Jordi Cruyff kept Manchester United on course for a Premiership century of goals with a late winner at Watford.

Second-half substitute Cruyff had the final say in a pulsating clash of top against bottom at a sun-drenched Vicarage Road.

The lead swung one way then the other and two players were sent off before Sir Alex Ferguson's second-string team clinched the win and took their goal tally to 93 with two matches to play.

Watford stunned the champions when they stole into a first-half lead but the game exploded into life when Nicky Butt and Micah Hyde were sent off for trading pushes and punches in the 64th minute.

United seized the initiative when the game went to 10-a-side.

Substitute Dwight Yorke cancelled out Heidar Helguson's first-half header and then crashed another drive against the Watford crossbar.

Ryan Giggs put United 2-1 up and although Tommy Smith raced away to equalise within two minutes, Cruyff pounced on an error by Robert Page four minutes from time to extend United's winning run to eight Premiership games.

United had the title in the bag before they arrived in Hertfordshire and Ferguson decided to rest his star names against rock-bottom Watford.

Newly-crowned footballer of the year Roy Keane was among the high-profile absentees, with David Beckham, Denis Irwin, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Jaap Stam and Andy Cole also missing.

Graham Taylor, meanwhile, urged his players to avenge a 4-1 defeat at Old Trafford in October, which the Watford boss suggested was the turning point of their doomed season.

The former England boss picked a team to attack and they responded brilliantly in the first half.

Helguson scored the goal to put the Hornets ahead, stealing ahead of Mikael Silvestre to glance Hyde's free-kick inside the back post 11 minutes before the break.

It was the Icelander's fifth goal in 11 starts since his £1.5million move to England from Lillestrom in January and gave the Watford fans something to cheer after months of suffering.

Watford could have taken the lead earlier. Dominic Foley, starting his third game of the season, tested Raimond van der Gouw in the ninth minute when he seized on hesitancy in United's defence to fire a low drive from 20 yards.

He tested the Dutch keeper again seven minutes later, bringing down a right-wing cross expertly before firing a volley onto the target.

Smith, a Watford youngster held in esteem by his manager, raced on to a long pass down the left and cut inside Henning Berg but drove his shot into the arms of Van der Gouw.

United, however, could have taken the lead in the seventh minute when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham combined to carve open a golden chance for Butt. He was clean through but shot tamely against the legs of Alec Chamberlain.

Captain Giggs was at centre of United's most threatening moves. Mark Wilson, booked in the first half, was inches from reaching a low cross from the Welshman.

Butt wanted a penalty when he fell under the challenge of Steve Palmer but the champions had to settle for a corner, which Jonathan Greening took and Silvestre headed wide.

Yorke entered the fray at half-time and Watford brought on Tommy Mooney to the delight of the home fans.

Mooney, a hero of last season's promotion drive, has missed most of the season with a knee injury after scoring a memorable winner at Liverpool in August.

He almost scored within seconds of his comeback, bravely fighting down a high ball into the United goalmouth only to miss his kick completely when he went for goal.

Mooney later had Van der Gouw flying to his right to turn over a superb left-foot volley.

The game exploded into life after the 64th-minute punch-up which led to red cards for Hyde and Butt.

Yorke's laser-guided drive found the bottom corner after a neat Sheringham flick and Watford seemed finished when Giggs lobbed Chamberlain 14 minutes from time.

But Taylor's men showed great character to respond. Smith burst clear of the back four yet again and this time he produced a neat finish over Van der Gouw's dive.

The killer blow came from Cruyff, who took advantage of a sloppy back pass from Page to toe-poke the ball past Chamberlain.

Teams:

Watford: Chamberlain, Page, Ward, Robinson, Palmer, Hyde, Perpetuini, Cox (Gibbs 83), Helguson (R. Johnson 86), Foley (Mooney 46), Smith.

Subs Not Used: Day, Wooter.

Sent Off: Hyde (65).

Booked: Perpetuini.

Goals: Helguson 33, Smith 78.

Man Utd: Van Der Gouw, Johnsen (Higginbottom 63), P. Neville, Berg, Silvestre, Butt, Wilson (Yorke 46), Greening (Cruyff 70), Giggs, Sheringham, Solskjaer.

Subs Not Used: Culkin, Fortune.

Sent Off: Butt (65).

Booked: P. Neville.

Goals: Yorke 68, Giggs 75, Cruyff 86.

Att: 20,250

Ref: S Lodge (Barnsley).