Bayer Leverkusen 0 Man United 5: Ryan Giggs is getting better, claims David Moyes ahead of the midfielder's 40th birthday

Ryan Giggs applauds the Manchester United away fans (AP)

The cliché 'life begins at 40' is rarely true, especially so for an athlete, their career is usually completed at that age, but David Moyes believes Ryan Giggs can be the exception once more.

Giggs is 40 on Friday but played the full 90 minutes during Manchester United's 5-0 Champions League rout of Bayer Leverkusen. "People mention his age but all you should mention is his football ability. He is an unbelievable footballer. Ryan will tell us when he has enough, or when he thinks his time is up, but you could say he is getting better seeing his vision, his pass for Nani's goal.

"He keeps training day-in, day-out, and keeps playing. I think his performances since I came have been excellent. You wouldn't have said he needed to come off because he is lacking in fitness. All round he is a wonderful player and I am really fortunate to be working with him."

Moyes declared the performance as the best of his five-month reign at Old Trafford manager, but promised supporters there was more to come. "It was one of my best days, but the best days are still to come, there will be better days to come. This is the best because we have scored five goals, but I want this to be a regular thing, not just now and again.

"We played well with some outstanding performances. To come to Germany, and score five goals somewhere which is renown as a difficult place to come is great. The goals get the headlines keeping a clean sheet is important for me to.

"We could have scored more," said Giggs, "but we can't be too greedy. To score five anywhere in Europe is a great result. I think our speed [was the difference]. The first goal was a good example; quick play. It was a pleasure to play behind our front four."

Sami Hyypia, Leverkusen's coach and former Liverpool defender, looked shell-shocked. “Five goals is hard to take but these things sometimes happen in football,” he said. “I thought we were OK until the second goal went in, after that we lost heart.”

Hyypia said he thought United were capable of winning the competition but Moyes was taking it one step at a time. He added: "We have qualified, the next part is to win the group.”

United need a draw at home to Shakhtar Donetsk on December 10. Winning the group is likely to mean avoiding Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris St Germain, Atletico Madrid, and Real Madrid.

Moyes added: "We are in a good run of form – we slipped up late on Sunday but in the main are playing well. The biggest thing is we are improving, progressing, and I hoped that would happen."