MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – Manchester United fans arrived at Old Trafford ready to hail Ryan Giggs, but left with the name of another midfielder on their lips.

Shinji Kagawa made a strong start to his first season at United, but a knee injury sustained in a Champions League match in October kept the Japan international out for two months and left him scratching around for form.

He was back with a bang on Saturday.

Kagawa became the first Asian player to score a hat trick in the English Premier League as he guided the league leaders to a 4-0 win over Norwich.

“It was a brilliant day for him,” said United manager Alex Ferguson, who spent £12 million ($18 million) to bring Kagawa from German champion Borussia Dortmund in the offseason.

All three of the goals came from composed finishes, his first on the stroke of halftime a measured volley inside the near post to put United on its way. Kagawa then wrong-footed Norwich goalkeeper Mark Bunn in the 76th after running onto Rooney’s pass and he chipped Bunn to complete his hat trick three minutes from time.

The 23-year-old Kagawa had scored only twice for United before Saturday and Ferguson said he expects more from him next season.

“He is a good finisher,” Ferguson said. “His second goal was composed and intelligent, his last was brilliant.

“He missed that period of football in October and November that set him back a bit. He is gradually getting his form back but next year he will be far better, you will see a really good player then.”

Kagawa, speaking through an interpreter, admitted that, like most fans in Europe, his supporters in Japan will be more interested in events on Tuesday, when United hosts Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie, than this weekend.

“This will probably be huge news in Japan,” said Kagawa of the reaction to his hat trick. “But in Japan, they are really looking forward to the Real game. So that’s what I’m looking forward to as well.

“It will be a fantastic evening, of course, and I want to prepare and be in perfect condition to be able to help the team win. There are many things I have to do to help the team and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

United defender Rio Ferdinand, who didn’t play against Norwich, took to Twitter to praise Kagawa and his “2 silky feet.”

Giggs wasn’t even in the matchday squad on Saturday but will return against Madrid, where he will make his 1,000th senior competitive appearance, taking in club and country.

Elsewhere in the Premier League, Rafael Benitez was spared a fierce backlash from Chelsea fans in the team’s 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion.

Luis Suarez matched Kagawa’s exploits by scoring three times in Liverpool’s 4-0 win over Wigan, lifting him above United striker Robin van Persie to the top of the division’s scoring charts with 21 goals.

Chelsea provisionally moved into third place — four points behind City — thanks to Demba Ba’s 28th-minute winner, giving Benitez some respite after his midweek tirade against the club’s fans and board that appeared to leave him in a precarious position.

The hostility among the home support was expected to be cranked up but the atmosphere was relatively calm inside Stamford Bridge, giving Chelsea the serenity to secure a crucial win in its battle for a finish in the Champions League spots.

“There were a lot of positives,” Benitez said. “The reception from the crowd was quite good. I wanted everybody to stick together.”

Reysol beat Frontale

KASHIWA, Chiba Pref.
Kyodo

Aspiring fisherman Cleo is quickly turning out to be something of a catch for Kashiwa Reysol.

The newly signed Brazilian forward followed up his midweek Asian Champions League heroics with a double as Reysol kicked off their J. League campaign with a 3-1 thumping of Kawasaki Frontale on Sunday.

The match-winner with his first Reysol goal in Wednesday’s 1-0 triumph away to China’s Guizhou Renhe, Cleo opened the scoring early on with a deadly strike and completed his brace after outmuscling Frontale defender Sota Nakazawa on 63 minutes.

Masato Kudo put Kashiwa out of sight with the third 18 minutes from time before Renato grabbed a late consolation for Frontale.

“It’s a good start,” Cleo said. “When we started the season I had only been training with the team for 30 days and this is an amazing feeling to score three goals in two games.

“I hope next week I can continue to score the goals and we win. The most important thing is we are starting to win.”

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