Seventh Heaven in Theatre of Dreams. Fergie's Boys Go Ultrasonic. Magnificent Seven. Wednesday's headlines may have been a tad on the predictable side, but the result and performance they were hailing was anything but.

Shorn of several key players through injury and suspension, two successive defeats beforehand for the first time in 18 months, up against a Roma side full of attacking talent... Manchester United fans had every reason to be nervous beforehand.

But a dazzling display adorned with seven goals of bewitching quality left Sir Alex Ferguson purring that "in European terms, it was without doubt the greatest night I have had here".

Little wonder given the statistics. It was the biggest winning margin ever in a Champions League knock-out round match, and the biggest victory in a European Cup or Champions League quarter-final since Real Madrid thumped Seville 8-0 in 1958.

Only Juventus, with a 7-0 group win against Olympiacos in 2003, have bettered it since the Champions League came into being.

United had matched it with a 7-1 win over Waterford at the start of the defence of their European Cup title in 1968, but with due respect to the Irish side, Roma are second in Serie A.

Older fans may recall the 4-1 final victory over Benfica that brought United their first European Cup, or even a 10-0 rout of Anderlecht on their home debut in Europe in 1956 - what Sir Matt Busby called "one of the most perfect exhibitions my side has ever given".

As a 12-year-old I remember the night Diego Maradona's Barcelona arrived at Old Trafford in 1984 with a 2-0 lead, only for Captain Marvel Bryan Robson to give one of his most inspired performances, scoring twice in a memorable 3-0 victory.

In the Ferguson era, there have been two victories in European finals, but the outstanding performances were probably the 4-0 home rout of Porto in 1997, and certainly the Roy Keane-inspired comeback from 2-0 down to Juventus in the 1999 semi-final.

But in terms of a single, dominant display against quality opposition on a European stage, has Wednesday's destruction of Roma ever been bettered by an English team?

Liverpool's comeback from 3-0 down against AC Milan in the final two years ago may have surpassed it for sheer drama and backs-to-the-wall determination, but did it match or better it for quality?

The Liverpool side that secured three European Cups in five years from 1977-1981 might point to a 5-1 destruction of Dynamo Dresden in '77, a 4-1 quarter-final win at Benfica the same year, or maybe the 5-1 quarter-final win over CSKA Sofia in 1981.

Supporters of two-time winners Nottingham Forest might remember a 5-1 win over AEK Athens in 1978, or a 4-1 quarter-final win over the Swiss side Grasshoppers.

Hell, Arsenal fans might even point to their victory over Real in Madrid last year or the 2-0 quarter-final victory over Juventus en route to the final.

But for sheer footballing brilliance and scintillating goals, the rout of Roma takes some beating for me. What do you reckon?