Manchester United are top of the group in spite of a cocky Aalborg giving them a good scare at home.  Argentinean striker Carlos Tevez gave United the lead after four minutes when he capitalised on a trademark beauty from Ryan Giggs, but the Vikings punched back when Michael Jakobsen headed home after 30 minutes. More Scandinavian wrath followed with Jeppe Curth's header on the nick of half-time, propelling Aalborg to a gobsmacking lead at Old Trafford.

Manchester United eventually levelled the score in the 54th minute after Wayne Rooney slotted the ball into the net, but that was as much as the hosts could manage against a tight Viking outfit. Not a particularly energetic performance from the Red Devils, but Fergie's men had achieved their primary objective, finishing top of group E, and securing themselves, at least theoretically, an easier opposition in the knockout phase of the tournament.

United started well, playing the kind of football and producing the sort of goal that makes football look easy so easy. Ryan Giggs stormed from central midfield, lifted the ball up to Rooney, calm as you like, then collected the England forward's headed touch back to him and then slipped a pass through to Tevez who slotted it home. It took three replays to really comprehend the magic of the move. But then it all went a bit wrong from there.

Aalborg regrouped; they weren't going to be bullied about and went on the offensive. Anders Due sent in a free-kick from the right and Jakobsen, unmarked, passed to Tomasz Kuszczak, the keeper almost paring it but not completely and the score was level. United's goalkeeper had a similar moment a few minutes and performed better to stop a Due free-kick, but the Viking's goal was not long in coming, and after some slack United defending, Aalborg scored in the 47th minute, Curth on target.

Sir Alex Ferguson responded by deploying Paul Scholes and Ji-Sung Park at the start of the second half and credit to his thinking, five minutes later United were level. Anderson fed Rooney a ball and he, cutting across the line of the penalty box, shot it between the keeper's legs. At this stage normality resumed at Old Trafford with the hosts pushing for the winning goal, both Tevez and  Scholes having a decent chance to score, but missing them in the end,

Cristiano Ronaldo did not play on the night, as he was sidelined by injury, but he received his Ballon d'Or European Footballer of the Year trophy on the pitch prior to kick-off, standing alongside Denis Law and Sir Bobby Charlton, who won the award in 1964 and 1966, respectively.

Man Utd: Kuszczak, Neville (Rafael Da Silva 76), Ferdinand, Evans, O'Shea, Nani, Gibson (Park 46), Anderson, Giggs (Scholes 46), Rooney, Tevez.
Subs Not Used: Foster, Vidic, Fletcher, Possebon.
Goals: Tevez 3, Rooney 52.
AaB: Zaza, Bogelund, Olfers, Jakobsen, Pedersen (Sorensen 76), Curth (Caca 74), Enevoldsen, Augustinussen, Risgaard, Due (Kristensen 65), Saganowski.
Subs Not Used: Kenneth Nielsen, Nomvethe, Braemer, Ronnie Schwartz Nielsen.