Manchester United 3 Portsmouth 0: Ferguson takes the long view once again

Top of the table - no more appropriate place exists for Manchester United on the day Sir Alex Ferguson is the guest of honour at a dinner to mark his 20th anniversary at Old Trafford. With the wine flowing and in the company of Premiership managers past and present - though the pre-booked Arsène Wenger, Jose Mourinho and Rafael Benitez are notable exceptions - the great Scot will undoubtedly show more appreciation for this afternoon's occasion than he did throughout the build-up, though his reservations will remain, and rightly so.

A curmudgeonly response to recent praise was not so much prompted by talk of retirement as an aversion to toasting any achievement so early in a season, especially when the wealth of experience he has been asked to celebrate is not mirrored at the Carrington training complex his successes have helped to build.

The purpose and panache that his latest creation displayed again against Portsmouth embellish the tributes to the United manager and the sense that the last laugh of a championship title is within his grasp this season. But while he and Manchester United have been here before, many of those in whom he trusts have not. It is the only misgiving the 64-year-old can harbour at present.

Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo were again to the fore as United, having demolished third-placed Bolton a week previously, demonstrated against fourth from top how vast is the chasm between the cream and the contenders. Developing such talent on a daily basis provides Ferguson with as much incentive to remain at his post as his insatiable appetite for victory, but for all the prodigious skills of Rooney and Ronaldo, the increasing influence of Michael Carrick, afforded a standing ovation by some on Saturday, and the input of Louis Saha, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra, they are yet to show the resilience that Chelsea possess in abundance. Their talent and championship potential are not in doubt; an assessment of their mental strength must wait until May.

It is then that the veterans of Ferguson's finest moments will play a role as crucial as their contribution to United's strongest start to a Premiership season. "Chelsea have already shown they can last the distance; for a new team it is totally different," said the former United favourite, and now Portsmouth coach, Joe Jordan. "This club have players who know when the pressure is coming, and while the young element are fantastic players, there has got to be a guidance."

Ferguson, having declined an offer of a pre-match presentation to mark his anniversary, concurred. "[Gary] Neville, [Paul] Scholes, [Ryan] Giggs; they have been there before and they will be important when it comes down to deciding matters in April and May," he said. "We will need these players then."

Giggs added: "The consistency level of Chelsea has been brilliant for the past two seasons and we have to realise there is no room for error."

Reverting to the strongest XI he has available - with Evra improving by the game and Gabriel Heinze still to recapture top form following a cruciate injury last season - Ferguson saw his side kill a game early on for the second successive weekend. It was inevitable from the moment Portsmouth arrivedwithout the injured Sol Campbell, Linvoy Primus and Glen Johnson.

With the visitors asleep at a throw-in, Rooney made the most of a clumsy challenge from Dejan Stefanovic to gain an early penalty that Saha swept beyond the reach of David James, who otherwise strengthened his argument for an England recall with an excellent display. Ronaldo ended the contest in the 10th minute, when he drove a fabulous free-kick past the Portsmouth goalkeeper from 25 yards.

The United manager had feared his achievement would produce a circus around his players. Instead, they delivered a parade, and Vidic broke a long wait for a third goal to reflect the home side's superiority when he headed home an excellent cross by Neville, from a short corner, in the 66th minute.

For a manager who places great store on style, three set-piece goals were a surprising return for an exuberant performance. They will not, however, have any impact on his appetite on this, or any, afternoon.

Goals: Saha pen (3) 1-0; Ronaldo (10) 2-0; Vidic (66) 3-0.

Manchester United (4-4-2): Van der Sar; Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Ronaldo (Fletcher, 75), Carrick (Silvestre, 71), Scholes, Giggs; Rooney (O'Shea, 75), Saha. Substitutes not used: Kuszczak (gk), Brown.

Portsmouth (4-1-4-1): James; Pamarot, O'Brien, Stefanovic, Taylor; Mendes; O'Neil, Davis, Fernandes (Cole, ht), Kranjcar (Hughes, 84); Mwaruwari (LuaLua, 66). Substitutes not used: Kiely (gk), Kanu.

Referee: M Dean (Wirral)

Booked: Portsmouth Davis.

Attendance: 76,004.

Man of the match: Rooney.