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A YEAR ago Manchester United lay sixth in the table, only dispelling the doubts with an ensuing charge to settle the championship's destiny.

Now, they are four points clear, with a European Cup quarter-final place secured, and seemingly heading inexorably for another title. The three previous matches between the sides failed to produce a goal. However, a wonderful finish from Ryan Giggs ensured last night's victory over a stubborn Aston Villa, who must be wondering when Stan Collymore is going to prove his worth.

Teddy Sheringham's third successive penalty miss did little to remove the gloss from United's victory.

UEFA Cup quarter-finalists Villa, who had won just one of their previous 33 visits to Old Trafford, rarely looked like adding to that total.

United, who had scored 35 goals in their last nine games, deployed their three-pronged strike force of Sheringham, Andy Cole and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as they went in search of more goals.

Villa's steeped defence, underpinning their 5-3-2 formation, proved an obdurate unit in the first half. continually resisting the varying attacks flooding towards them.

United's creative catalyst was invariably David Beckham, the opening period's best player whose range of passing and willingness for constant involvement were a delight to hold.

Strangely, Old Trafford was slow to warm to the show being put on by Beckham. Perhaps it was the plummeting temperatures. Maybe it was the fans' high expectancy levels after so many rampant home matches. More likely it was the nervousness engendered by Villa's confident start, which saw in which Simon Grayson shot wide and Peter Schmeichel brilliantly block lan Taylor's effort, following excellent approach work from Alan Wright and Collymore.

Gradually though, the home support began to respond to the football on view, began to appreciate the distribution of Beckham and the movement of Giggs.

The pressure was building. A breakthrough appeared imminent but United were thwarted by the defensive excellence of Steve Staunton. drawing on all his years of experience to marshal! Villa's back five.

The champions were camped in the Villa half and Sheringham volleyed home three minutes later, but the assistant referee was already flagging for offside.

Villa, a team increasingly in tune with the rhythms of Europe. showed the expertise that has carried them to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup.

Packing defence and breaking quickly, mixing the resilient with the cobra-like, Brian Little's hard-working side kept United's defence on their toes.

Ronny Johnsen, preferred to Henning Berg, needed all his mobility to track Villa's raiders when the visitors enjoyed possession.

A mistake by the United defender allowed Milosevic into the box, where he laid the ball back to Collymore, whose shot was charged down by the alert Gary Neville. The other Neville brother, Phil, came to United's rescue. clearing instinctively after Milosevic had turned Pallister.

Back came United, their energy visible in the puffs of cold air surrounding each of Alex Ferguson's players.

Milosevic was presented with a chance four minutes from the interval, but he sliced wide.

Villa began the second half even more positively and Alan Wright fired over from 20 yards out.

However, United's propensity for scoring in the period immediately following the break, a habit probably related to the content and delivery of Alex Ferguson's interval talks. was witnessed again. Cole. content to play the provider. lifted the ball over Villa's defence for Giggs to run through. As that famous left foot came down. injecting power and placement into the ball, there could only be one outcome. the ball flashing past Oakes. Cue euphoria. It was the first league goal scored in 327 minutes of action between the sides.

Such noisy elation was nearly ended when a subsequent caution for Cole almost proved doubly dangerous when the United striker pushed Ehiogu. Fortunately for Cole, the referee, Paul Durkin, proved lenient.

A bizarre passage of play emerged around the hour-mark. In attempting to roll the ball out. Schmeichel hit the heels of Philip Neville, the ball rebounding to Gareth Southgate, Here was a wonderful opportunity to secure an unlikely equaliser but Southgate, probably startled by possession, shot across goal.

Moments later. Milosevic was adjudged to have handled, so allowing Sheringham the chance to end his spotkick woes. Once again. echoing his failures at Tottenham Hotspur and Derby County this season, Sheringham, in the absence of Denis Irwin. placed his penalty wide.