Red-hot Ron routs Hammers

Ronaldo: 40 for the season

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The unstoppable Cristiano Ronaldo helped 10-man Manchester United take another stride towards the Premier League crown with two goals in the 4-1 thrashing of West Ham.

The peerless Portugal international took his tally to an astonishing 40 for the season, 30 of them in the Premier League, with goals in the third and 24th minutes as the Red Devils moved three points clear of Chelsea again.

Carlos Tevez, whose goals saved the Hammers from the drop last season, drilled home a spectacular third from 25 yards in the 26th minute as Sir Alex Ferguson's side threatened to run riot.

But Dean Ashton's instant response with a superb overhead kick after Wes Brown failed to deal with Bobby Zamora's cross was swiftly followed by a needless red card for Nani.

The United midfielder head-butted Lucas Neill as the duo tangled on the edge of the West Ham box, before falling to the ground holding his own face in a bid to avoid punishment, but referee Mike Riley and his assistant were not fooled.

Any hopes Chelsea had of United capitulating after the break were erased on the hour mark when another former Upton Park favourite Michael Carrick was allowed all the time and space he needed to advance and fire a deflected fourth beyond Rob Green.

Control

Within three minutes the Red Devils were ahead as Lucas Neill's ill-timed slip allowed Ronaldo to collect Nani's flick and charge into the box before unleashing a shot which flicked off George McCartney and flew in.

There was no sense of nerves around the ground but any remaining apprehension was dispelled as United assumed total control and 20 minutes later they had a second.

In amassing 40 goals this season, Ronaldo has scored some amazing efforts. His latest was not among them as Owen Hargreaves swung a left-footed cross to the far post which the entire Hammers defence failed to cut out.

It still needed scoring though and a quick swivel of the hips ensured the ball bounced past Green.

Ronaldo has not been overshadowed very often this season but Tevez did exactly that as he picked up his young team-mate's lay-off, then blasted an absolute rocket into the roof of Green's net, the West Ham goalkeeper left grasping thin air.

Dismissal

But Ashton's smart overhead kick completed a remarkable spell of three goals in six minutes, Nani lost his head.

Neill hardly reacted in the most calm manner after Nani had tried and failed to connect with an ambitious overhead kick but the Portugal winger had no excuse for responding the way he did by butting Neill and dismissal was automatic.

The red card threw unnecessary doubt over United's charge towards the title, although they received assistance from West Ham's woeful attempt to make the extra man count.

It was not lack of desire which kept them from toppling their hosts, who Hammers boss Alan Curbishley feels deserve the win the title, more a lack of ability.

Carrick was offered more room to run into than he could believe before firing home his second goal of the campaign, with Neill again providing the accidental deflection.

The unconnected arrival of Ryan Giggs and departure of Ronaldo were significant in that it took the Welshman to within one game of equalling Sir Bobby Charlton's revised appearance record of 758.

Ronaldo's replacement, Fletcher, struck a post with his precise shot from Giggs' pass, although by then it hardly mattered.

United thanked their supporters for a season of effort with a lap of the pitch at the end and in eight days' time they could be celebrating for real with victory at Wigan.