should have scored far more. In that context, the improved form of Scholes could be said to be less of an issue than the travails of a subdued Roy Keane or of Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has not scored a Premiership goal from open play this season.
For once, though, let United enjoy the benefit of the doubt. Even with several players below-par they were far too strong for Charlton. History tells you that they should not be written off, but at present there is little else on which to base predictions of a revival. Not all opponents, after all, will be as compliant as Charlton.'