THERE was a saying among gentlemen that to win the Derby two years running was "vulgar".

Manchester United are paying no heed to the dictates of good taste as they head for a brief Christmas break 13 points clear of Leeds at the top of the Premiership.

No fewer than 20 sides since the Second World War have led on Dec 25 only to surrender their advantage on the run-in.

United will not be No 21 on this evidence.

Aston Villa were crushed yesterday and their goalkeeper, Mark Bosnich, captured the feelings of all United's pursuers by kicking the goalposts at the end of the game.

It was easier than trying to kick the ball.

If the scoreline had remained at 1-0, as it was until the 89th minute, we might have been wondering why United failed to convert stylistic brilliance into a clear victory.

But late goals from Eric Cantona his second and Paul Ince embellished the picture suitably and left United's manager, Alex Ferguson, in reluctantly eulogistic mood. "The determination of our team was fantastic," Ferguson said.

But he reserved his most glowing praise for Cantona. "Magnificent," Ferguson said.

He was given the ultimate accolade today. Ron Atkinson the Villa manager abandoned all his principles, the 4-4-2 formation, just so Earl Barrett could mark Eric.

"That's the first time I have been man-marked in England and I take it as a great compliment," said Cantona.

"The important thing is that nobody gets carried away," Ferguson said, reciting an old refrain.

Aston Villa got carried away all right; in the footballing equivalent of a knackers van.

Poor Bryan Small, the Villa left-back, spent much of the first-half chasing his Ukrainian adversary back to the edge of the penalty box where Kanchelskis was happily zipping in crosses to Mark Hughes and Cantona.

Keane, too, was a success playing alongside Ince in midfield.

However much managers complain at having to leave talented players on the bench, it instils an often productive anxiety in those who are discarded. Keane was under the gun here, and decided that Paul Parker and Kanchelskis were his most promising allies along the right flank. When Cantona scored with a close-range shot midway through the first-half it was Keane who delivered the cross between falling Villa defenders.

Villa disappeared off the map for three-quarters of an hour before deciding that tighter marking was the way to stem United's incursions.

The arrival of Tony Daley for Dean Saunders also helped to tie down United's primary playmakers. It was the briefest of revivals for Atkinson's team, who are sinking towards mid-table and are only two points clear of the likes of Ipswich and West Ham.