Andy Cole proved to Sir Alex Ferguson and Kevin Keegan that he has rediscovered his goalscoring touch on a great day for the Premiership leaders.

Cole marked his return to the Manchester United forward line by scoring twice, including a quite brilliant first goal just before half-time.

His second was a simple header before Paul Scholes, who had also been recalled, scored as United stretched their lead at the top of the table to six points.

Cole's goals were his first for United since Boxing Day and will serve as a timely reminder to Keegan before he picks his England squad for the Argentina friendly later this month.

The defeats for Leeds and Arsenal mean United must now be odds on favourites to secure their sixth league title in eight years.

Cole was given his chance after being named on the bench for the last two games after Dwight Yorke was dropped for the first time in his highly-prolific United career.

The £12.6million hitman has found the target only five times in his last 18 games and made way for Cole, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer replaced surprise absentee Ryan Giggs.

Coventry boss Gordon Strachan would have loved the luxury of rotating his squad in such style and instead he was scrapping around just to find 16 fit and available players.

Strachan was without as many as eight first-team players for the match against his old club, including Moroccans Mustapha Hadji and Youssef Chippo who failed to make if back in time from African Nations Cup duty in Nigeria.

Strachan's problems worsened after 10 minutes when Paul Telfer was carried off with what looked like a bad knee injury to be replaced by John Eustace.

Strachan had claimed before the match that Old Trafford is not "a place for weak-minded people" and his side, who were still searching for their first away win in the Premiership this season, were determined not to succumb easily.

Tomas Gustafsson tried his luck with a 30-yard drive, but unfortunately it was straight at Mark Bosnich who saved quite comfortably.

United were struggling to cope with Coventry's offside trap and their frustration grew as they were hauled back on several occasions.

The Sky Blues, without an away win in the Premiership all season, were playing some neat stuff and Gary McAllister played a corner short to Keane before swinging over a cross which Carlton Palmer headed well.

Beckham released the recalled Paul Scholes through on the left with a dinked ball with the outside of his right foot and the recalled England midfielder fired across Magnus Hedman's goal.

Sheringham tried some guile and he played a short ball to Scholes, after shaping up to shoot, who in turn fed Cole and he turned and shot straight at Hedman.

Bosnich got out of jail after 35 minutes when he came and failed to collect Paul Williams' free-kick into the area and Cedric Roussel headed wide of the gaping goal.

Cole then broke the deadlock on 39 minutes with a great piece of quick thinking.

He received possession from Sheringham just inside the area on the right, looked up and saw Hedman off his line before chipping the Swedish international with an effort which went in off the underside of the bar.

Cole's goal finally brought the home fans among the record Premiership attendance of 61,380 to life.

For the third home game in succession, United had set a new best and Old Trafford was packed to its spanking new rafters.

Carlton Palmer wasted a chance to haul Coventry level just after the interval when he fluffed his shot from inside the area.

United regained control and they went close to a second when Scholes fired narrowly wide from just outside the area.

United did not have much longer to wait for the next goal and it came courtesy of a simple header from Cole in the 55th minute.

Beckham swung over a free-kick from the right and Cole rose six yards out to take advantage of some slack defending to nod home goal number 17 for the season.

United were buzzing now and Hedman plucked a Solskjaer volley from the air.

However it was Coventry who scored next through Roussel on 65 minutes.

Eustace made a great run and when he was checked the ball ran to the Belgian who cracked home his fifth goal of the season into the top right-hand corner.

Coventry sensed an unlikely point and Ferguson sent on Nicky Butt for Solskjaer in a bid to tighten up his midfield.

United survived these anxious few moments and on 76 minutes Scholes struck to restore their two-goal advantage when he fired home from just over 25 yards out into the far corner for his sixth of the season.

Roussel scored a well-taken second goal in the final minute, to give the scoreline some respectability, but there was to be no dramatic late comeback.

Teams

Man Utd: Bosnich, G. Neville, Stam, Silvestre, P. Neville, Beckham, Keane, Scholes, Solskjaer (Butt 70), Cole, Sheringham (Cruyff 80).

Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Irwin, Yorke.

Booked: Solskjaer.

Goals: Cole 39, 54, Scholes 77.

Coventry: Hedman, Telfer (Eustace 10), Williams, Breen, Shaw, Gustafsson, Palmer, McAllister, Froggatt, Keane, Roussel.

Subs Not Used: Ogrizovic, Konjic, Strachan, Delorge.

Goals: Roussel 65, 90.

Att: 61,380

Ref: A Wilkie (Chester Le Street).