Alex Ferguson might have thought his side would be in for a tough afternoon once Jeremie Aliadiere had levelled Nani’s stunning early opener.

But Wayne Rooney profited from Stewart Downing’s blunder to put the hosts in front before the break and Carlos Tevez finished the Teessiders off with a second-half double.

Gerard Pique replaced a not-too-impressed Ferdinand 18 minutes from time before Cattermole was booked for a lunge at Nani.

Rooney nodded Nani’s cross straight at Schwarzer just before Ryan Giggs took over from Anderson in central midfield.

United were coasting by now, although they had not finished scoring and when Ronaldo and Rooney combined to release Tevez, Taylor only managed to send the Argentina international’s shot bouncing past Schwarzer as he dived to try to stop it.

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Reading 2 Newcastle 1

Shane Long netted a sensational winner for Reading only seconds after coming on as a substitute against Newcastle.

Sam Allardyce’s side thought they were going to leave the Madejski Stadium with a point after Michael Duberry’s own goal had cancelled out Dave Kitson’s early opener.

But the young Irishman had other ideas and won the game with his second touch of the game to record his second goal of the season.

Faye was booked for hacking Lita down and a cleverly worked free-kick move saw Sonko volley straight at Given, having lost his marker.

Then Hunt was felled right on the edge of the area but Lita’s free-kick was straight at the wall. Newcastle replaced Faye with James Milner with 15 minutes remaining.

Hunt was penalised foul a challenge on Milner and from Emre’s free-kick, which had been flicked on at the near post by Smith, Duberry chested the ball into his own goal.

But Reading had the last word and, just seconds after he had replaced Lita, Shane Long made it 2-1. Sonko headed the ball on and the Irishman, having taken a touch past Given, hooked the ball high into the net.

Cacapa put the ball in the net at the other end but it was ruled out for offside.

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Chelsea 6 Manchester City 0

Chelsea destroyed Manchester City with a six-goal super show at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues handed City their biggest defeat of the season thanks to a Didier Drogba double and goals from Michael Essien, Joe Cole, Salomon Kalou and Andriy Shevchenko.

City were outplayed by a stylish Chelsea side which notched up its biggest win of the season and took their unbeaten run to seven games.

Chelsea made it five in the 75th minute when Kalou finished off a pass from Michael Essien and beat Hart with a low shot into the far corner of the net.

The rout was completed by substitute Andriy Shevchenko who shot past Hart from Essien’s pass in the dying seconds.

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