Aston Villa 0 Manchester United 3:Two-goal Cristiano Ronaldo's virtuoso performance and a superb strike from Paul Scholes helped put Manchester United's Premiership title challenge back on track against Aston Villa.

United showed they were suffering no hangover from their shock defeat at West Ham to ensure they will go into Christmas as leaders from Chelsea.

Ronaldo capped a magnificent display by scoring the opener in the 59th minute and, after Scholes volleyed home from 25 yards five minutes later, he wrapped up the points in the closing stages.

If United could have picked out a fixture in which to bounce back from their Upton Park reversal then it would have been Villa, who have failed to beat them in the league for more than 11 years.

The Red Devils took the first half to warm up against a combative Villa side but in the second half they produced some superb football.

Ronaldo ignored the taunts of the Villa fans to torment the home side and one had sympathy for recalled full-back Aaron Hughes who was turned inside out.

Villa have now gone seven games without a win and for all their endears, it is evident they require an injection of quality in the January transfer window.

Before the kick-off, former Villa manager Ron Saunders, who guided the team to the League Championship in the early 1980s, was given a standing ovation on his first return to the ground for more than 20 years.

Villa made a lively start and were combative in the centre of the park through Craig Gardner, making his first start of the season, and Gavin McCann who passed a late fitness test on his hamstring injury.

United gradually started to come into the game and Villa centre-back Gary Hill blocked a left-footed drive from Ji-Sung Park and a long-range attempt from Ronaldo.

But after 15 minutes the woodwork came to United's rescue when a free-kick from Barry was flicked on by Chris Sutton to Gardner, whose header clipped the outside of a post.

United centre-back Nemanja Vidic became the first player to be yellow-carded a minute later for hauling down the lively Gabriel Agbonlahor in full flight.

Park, in his first league start since August, looked lively in the early stages but would have been disappointed with the accuracy of his finish from United's first clear-cut opening.

Gary Neville had time and space to the right of the Villa box to pick out the run of Park but he failed to make proper contact with his shot which curled wide of the far post.

On-loan Villa keeper Gabor Kiraly clung onto a low angled drive from Evra and then held onto Ronaldo's header which flew straight at him from Giggs' corner.

Darren Fletcher would have been disappointed not to have done better after racing onto a pass from Ronaldo and he stabbed the ball past the far post.

Giggs then led a break-out from defence by United before finding Ronaldo who turned past Hughes only to send his shot across the face of goal.

United were not to be denied and after 59 minutes Ronaldo broke the deadlock. He picked the ball up in his own half and was allowed to advance almost unchallenged to the edge of the Villa box.

His first shot was blocked by Gary Cahill but the rebound fell straight into the path of Ronaldo who crashed a unstoppable drive inside Kiraly's near post.

Ronaldo was now in irresistible form and more trickery set up a chance for Giggs whose goal-bound shot was blocked by Cahill.

But after 64 minutes a spectacular strike from Scholes looked to have wrapped up the points for United.

Giggs' corner was headed out by McCann but Scholes took aim from 25 yards out and volleyed a superb drive past Kiraly via the underside of the bar.

Ferguson brought on Wayne Rooney for Park and he immediately set up a chance for Ronaldo whose shot was parried by Kiraly.

The bookings started to mount up with cCann, Sutton and Scholes all yellow-carded in quick succession.

Ronaldo finished it off four minutes from time when he turned home Gary Neville's low cross.