Leeds launched a spirited fightback against their arch rivals after falling 4-1 behind but in the end defensive lapses and a failure to take their chances when the pressure was on dealt another crushing blow to the Yorkshiremen's Champions League hopes.

In truth, the home side were in touch with the Premier League defending champions for only short spells during the game but they scored goals at crucial times to drag themselves back into the hunt.

However, in the end Sir Alex Ferguson's side resiliently held on to return to the top of the table - possibly only for a short while with main challengers Arsenal and Liverpool to play later in the day.

The day had begun badly for Leeds when skipper Rio Ferdinand failed an early-morning fitness test, meaning Dominic Matteo, who himself had shaken off a calf injury, took over the armband.

Alan Smith started on the right of midfield with Seth Johnson in the centre alongside David Batty as manager David O'Leary went with an attack-minded line-up.

And there appeared to be a chink of light for Leeds when United's team was announced and top scorer Ruud van Nistelrooy was left on the bench.

But that was where the goodwill ended as early on Harry Kewell was clattered by Nicky Butt and needed lengthy treatment for an injury.

Although the Australia international was soon back in the action it was only to see United take the lead in the ninth minute courtesy of a superbly-worked move.

Keane's pass to Scholes was delightfully flicked on to Mikael Silvestre, who left Danny Mills for dead as he cut inside the England international right-back.

It allowed Silvestre all the time in the world to pick out Scholes for a 12-yard sidefoot shot beyond Nigel Martyn for his eighth goal of the season.

Kewell soon departed to be replaced by Lee Bowyer, returning after a six-match suspension, and immediately Leeds found some spark in midfield.

Left-back Ian Harte whipped a dangerous 25-yard free-kick narrowly over the crossbar before Mark Viduka should really have done better when he rounded goalkeeper Fabien Barthez but ran too wide and eventually crossed for Robbie Fowler to volley over at the far post.

But the equaliser did come thanks to a surging run from Bowyer which saw him easily beat Laurent Blanc before slipping a through-ball beyond Gary Neville to Viduka, who coolly finished beyond Barthez for his 14th goal of the season, and second in two games.

However, two goals in as many minutes from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer threw the game wide open as United surged into a 3-1 lead.

A long kick from Barthez was backheeled by Giggs into the path of Scholes, who took a couple of strides forward before unleashing a 20-yard drive which Martyn spilled into the path of Solskjaer for a simple finish.

Then a Silvestre near-post cross found Giggs, under challenge from Jonathan Woodgate, and the ball spun loose for Solskjaer whose 10-yard shot struck the inside of Matteo's left leg which diverted it past the diving Martyn for the Norwegian's 21st goal of the season.

In the 53rd minute Martyn, at full stretch, palmed away a rasping 18-yard shot from Scholes to prevent a fourth goal but he was powerless to prevent Giggs sidefooting home from 10 yards after David Beckham had charged more than half the length of the pitch following Harte's concession of possession near United's penalty area.

Ronny Johnsen came close to making it 5-1 moments later as a close-range header beat Martyn, only to crack against the crossbar before Leeds eventually cleared their lines.

Bakke then replaced Batty before Harte pulled one back for Leeds in the 62nd minute, curling home a sensational free-kick way beyond Barthez from 28 yards.

O'Leary went for broke by bringing on a fourth striker in Robbie Keane, with midfielder Seth Johnson making way in the 65th minute.

Leeds came close to pulling another back in the 71st minute when Keane stretched to reach a Bakke right-wing cross, but the ball glanced off his head and wide of the right-hand post.

Then, in the 79th minute, Bowyer set up a grandstand finish when he dived to head home Fowler's wayward left-foot shot after Keane had exposed the United defence down the right.

With five minutes to go Harte almost produced a repeat of his left-foot curler after Alan Smith had been fouled by Laurent Blanc but, with Barthez rooted to his line, the ball drifted agonisingly wide of his left-hand post.

Leeds tried to force an equaliser in a frantic last few minutes but the ball would not drop kindly for them and the visitors held on.

Teams

Leeds: Martyn, Mills, Matteo, Woodgate, Harte, Smith, Johnson (Keane 65), Batty (Bakke 60), Kewell (Bowyer 12), Fowler, Viduka.

Subs Not Used: Robinson, Kelly.

Booked: Mills.

Goals: Viduka 20, Harte 62, Bowyer 80.

Man Utd: Barthez, Gary Neville, Blanc, Johnsen, Silvestre, Beckham, Keane, Butt, Giggs (Forlan 74), Scholes, Solskjaer (Phil Neville 86).

Subs Not Used: Carroll, Irwin, van Nistelrooy.

Booked: Scholes, Beckham.

Goals: Scholes 9, Solskjaer 37, 39, Giggs 55.

Att: 40,058

Ref: D Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill).