But such is the dedication of his players that they declined and stayed in the hotel.

Ferguson feels that speaks volumes for the spirit in the United camp and he said: "I think the mood is a very good one.

"As an indication during the trip to Spain, I offered them a night out and none of them would go out.

"They stayed in the hotel and focused on what we were doing.

"For me that was a great demonstration of one, their professionalism and two, their determination to make sure they are not going to slip up and that was encouraging.

"I mean I would have been happy for them to go out, don't get me wrong, but they didn't want to go out and that was smashing."

This attitude is the reason why United are fast disappearing over the hill in the 'race' for the Premier League title.

The win was their 13th in their last 16 league games and Gary Neville, who opened the scoring, claims they have no intention of easing up.

Neville reinforced Ferguson's point when he said: "We can't afford to wait for people to make a challenge.

"We've got to press ahead. We have difficult games coming up - Sunderland away, Arsenal at home, Leeds away and Chelsea away and we want to do well in those games."

After a quiet first half by Old Trafford's standards, the match came to life in the second half when Villa became more adventurous.

Fabien Barthez denied Lee Hendrie as the Villa midfielder tried to round him before Jonathan Greening cleared a Gareth Barry shot off the line.

That spurred the champions into action and in the 56th minute Neville stabbed home a Roy Keane free-kick, which Villa boss John Gregory felt should not have been awarded, to score only his third goal on his 277th appearance for the Reds.

Neville joked on MUTV: "I hope there were a few people who had a few quid on me because I would have been a high price.

"One every two seasons I do. It would be lovely to get two in a season and break my record."

Teddy Sheringham sealed victory and put down a marker for watching England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson when he slotted home his 18th of the season three minutes from time.

This was a win achieved without David Beckham, who has rested along with Mickael Silvestre, and the England star took the opportunity to enjoy a weekend off with his wife in Cannes.

Ferguson wants to make sure his players are refreshed for the climax of the season and Neville and Roy Keane will sit out the Everton game in two weeks' time.

Neville is not exactly overjoyed by this prospect and he said: "Rested, dropped, I don't know.

"It's the way the manager has worked it over the last three years.

"He brought the system in of rotation. We hate being rested, we hate being left out, but it works and who are we to argue with that system?"