United push the pace with Pompey win
Louis Saha got the ball rolling at Old Trafford
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Saturday, 04, Nov 2006 08:03
Manchester United marked the 20th anniversary of Sir Alex Ferguson's start at Old Trafford with a 3-0 win over Portsmouth to put them three points clear at the top of the Premiership.
The Scot will have approved of a performance which saw their south-coast visitors virtually out of the game after just ten minutes.
In a blizzard of early attacks the first goal took just three minutes to arrive as Louis Saha slotted home from 12 yards after strike partner Wayne Rooney was felled by Dejan Stefanovic.
Just as at Bolton last week, the Red Devils had complete control and were carving out chance after chance against a bewildered Portsmouth defence.
Cristiano Ronaldo, aided by Ryan Giggs, picked a hole in Pompey's defensive wall and sent a precise free-kick beyond David James to double the lead with just ten minutes on the clock.
Even Gary Neville was getting in on the act as he saw the excellent David James twice deny him from good positions.
Harry Redknapp's side never looked like getting back into the game with the hosts on such rampant form, but had Niko Kranjcar buried a prime opportunity early in the second half the game may have changed.
As it was Nemanja Vidic grabbed his second in three games, nodding home a Neville cross to seal a highly-impressive win.
James made a fine stop from Saha late on before his counterpart Edwin van der Sar saved well from a rasping Gary O'Neill setpiece, but the results was already well beyond doubt.