Scholes strike sets up United´s win over West Ham

Paul Scholes sent Manchester United on their way to a comfortable 4-0 victory over West Ham at Upton Park as Sir Alex Ferguson’s champions kept up the pressure on English Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Scholes fired the visitors ahead on the stroke of half-time before Darron Gibson, Antonio Valencia and Wayne Rooney completed the victory.

United’s win meant Chelsea started Saturday’s late kick-off match against Manchester City knowing defeat would leave them just two points clear of the defending champions.

Scholes, 35, had spoken this week of his growing frustration at his failure to influence games in the manner he once did and hinted that he may consider retirement at the end of this season.

His goal, though, proved a timely reminder that the former England midfielder still possesses the quality to conjure something out of nothing and remains an invaluable member of manager Ferguson’s squad.

Prior to Scholes’s strike at the end of the first period, United had failed to create clear-cut chances against Gianfranco Zola’s struggling side despite being in almost total control of the game.

Before kick-off it is likely that Ferguson may have had some concerns about fielding a patched-up back four that was weakened by the late withdrawal of Nemanja Vidic with a bug.

With Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans also injured, Ferguson was forced to partner Gary Neville and Wes Brown in the centre of defence with Darren Fletcher slotting in as a makeshift right-back.

However, with Carlton Cole missing until well into the new year with a knee injury, Zola’s team are desperately lacking up front and they simply didn’t have the strength to unsettle the visitors.

Experienced Mexican striker Guillermo Franco battled hard but he was lacking in support and the only real opening that fell the home side’s way during the first period came from a careless back pass from the normally reliable Ryan Giggs.

Giggs presented Zavon Hines with time and space in the United box but the veteran midfielder recovered to deny Jack Collison when Hines delivered a low cross in front of Tomasz Kuszczak’s goal.

That chance came after just ten minutes and the Hammers would have to wait until well into the second period until they created a second opportunity.

In between, the visitors took total control with Giggs showcasing the more positive side of his game with a series of darting runs down the left that continually stretched the home defence.

A Giggs corner presented Valencia with the chance to flick a header onto the roof of the net.

And the same two players combined again in the build-up to Scholes’s goal when Valencia recovered the ball following a Giggs cross to keep alive a move that exposed West Ham’s defensive weaknesses.

Three times West Ham failed to clear the ball and when Danny Gabbidon’s weak defensive header fell to Scholes, the midfielder took the ball down expertly on his chest and lashed in a fierce left-foot shot.

The half-time introduction of Alessandro Diamanti added some urgency to West Ham’s play but there was never any chance of them getting back into the game once Gibson struck United’s second.

The young Irish midfielder is fast developing a reputation for his powerful shooting and he showed why in the 61st minute when he capped a Giggs-inspired break with a powerful 20-yard drive that gave Robert Green no chance.

West Ham simply wilted at that point and nine minutes later Valencia made it three when he turned home Anderson’s low cross from inside the six-yard box.

The Ecuador international then turned provider sixty seconds later when he delivered a carbon-copy ball, this time for Rooney to finish with ease.