Larsson bows out in style

Manchester United's Swedish forward Henrik Larsson celebrates scoring against Lille during their UEFA Champions League first knockout round, second leg football match at Old Trafford, Manchester, northwest England. Manchester won 1-0.

Henrik Larsson bowed out of Old Trafford on Wednesday with a reminder of why Manchester United had been so desperate to keep him until the end of the season as Sir Alex Ferguson's side stumbled into the last eight of the Champions League with a 1-0 win over Lille.

Larsson's 71st-minute strike was enough for United to match their win in France, but Lille's lingering sense of grievance over the quickly-taken Ryan Giggs free-kick which decided the first leg will only have been exacerbated by their failure to take the chances they had to turn things around here.

The veteran Swede - destroyer in chief of Arsenal in last season's Champions League final for Barcelona - earned praise from Lille coach Claude Puel.

Lille's Nicolas Plestan (L) tackles Manchester United's Swedish forward Henrik Larsson during their UEFA Champions League first knockout round, second leg football match at Old Trafford, Manchester, northwest England. Manchester won 1-0.

"He (Larsson) is a special player, who adds another dimension to United's style," said Puel.

Puel, who said he was proud of the manner in which his side had performed over the two legs, also moved to defuse the bad feeling left after the first match.

"Those bad feelings belong in the past.

"I don't attach any importance to them. All that was orchestrated and there is no problem."

In truth, Larsson's headed winner papered over the cracks in what was a thoroughly unconvincing display from a side - who were making the last eight of the Champions League for the first time in four seasons - that looks like it could be running out of steam just as the season enters its decisive stage.

Manchester United's Portugese midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo (R) holds off Lille's Efstathios Tavlaridis during their UEFA Champions League first knockout round, second leg football match at Old Trafford, Manchester, northwest England. Manchester won 1-0.

In addition, Mikael Silvestre has been added to Ferguson's growing injury list with a suspected dislocated shoulder.

"It has been a bad week for us apart from the results. They have been good and that creates a great purpose about the team.

"No matter the run-in we have, I think we have the purpose and quality in the squad to go the whole way."

For Larsson there is to be no going back on his promise to his Swedish club Helsingborg of returning there after his loan period was up.

"Its been great here for me," said Larsson.

Manchester United's English forward Wayne Rooney plays a through ball against Lille during their UEFA Champions League first knockout round, second leg football match at Old Trafford, Manchester, north-west England. Manchester won 1-0.

"But what you have to remember is the Swedish season begins in April and it doesn't give them (Helsingborg) time to get another striker.

"I have been proud to have been part of this team."

The latest in the string of injuries that have bedevilled Louis Saha's Old Trafford career ensured that Larsson started the final home match of his United loan spell as a solo central striker, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo operating down the flanks.

Larsson might have marked the occasion with a goal after ten minutes, the Swede's exemplary first touch letting him down for once after Paul Scholes's defence splitting pass found him in a couple of yards of space on the edge of the area.

Manchester United's English forward Wayne Rooney reacts after he was injured against Lille during their UEFA Champions League first knockout round, second leg football match at Old Trafford, Manchester, northwest England. Manchester won 1-0.

Normal service was resumed five minutes later when a half-volleyed flick from the outside of his boot sent Scholes into the area.

The midfielder duly chipped to the back post for Rooney, whose volley was bravely blocked by the Lille captain, Gregory Tafforeau, resulting in a corner that John O'Shea headed on to the bar.

Lille's Senegal goalkeeper Tony Sylva did well to hold a deflected shot from Scholes after a neat exchange of passes with Larsson but the biggest cheer of the first half was generated by the midfielder's attempt to take a quick free-kick, echoing the manner in which Ryan Giggs scored the first leg winner.

Manchester United's Portugese midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo is fouled by Lille's Matthieu Chalme during their UEFA Champions League first knockout round, second leg football match at Old Trafford, Manchester, northwest England. Manchester won 1-0.

Giggs, watching from the stand, enjoyed the joke but once the free-kick was finally taken, Ronaldo's effort was sent straight into the Lille wall, as was a second attempt he was accorded because the visitors had not retreated the full ten yards.

Throughout the first half, there had been air of complacency about United's lack of drive and the visitors almost punished them at the start of the second, when Peter Odemwingie's header beat van der Sar but came back off the post.

On the touchline, the mood of an increasingly irate Ferguson would not have been improved by the sight of Nicolas Plestan scything into Wayne Rooney from behind.

The challenge earned the French defender a yellow card and most of Old Trafford breathed a collective sigh of relief when the England forward quickly got to his feet.

Manchester United's Swedish forward Henrik Larsson celebrates scoring against Lille during their UEFA Champions League first knockout round, second leg football match at Old Trafford, Manchester, north-west England. Manchester won 1-0.

United were in desperate need of an injection of quality and, as so often this season, it was Ronaldo who provided it.

Having show-boated his way through the preceding 70 minutes, the Portuguese winger suddenly produced an unstoppable burst down the left flank before picking out Larsson on the edge of the six-yard box with a deft cutback.

It left the Swede with the simple task of steering his header beyond the hopelessly exposed Sylva.

Larsson will play for United one more time, in Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final at Middlesbrough, before he returns to Helsingborg. They will miss him.