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Manchester United returned to the top of the Premier League thanks to an emphatic 5-0 victory over crisis club Portsmouth at Old Trafford. The home side began the game without the new England captain Rio Ferdinand due to suspension, Wes Brown and Johnny Evans lined up at centre half and Gary Neville returned at right full back. Portsmouth manager Avram Grant made five changes to the side that lost at Fulham, and gave a debut to new signing Ricardo Rocha. With the match 52 years to the day since the Munich disaster there was a minute�s silence before the kick off which was perfectly observed by all inside the ground. Manchester United started very strongly and Portsmouth invited them to have possession as they sat back allowing the hosts time on the ball. In the 8th minute Portsmouth survived a penalty shout when Wayne Rooney was barged over by Frederic Piquionne, referee Lee Mason didn�t agree with the England strikers appeals and turned down the claims. In the 10th minute Dimitar Berbatov had a great chance to open the scoring, a low cross from Rooney found the Bulgarian but he fired his shot wide of David James� goal. A minute later from a short corner routine Neville delivered a cross to the back post where Johnny Evans� header sailed just wide of the post. The visitors slowly began to get back into the game and in the 12th minute they tested Edwin Van der Sar in United�s goal. Fullback Anthony Vanden Borre linked-up well with Danny Webber before hitting a shot from the edge of the penalty area which was well saved by the Dutch goalkeeper. Manchester United resumed their dominance of possession and minutes later Nani saw his long range effort sail wide of the goal. Vanden Borre backed off the Portuguese winger on the left wing, Nani moved towards goal before unleashing a 25 yard strike effort but he was unable to control it and it flew harmlessly wide of James� goal. As United continued to probe the Portsmouth defence they created another chance, Antonia Valencia received a pass from Berbatov in the 20th minute, and the Ecuadorian jinked into the box but blazed his shot wide of the goal. In the 32nd minute another United chance went begging. At the end of a mazy run down the left wing Nani found Rooney unmarked on the edge of the penalty area, the England striker turned and shot but like many of his colleagues he was unable to test David James. A minute later the deadlock was almost broken, and despite all Manchester United�s possession it was the visitors who had the chance. A rare break by Portsmouth gave Jamie O�Hara the chance to find Nadir Belhadj on the left of the area, the Algerian fired a low shot past Van der Sar but Evans cleared off the line. This sparked Manchester United back into life and Berbatov had his second chance of the match in the 35th minute. Valencia released Neville into the penalty area; his low pull back found Berbatov who stroked his shot wide from six yards when it looked easier to score. After so much possession United finally opened the scoring in the 40th minute through in-form striker Rooney. From their 8th corner of the match Gary Neville crossed into the box where Rooney headed in his 21st goal of the Premier League season from 5 yards. It was a free header for Rooney and he gave England colleague James absolutely no chance. In the last minute of the half United deservedly doubled their lead. Rooney found Nani on the left wing; he took on Vanden Borre and fired goalwards. His shot took a deflection off the defender and crept goalwards, the deflection wrong footed James and in a vain attempt to kick the ball clear he kicked it into his own net to give Manchester United a two nil lead at half time. The second half began in a similar fashion to the first and in the 54th minute they had a chance to extend their lead. Valencia made a good run down the right wing; he found Berbatov on the edge of the box and continued his run into the Portsmouth penalty area. Berbatov produced a sublime bit of skill to scoop the ball over the defenders back to the winger but David James made a very good save from his shot. Four minutes later they did extend their lead, Portsmouth failed to clear the lines properly and the loose ball fell to Michael Carrick 25 yards out from goal. The England midfielder fired a left foot shot goalwards; it took a wicked deflection off Richard Hughes and found the back of the net off the underside of the bar. In the 63rd minute Berbatov finally got the goal his performance deserved. Rooney found the Bulgarian who had a couple of defenders for company, he maintained possession before creating himself a shooting opportunity and firing past James to make it four nil. A minute later Portsmouth had a chance to get themselves back into the match, Kevin Prince Boateng created a chance for Danny Webber but the former Manchester United striker sliced his shot wide. With 25 minutes to go Sir Alex Ferguson made three substitutions with his side comfortably in front. Darron Gibson, Mame Biram Diouf and Michael Owen replaced Darren Fletcher, Rooney and Berbatov. From another United corner Diouf nearly made an immediate impact but his header went just over the bar. In the 69th minute United scored their fifth goal of the afternoon through another own goal. Patrice Evra delivered a cross into the Portsmouth penalty area and it was fired into his own goal by Marc Wilson with a crisp volley into the top corner. In the 75th minute Darron Gibson had a chance to pile more misery onto the visitors. Encouraged by the home fans the midfielder hit a long range strike which was well saved by James. With ten minutes to go Owen released Diouf inside the penalty area but the young striker fired over the bar from 11 yards. The match drifted towards its conclusion with the hosts comfortable winners against the Premier League's bottom side.