Dwight Yorke maintained his red-hot scoring streak to settle Manchester United's nerves and take them four points clear at the top of the Premiership.

For nearly three quarters of this rearranged match at Old Trafford, Derby kept United at bay. The visitors' well-organised defence had valiantly frustrated United with Russell Hoult outstanding in goal.

But the Reds were not prepared to let the Rams pull the wool over their eyes and dent their 100 per cent record in 1999 with their stubborn resistance.

They kept going, just like they had against Liverpool and Charlton in their last two games, until they got their reward.

The breakthrough came from the trusty boot of Yorke, and his 19th strike of the season has put some daylight between United and the chasing trio of Chelsea, Aston Villa and Arsenal. It was also his seventh strike in only five games.

Yorke was without Andy Cole alongside him because - ironically on the day the striker won his place back in the England squad - he found himself sitting on the bench.

United boss Alex Ferguson had decided Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had waited long enough for his chance to impress from the start. Back also came Ronny Johnsen in place of the injured Henning Berg and Paul Scholes for David Beckham.

Despite Solskjaer's inclusion, it said it all about United's cutting edge in the first half that Jaap Stam was their most potent attacker.

He stung Hoult's hands with a rasping drive from 30 yards out following a surging run from defence.

Stam scored his first United goal last month at Leicester and was clearly intent on adding to that tally - he unleashed another ferocious effort shortly afterwards, which flew just past Hoult's far post.

The world's most expensive defender also proved he was dangerous in the air when he headed over from a corner. In between the intervals in the Jaap Stam show, Ryan Giggs limped off injured after 10 minutes with a suspected hamstring strain to be replaced by Jesper Blomqvist.

Hoult pressed his claims to become Derby's regular between the posts in the absence of the injured Mart Poom with a stirring display. He produced a fine reflex save to touch the ball over the bar after Scholes' effort rebounded off Spencer Prior.

United were hardly troubled at the back, but midway through the half they were nearly caught out when Paulo Wanchope, back after suspension, evaded Gary Neville and Stam to shoot into the side-netting.

At the other end Prior made a great challenge to stop Yorke in the box as he pulled the trigger, while Roy Keane fired wide from long range.

Referee Steve Lodge was letting too many tackles from behind go unpunished and Igor Stimac clattered Yorke in one such challenge, although he eventually picked himself up and carried on.

The officials had a night to forget in general and Kevin Harper was wrongly pulled back for offside when he was clean through.

Instead, though, it was United who were becoming increasingly frustrated as they laboured in vain to find a way past Derby's central defensive trio of Prior, Stimac and Jacob Laursen.

Solskjaer did find the back of the net, but the Norwegian's effort was disallowed for offside.

Then just as Ferguson was about to bring on Cole, United made the breakthrough on 65 minutes.

For once the Rams defence was nowhere to be seen as Nicky Butt found Yorke unmarked in the box and he controlled the ball beautifully before beating Hoult. Yorke's goal ignited United and Keane drove wide before Hoult made a terrific save with his feet to leave Solskjaer holding his head in his hands.

Hoult was determined not to be beaten again and he made another fine stop to deny Yorke from Blomqvist's teasing cross.

Derby brought on Deon Burton and Jonathan Hunt in a desperate attempt to retrieve a point, but there was never going to be any chance of that happening against this United side.

Teams:

Man Utd: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Johnsen, Stam, Irwin, Butt, Scholes, Keane, Giggs (Blomqvist 10), Yorke, Solskjaer.

Subs Not Used: P. Neville, Cole, May, Beckham.

Goals: Yorke 65.

Derby: Hoult, Prior, Carbonari, Stimac, Laursen, Bohinen, Powell (Hunt 80), Carsley, Dorigo, Harper (Burton 70), Wanchope.

Subs Not Used: Knight, Schnoor, Christie.

Att: 55,174

Ref: S Lodge (Barnsley).