Man United book dream Wembley final with Barca

MANCHESTER - A second-string Manchester United cruised into a dream Champions League final against Barcelona with a 4-1 victory over German side Schalke 04 yesterday.

Leading 2-0 after the first leg, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson could afford to make nine changes to his starting line-up and still see his team qualify for the May 28 final at Wembley.

The unlikely hero was United's much-maligned Irish international Darron Gibson, who set up Antonio Valencia with a magnificent pass for the first goal on 26 minutes before hammering in the second on 31 minutes.

Jose Manuel Jurado pulled a goal back for Schalke but there was only ever going to be one outcome and two second-half goals from Anderson completed a crushing 6-1 aggregate victory for the English giants.

The result put United into their third Champions League final in four years, and gives Ferguson's side the chance to avenge their loss to Barcelona in the 2009 final in Rome.

The win also handed Ferguson the perfect fillip ahead of this weekend's Premier League battle with Chelsea, a high-stakes encounter that may well settle the outcome of the title race.

A slow start saw Schalke have the first half-chance of the night after only seven minutes, Jefferson Farfan sending a low shot fizzing just wide of the upright after seven minutes.

But once United settled into their rhythm, the writing was on the wall as Schalke found themselves struggling to cope with the movement and speed of the home team's wide players, Valencia and Nani.