Champions League hat-trick hero Michael Owen said he was glad Manchester United (13/2 Champions League – Outright) would avod the big boys when the business end of Europe’s elite club competition gets underway.

An Owen-inspired United made light of a crippling injury crisis to beat German champions Wolfsburg 3-1 on the road on Tuesday and guarantee top spot in Group B.

It means United can relax until the middle of February when they willl face runners-up other than teams from the same group and from the same nation.

Owen, 29, said he was thrilled to grab a three-goal haul and admitted he was pleased United had claimed pole position going into the knockout stages of the competition.

“It’s great being top of the league so we play at home second (in the next round),” Owen (5/1 Each Way First Goalscorer v Aston Villa) revealed to uefa.com.

“I’m not going to lie, you want as weak a side as possible (in the draw). I don’t know the other results, and there are more to come, but you want to avoid the big boys.”