Wayne Rooney met Darren Fletcher's cross to head the opener and the lead was doubled when Nani's low cross was deflected in by Anthony Vanden Borre. Michael Carrick's drive hit Richard Hughes and thumped in off the bar and Dimitar Berbatov's shot made it 4-0. Pompey's misery was complete when Marc Wilson tried to clear a cross but smashed a volley into his own goal.It was a ruthless performance from United but the reality was they barely had to break sweat to beat a Pompey side in freefall.
United went in to the game knowing a win would see them leapfrog Chelsea to sit at the Premier League summit, with the Blues hosting third-placed Arsenal on Sunday. And on paper it seemed they could not get an easier opportunity, with crisis club Pompey having won only once in eight matches, as well as attracting unwanted headlines for their financial difficulties and allegations about their manager Avram Grant's behaviour.
United's off-the-field problems were of the more traditional kind - Rio Ferdinand was out suspended and fellow centre-back Nemanja Vidic was still not fit to return to action. Not that United's backline needed to be at its strongest, with Pompey chasing shadows for much of the game as Nani, Antonio Valencia and Rooney ran riot. (Daily Mail)
