Manchester United maintained their Premier League leadership with a routine 2-0 win against Sunderland at Old Trafford.

 Dimitar Berbatov opened the scoring in the fifth minute, and was credited with a second goal on 57 minutes - although the ball was heading wide before taking a big deflection off Anton Ferdinand, who should be 'credited' with an own-goal.

Either way, United cruised to victory with their most fluent attacking performance of the season to date, and should have won by an even greater scoreline against a lacklustre Sunderland side.

Steve Bruce had not beaten his old boss Sir Alex Ferguson in 15 previous attempts as a manager, but took a positive approach at the 16th time of asking, picking strikers Darren Bent and Asamoah Gyan in a 4-4-2 formation.

Sunderland missed the combative influence of the suspended Lee Cattermole in midfield, as his replacement Cristian Riveros and Jordan Henderson found themselves bypasses with ease by the Premier League leaders.

No less important was the absence of Danny Welbeck, who was so instrumental in the win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last month - the forward was ineligible as he is on loan from United.

Ryan Giggs made just his sixth start of the season, but showed the craft and guile that made him the 2008/09 Player of the Season - not to mention last year's BBC Sports Personality.

It took less than five minutes for United to open the scoring with a delightful move. Giggs carried the ball 30 yards into the Sunderland half, then laid it off for Wayne Rooney on the right. The England striker clipped a perfect cross to the far post where Dimitar Berbatov arrived with an emphatic downward header - the striker marking his return to the first team with his 13th Premier League goal of the season.

It could and should have been more shortly afterwards. Rooney lifted a superb chip over Craig Gordon on 10 minutes but watched it drop agonisingly wide of the left-hand post. Then 60 seconds later Anderson played in Berbatov, whose shot cannoned back off the base of the woodwork.

The onslaught continued, and in the 15th minute Anderson rattled the underside of the bar with a curler from 20 yards.

Still United came, with Berbatov showcasing a remarkable piece of skill to keep the ball in play on the right and simultaneously ride a heavy Phil Bardsley challenge. He worked the ball, via Park Ji-Sung to Rooney, who brought a good save from Gordon.

Berbatov then shot into the side netting after receiving a brilliant Giggs pass, before Giggs himself forced Gordon into yet another save from the edge of the box - all this action coming in the first quarter of the game.

The excellent Anderson went close before half-time, as did Rooney, who nearly broke through with a playground-style dribble of 60 yards straight down the middle of the pitch.

Sunderland clearly needed an extra body in midfield at the expense of a forward, but it was not until the 69th minute, when they were two goals down, that Bruce brought on David Meyler for the anonymous Bent.

The second goal came after a magnificent piece of improvisation from Anderson, who saw an attempted through-ball blocked but received the rebound and played an audacious 'no-look' pass to Berbatov, whose cross-shot with the outside of his boot needed a hefty touch off Ferdinand to beat Gordon.

United enjoyed over 70 per cent possession in the second half, and could have added to their tally through an acrobatic Berbatov effort and a long-range Darron Gibson effort.

But it was plain sailing for the leaders, who remain unbeaten and are hitting ominous form.