United beat Sparta Prague 4-1 in a Champions League Group D match at Old Trafford early Thursday morning. (Reports: BBC, Soccernet, Guardian, ManUtd.com, minute-by-minute.)

The match wasn’t as one sided as the scoreline would suggest because Sparta had as many opportunities to score as United did. Indeed, the two teams carved out at least six chances between them in the first 10 minutes of the match and Ferguson pointed out it could have been 4-4 at the 20 minute mark.

In the end, the difference between the two teams came down to just one thing: the predatory instincts of Ruud van Nistelrooy. He scored all four of United’s goals to remind everyone why he’s the best penalty box poacher around. He may have been a tad fortunate — his first goal was practically gifted to him by an inattentive Sparta defender and his fourth was clearly offside — but it was abundantly clear why Ferguson hailed him as the most clinical finisher he’s seen at Old Trafford.