No trip-up for wily United

The debate about Ashley Young’s willingness to go to ground in the penalty area — and the supposedly favourable treatment enjoyed by Manchester United from Premier League officials — will continue unabated after the defending champions moved a step closer retaining their title at Old Trafford last night.

But when the dust has settled on the issue, the simple fact remains that Alex Ferguson’s side dealt comfortably with the latest challenge set down by Manchester City following the challenger’s emphatic 6-1 victory at Norwich some 27 hours earlier.

United reopened a five-point gap over City and left the title race with the intriguing possibility of Ferguson taking his team to the Etihad Stadium for the Manchester derby on the final day of April, with victory for the visitors meaning they will be mathematically certain of winning a 20th league title.

However, before that date Young can expect a growing torrent of abuse to be hurled his way after the manner in which he brought United a sixth-minute lead against his former club, going to ground far too easily after running into the outstretched leg of Ciaran Clark.

A week ago, Young won a penalty in similar circumstances against QPR and conspiracy theorists will gladly point out that United’s previous home win — over Fulham — also featured a decision that was, to say the least, fortunate for United as the visitors were denied a clear, late penalty call after a Michael Carrick challenge on Danny Murphy.

At least on this occasion, a second goal from Danny Welbeck and a third from Wayne Rooney — to go with the one he converted from the spot after Young won the penalty — were followed by a late injury-time effort from Nani to ensure that the importance of the penalty decision was diluted, although its timing did much to ease any nerves there may have been among home players.

United survived a scare inside the opening minute as Stephen Ireland’s through ball sent Andreas Weimann bearing down on goal only for the Austrian to shoot too close to the United goalkeeper David de Gea, who saved comfortably.

But, as United quickly gathered steam, Young skipped into the area and tripped, theatrically, over Clark’s outstretched leg. Referee Mark Halsey wasted no time in pointing to the spot.

Rooney had little interest in the debate, confidently placing his penalty past the dive of Shay Given into the bottom right-hand corner for his 30th goal in 39 games for United this season.

The goal looked like being the platform for a comfortable afternoon. Rooney’s fantastic cross soon created an opening for Welbeck which was well blocked by Clark and Rafael’s perceptive pass allowed Rooney to create room for a shot, which Given saved well.

Villa had fleeting moments that concerned United — Clark headed just wide from a free-kick and Ireland curled a shot just wide — but the remainder of the first half belonged to the home side.

Veteran Paul Scholes sent a spectacular 20-yard volley whistling just wide, connecting directly from a Young corner, and Valencia’s cross was met by Welbeck whose point-blank shot was somehow kept out by Given.

United needed a second goal to settle any doubts about the game’s outcome and it duly arrived two minutes from time via an attack mounted after good midfield play by Carrick and Rooney.

The former passed wide to Patrice Evra whose left-wing cross was missed by both Collins and Nathan Baker in the middle, permitting Welbeck to slide in and convert at the far post.

The second half started in far more scrappy fashion with neither side capable of creating a meaningful chance, errant passing and poor decision making halting attacks all too often in both areas.

Valencia and Scholes saw shots blocked in quick succession just after the hour, following the introduction of Nani as a replacement for Young, whom Ferguson presumably decided had enjoyed an eventful enough afternoon.

Villa were not aided by the loss of Clark, after a clash of heads with Evra, although his replacement Emile Heskey came close to pulling back a goal when his header, from a Gabriel Agbonlahor cross, was tipped over by de Gea.

Rooney should have done better, and killed off the game for good, in the 67th minute when rolling a shot tamely wide from 15 yards but the England forward eventually did claim United’s third six minutes later. It was a well-worked goal as Rooney passed wide to Valencia who returned the pass, wrong-footing the defence in the process and allowing his team-mate to convert easily from 12 yards.

There remained only the issue of how much United could eat into City’s superior goal difference in the league table and City could thank their former goalkeeper Given for acrobatic saves to keep out subsequent shots from Welbeck and Valencia.

Deep into the four minutes of added time, United completed the scoring when Nani appeared on the end of a patient build-up, gathering a pass from defender Jonny Evans and placing his shot easily past Given’s dive.