MANCHESTER United fans have been given a rave write-up - by the man plotting their Champions League semi-final exit writes Chris Sudlow

Bayer Leverkusen coach Klaus Toppmller witnessed United's demolition of Deportivo La Coruna the day after his team had knocked Liverpool out of the competition.

And dismissing critics who say the Theatre of Dreams is the Theatre of Silence the man they call Toppi said: "Manchester play in a different league. It was even louder there than it was in Liverpool."

Leverkusen, top of the Bundesliga, visit Old Trafford for the first leg on Wednesday.

They are quietly confident of spoiling Sir Alex Ferguson's dream of a Hampden Park Final, and will have no qualms about facing the fans, or even conceding a goal in the first leg after their fight-back performance against Liverpool in the quarter-final.

Toppi's claim that Reds out-shouted The Kop will delight United fans who believe it is time their vocal support is recognised by a wider audience.

The acoustics of the extensions at Old Trafford have been blamed by many for what TV viewers believe is a lack of atmosphere.

The 67,000 ground is now so big, and segmented, that even United fans in some seats cannot hear the almost constant noise created by the special singing section holding 7,000 fanatics at the top of the Stretford End.

In fact, they have rarely been noiser, especially for the big matches when the atmosphere has been tremendous.

Totti was equally impressed with United's performance against the highly-rated Spaniards. "They have got outstanding players. The can even compensate for David Beckham's injury without worrying. All they do then is bring on Solskjaer and he scores twice."

The coach is banking on the current euphoria at Leverkusen to carry them through, however.

He said: "We can't feel any pressure at all. Everyone is having fun, everyone wants to play and nobody wants to be rested."

Incidentally, United have only lost one semi-final at home - against Borussia Dortmund in 1997.

EUROPEAN CUP SE delta INALS AT OLD TRAFFORD

1999: Juventus 1-1

1997: Borussia Dortmund 0-1

1969: AC Milan 1-0

1968: Real Madrid 1-0

1966: Partizan Belgrade 1-0

1958: AC Milan: 2-1

1957: Real Madrid 2-2