Stylish United go top after crushing Portsmouth.

Manchester United returned to the top of the Premier League in emphatic fashion as the champions crushed Portsmouth 5-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Wayne Rooney put United in front with his 23rd goal of the season and Anthony Vanden Borre’s own goal gave Sir Alex Ferguson’s side a comfortable lead at the interval.

Michael Carrick’s shot looped up off Richard Hughes and beat David James, before Berbatov added a fourth and Marc Wilson volleyed into his own net to complete the rout.

The win was a major boost for United’s goal difference and they are now one point clear of Chelsea, who face Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, while Portsmouth remain rooted to the bottom of the table.

United’s form against teams from the bottom half of the table remains imperious and their 2-2 draw with Sunderland in October remain the only points they have dropped against bottom 10 teams this season.

New England captain Rio Ferdinand was stuck in the directors’ box as he served the second match of his four-game ban.

But United dominated from the start. Their best early chance came when Gary Neville clipped in a cross from the right and Jonny Evans guided a header just past the post.

Avram Grant’s side were briefly able to give the hosts a scare. when Danny Webber broke into the United box and squared for Vanden Borre, who hit a drive bound for the top corner that was pushed away by Edwin Van der Sar.

Webber sent Vanden Borre through and he passed left for Jamie O’Hara to help the ball on to Nadir Belhadj, whose drive was hacked off the line by United defender Evans.

And 10 minutes before the interval, Berbatov passed up a great opportunity when Neville tore into the area and sent over a low cross that the Bulgarian turned around the post from five yards out.

But United finally got their breakthrough in the 40th minute and of course it was in-form Rooney that provided the killer blow.

A short corner was knocked back to Darren Fletcher and he sent over a cross that Rooney headed in from three yards for his seventh goal in four appearances.

And the points looked to be in the bag on the stroke of half time when Nani again fooled Vanden Borre and his cross flicked off the Belgian and past James.

Berbatov finally showed some class when he lifted a pass over the Portsmouth defence to send Valencia through but the Ecuador winger’s drive was somehow kept out by James.

But just before the hour, United made the game safe with a strike of real quality.

Rooney laid the ball off and England midfielder Carrick hit a shot that flicked up off Hughes and bounced in off the underside of the bar.

Berbatov finally grabbed one for himself and showed some coolness to score.

The Bulgarian was picked out by a long ball and after finding his route to goal blocked, came out of the area again and found the corner of the net with a low shot.

Then Evra sent in a whipped cross from the left that was thumped into his own net by Wilson.

United substitute Mame Biram Diouf should have helped himself to a goal in the closing stages, but the Senegal striker failed to keep his shot down after he was played through by Valencia.