Manchester United v Wigan

Live coverage and match report (Premiership coverage for Eurosport - 26 December 2006):

For my minute by minute live coverage of the match click HERE

Ronaldo leads United four points clear

Buoyed by the knowledge that Reading had robbed Chelsea of two points, Cristiano Ronaldo put on a second-half show to help dismantle Wigan 3-1 and send United four points clear at the top of the Barclay’s Premiership.

Second-half substitute Ronaldo struck twice within five minutes of the restart to send Wigan crashing to their fourth successive defeat and enable United to capitalise on Chelsea’s draw with Reading.

The timeless Ole Gunnar Solskaer was on target in the 59th minute to give United a three goal lead. A late penalty for Wigan, converted by young Leighton Baines, was the only downside to what was a sterling performance by Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.

Ronaldo, Louis Saha, Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick, Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville were all absent from the starting line up as Sir Alex shuffled his pack once more, safe in the knowledge that, regardless of the result, United would remain top of the Premiership.

With the score 0-0 at half-time though ,Ferguson introduced his trump card to kick start proceedings. He could never have imagined the immediacy of the impact.

Within two minutes of gracing the pitch Ronaldo put United 1-0 up with a thumping header from an early corner. Three minutes later he fed J.S.Park in the Wigan penalty area after fine work down the left. Park was promptly fouled right in front of referee, Mike Riley, for a stonewall penalty. Ronaldo failed to convert from the spot but made sure with the rebound.

United dominated proceedings in the first half but had failed to open the scoring. Wayne Rooney, rejuvenated after his rest against Aston Villa on Saturday, could easily have had a hat-tick. Wigan’s Chris Kirkland was forced to make three exceptional saves from close range in the opening twenty minutes and could only watch as efforts from Rooney and Patrice Evra fizzed wide.

J.S Park and Ole Gunnar Solskaer respectively replaced on form Portugese high diver Ronaldo in midfield and club top scorer Louis Saha in attack.

Wes Brown took over from Gary Neville at right back and revelled in the amount of space afforded him. Darren Fletcher, who replaced Carrick, bossed the midfield alongside Paul Scholes and twice released Brown down the right early on but United failed to convert their chances and, despite enjoying 60% of the possession, allowed Wigan to hang on to a clean sheet as Riley blew for half-time.

Fletcher was pulled to make way for Ronaldo at the break. If Ronaldo hadn’t produced such an emphatic impact this decision would have appeared harsh on Fletcher who had been carving open the Wigan back four with intelligent balls to Rooney and an ever-advancing Brown.

But the game was transformed by Ronaldo. He was everywhere and Wigan had no answer to his trickery. Stunned by the two early goals, the coup de grace came from Old Trafford legend Ole Gunnar Solskaer.

John O'shea won the ball in midfield and flicked it on to Rooney who out jumped Emile Heskey to feed Solskaer. With time to compose himself and pick his spot in the far corner, he drove the ball comfortably home from the edge of the area.

Mikael Silvestre blotted his copy book with a late Christmas present for Wigan with an ill timed tackle in the last minute to gift the visitors a penalty. Baines showed the maturity and confidence that has been alerting bigger clubs to the possibility of his signature by converting the spot kick but the result was never in doubt.

Ferguson will be relishing the fact that no team with this many points at Christmas has ever failed to go on and win the Premiership.

If Jose Mourinho wasn’t in need of some christmas consolation after his side's draw with Reading, he will now.