A LITTLE bit of Nani down the wing, a little bit Rooney on the spin, a little bit of Fergie on the floor, a little bit of Vidic out the door, a little bit of Jones playing either side, a little bit of Rio on the slide...”

Ladies and gentleman.... the channel is Number Five!

Much was rightly made of Manchester United’s feeble showing and ultimate shock exit from the Champions League. It’s Thursday night football on the less fashionable TV station for them now.

Perhaps Sir Alex just wanted to get away from Adrian Chiles.

No longer the force of old, they’re not even the best team in Manchester.

But when things click, as they did at Old Trafford on Saturday, then few can live with them.

The mercy for Wolves was that their goal difference only took a minus three battering.

Fourteen hundred visiting supporters sang throughout, a testament to the effort put in by their players.

But any hope of snatching a point was fleeting following Steven Fletcher’s well-executed header.

Back down the other end went United and two shots later a landslide was on the cards.

The only nervousness around Old Trafford was among the supporters pre-match. They doubted Rio Ferdinand’s ability to hack it any longer in the top flight, they scolded David De Gea’s goalkeeping credentials, they doubted Michael Carrick’s ability to boss a midfield and puzzled over Wayne Rooney’s missing shooting boots.

They longed for a return of the free-flowing early season form and could only marvel at the exploits of the rich kids in blue down the road.

You get the feeling they are still looking with envious eyes towards the Etihad.

But, City included, Wolves have not faced anyone with as much power, flare, pace and drive as this United side. Not for a long time.

Basel, in reality, did Wolves few favours with their midweek European victory.

For a few minutes that nervousness from the seats seemed to transcend down on to the pitch and the visitors almost took a shock lead as the ball bounced invitingly for Steven Fletcher to take a shot.

It fizzed wide. And De Gea, apart from fetching the ball out of his net, would not be troubled again.

United had been pushed to the very limit by Wolves in two closely contested Old Trafford games last season. They’d even had their unbeaten start to the season ended at Molineux.

They weren’t in the mood to allow lightning to strike twice.

When Mick McCarthy named Fletcher and Kevin Doyle in his starting 11, it was a clear indication he wanted to go out on the front foot and test frayed nerves. But United were too quick, too precise, too positive, too good.