CRISTIANO RONALDO'S first-half double strike proved to be enough for Manchester United to claim all three points and consign Wanderers to a fifth successive defeat.

The Portugal international hit both goals in a clinical ten-minute period without reply.

But Wanderers, who managed to get the ball in the back of net on two occasions only to see both efforts disallowed, can take heart from their battling performance which was a marked improvement from the recent trip to Wigan.

Nani was first to test Wanderers as the Portuguese winger cantered towards Ali Al-Habsi. Fortunately for the visitors , Andy O'Brien's legs got in the way of the shot.

The hosts had more luck on nine minutes when Abdoulaye Meite's poor touch played in Carlos Tevez. A timely intervention, albeit at the expense of a corner, from Ricardo Gardner prevented the Argentine from breaking the deadlock. From the resulting corner, however, United opened the scoring through Ronaldo. Wanderers spurned several opportunities to clear the ball before it fell to the Portugal international who placed his effort beyond Al Habsi.

Nani could have made it two when he cut in past Gretar Steinsson, but he saw his curling effort go high and wide.

Stand-in captain Kevin Davies was desperately unlucky not to bag an equaliser for the visitors after getting to the end of Danny Guthrie's splendid right-sided cross. Tomasz Kuszczak was well-placed to keep out the striker's volley.

Within two minutes, United had doubled their advantage through Ronaldo once again. Meite had brought the goalscorer down just outside the box with a clumsy challenge. He made the Wanderers defender pay with a well struck free kick that deceived Al Habsi.

In truth, Wanderers weren't playing too badly. Gary Megson's battlers were positive and didn't see too disheartened by the early double set back.

Taylor and Steinsson both had volleys but their efforts failed to trouble Polish international Kuszczak.

Gardner's defensive qualities once again came to the fore to rob Louis Saha of possession after Tevez caused damage on the right.

Davies had another chance after Wanderers broke into the United half, but his effort skewed wide.

Megson brought on Nicky Hunt for Meite during the interval, which allowed Steinsson to move into the centre to partner Andy O'Brien. This had a steadying effect for the back four.

Al Habsi was pressed into action within seconds of the restart after Steinsson had upended Tevez just outside the box. Ronaldo stepped up to take the resulting free-kick, which appeared to be going into the bottom right hand corner.

Substitute Hunt had Wanderers' best effort just after the hour mark when his dipping 30-yard volley was tipped away for a corner.

Kuszczak needed to make another good save just a few moment later when McCann's left-footed volley seemed destined for the bottom right, but for the Pole's important save.

Action soon switched ends and Al-Habsi made a point-blank save to keep out Ronaldo's close-range effort.

The Omani international was growing with increasing importance as the game wore on. He made another good save to keep out Nani after the winger got on the end of a good United move.