Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes scored their first Premiership goals of the season as Manchester United made it a miserable afternoon for visiting Charlton Athletic.
The long-serving pair, who have made disappointing starts to the campaign, were both in sparkling form as they helped to inspire their side to a victory which keeps alive their hopes of challenging for the title.
The Red Devils encountered very little resistance from the Addicks whose slack display underlined why they have never won a Premiership match at Old Trafford.
Indeed, you have to go back to 1986 to find Charlton's last win at the Theatre of Dreams and they failed to register a shot on target in the 90 minutes this time.
It was a satisfying win for Sir Alex Ferguson whose side had previously failed to beat opponents in what can be described as 'mundane' games.
After the match he said: "We controlled the game, made a lot of chances and could have scored a lot.
"Charlton were determined and persistent, and like many teams that come here they played with only one striker up front.
"In these sorts of games you have to be patient. We were patient and also played some imaginative football.
"The most important thing was to win and hopefully we can now get a run going until New Year's Day because then you usually have an idea who is in the title frame." Charlton manager Alan Curbishley refused to write off United's title chances saying: "I think United are capable of putting a run together.
"If they hadn't been held by City when their pressure deserved more than a draw they would have won three on the spin.
"The difficulty for United is that they are up against two sides - Arsenal and Chelsea - that are fighting on three fronts, the League, the League Cup and the Champions League.
"But we've seen bigger gaps than this whittled away." Curbishley was disappointed with his side's lack of invention in attack, adding: "When you're playing the top three or four sides you have to work so hard to contain them and it is difficult to turn possession into chances.
"We worked ever so hard to contain and stop United, but had nothing much going the other way." Ferguson fielded a new full-back pairing of Wes Brown and Quinton Fortune who replaced Gary Neville and Gabriel Heinze.
The third change from the starting line-up that won at Newcastle was less surprising as Giggs replaced Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portuguese winger's form has dipped in recent weeks and he had to be content with a place on the substitute's bench.
Ruud van Nistelrooy was declared fit after being hurt playing for Holland in midweek.
Charlton's one change from the side which beat Norwich 4-0 last Saturday was in attack where Shaun Bartlett came in for Kevin Lisbie.
United produced a classy move in the second minute which so nearly brought about a goal.
Rio Ferdinand released Brown who sprinted down the right wing and delivered a pinpoint cross for van Nistelrooy whose far post header forced goalkeeper Dean Kiely into making a smart save.
It was to prove to be one of the few bright spots in a disappointing opening period in which United toiled against a well-organised Charlton defence.
Scholes was United's most threatening player and he had three decent goalscoring chances. A glancing header forced Kiely to make a diving save before he fired in a drive which whistled just wide of the upright.
That was followed by a fiercely struck left-foot shot which the Charlton keeper did well to beat out.
United finally broke the deadlock just before the interval. Wayne Rooney's headed flick released Giggs who ran towards goal from a midfield position and beat Kiely with a shot which took a deflection off defender Luke Young.
Charlton made a switch at the break bringing on Jonathan Fortune for the injured Chris Perry.
The change failed to improve Charlton's fortunes as United doubled their lead within five minutes of the restart.
Darren Fletcher fired over a cross from the right and Scholes, eight yards from goal, found the net with a spectacular fizzing shot. Incredibly it was Scholes' first goal since April when he found the net in the FA Cup semi-final clash with Arsenal.
Charlton finally registered a strike on goal in the 52nd minute but central defender Talal El Karkouri's long-range free-kick was well wide.
United almost made it three moments later when Fortune and Scholes linked up superbly to set up Rooney who blazed over from six yards when he should have hit the target.
As the match continued Rooney became more of a threat and he had several other excellent chances.
The teenage striker cut in from the left only to see his effort blocked and then crashed another shot into the side-netting before forcing Kiely into a save low at his near post.
Substitute Alan Smith, who came on for van Nistelrooy with 14 minutes left, immediately had a great chance but headed over from inside the six-yard box.
Charlton had a couple of decent openings in the dying minutes with Young heading over the crossbar and an overhead kick from Hermann Hreidarsson flying just too high.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Paul Scholes (Man Utd) - Scored his first goal since April and produced an impressive overall display.