Ruud van Nistelrooy's 25th goal of the season and a Ryan Giggs strike gave Manchester United their fifth consecutive Premiership win against a battling Southampton side at St Mary's.

Both goals came in the space of seven first-half minutes as the Dutchman's 15th-minute close-range finish and Giggs' coolly-taken 22nd-minute goal ensured Sir Alex Ferguson's team kept the pressure on league leaders Arsenal in the championship race by leapfrogging Newcastle United into second place.

Saints were unlucky not to have something to show for their efforts, particularly after a spirited first-half display when Fabrice Fernandes and Jo Tessem went close and the Norwegian was denied a penalty when he appeared to have been tripped by Roy Keane.

The result gave United their first Premiership clean sheet of the season away from home this season, but they could have gone behind as early as the fifth minute were it not for the brilliance of goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, who was later stretchered off injured.

The Frenchman made a superb acrobatic save to tip Fernandes' fiercely-struck 25-yard drive over the crossbar and United rarely looked back from that point.

David Beckham's clever pass released Gary Neville on the right in the 15th minute and his cross found van Nistelrooy unmarked six yards from goal and the Dutchman slammed the ball into the roof of the net for his 25th goal of the season.

A minute earlier, Michael Svensson had missed an excellent chance to put Saints ahead when Fernandes launched a free-kick deep into the United penalty area which was headed on by Chris Marsden into the path of the defender, but he could not find the target from just six yards out.

United doubled their lead midway through the half with a classic counter-attacking goal which started when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer broke free on the right-hand side.

The Norwegian crossed for Veron who dummied the ball for Giggs, but the Welshman scuffed his first effort straight at Claus Lundekvam only for the ball to roll back into his path and he made no mistake the second time when he placed a low shot past Antti Niemi into the corner of the net from the edge of the box.

Van Nistelrooy went close again on the half-hour mark when he found himself with just Niemi to beat from a very narrow angle, but the Finn palmed away his fierce shot.

Two minutes later, the home side were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty as they looked for a way back into the match.

Tessem did well to find Fernandes free on the right and the Frenchman's cross was palmed away by Barthez, but the danger was not cleared.

Marsden eventually picked up the loose ball and sent in a teasing cross into the path of Tessem, who appeared to be tripped by Roy Keane as he prepared to shoot, but referee Phil Dowd waved away the home side's protests.

After 39 minutes, United suffered a blow when Barthez had to replaced by Roy Carroll when he was injured after landing awkwardly when he came to collect a cross under pressure from Tessem and Beattie.

And Carroll was almost caught out just before the break when Anders Svensson found Fernandes on the right and the Frenchman picked out Tessem with an excellent cross, but the striker failed to hit the target with the goalkeeper in no-man's land after coming off his line to try and intercept the cross.

The second half was a far quieter affair with United content to sit on their lead and hit their opponents on the break.

Paul Scholes replaced Beckham with 20 minutes remaining to partner van Nistelrooy up front with Solskjaer moving wide and that injected some life into the match.

The new front pair almost created a third for United after 71 minutes when Scholes fed van Nistelrooy, but the Dutch striker was stopped in his tracks by Michael Svensson as he was about to shoot.

Seconds later, Saints had a rare chance inside the penalty area when Carroll spilled a cross, leaving James Beattie with a chance, but the Saints striker's shot cannoned into Silvestre and into the grateful arms of the United goalkeeper.

Van Nistelrooy was denied by a brave stop from Niemi late on and the Finn was injured in the process and had to be replaced by Paul Jones, who became the fourth goalkeeper to play in the match.

Jones denied Scholes in the closing stages while Fernandes drew a smart save from Carroll at the other end, but by that stage the three points were well on their way to Old Trafford.

Teams

Southampton Niemi (Jones 86), Telfer, Lundekvam, Michael Svensson, Benali, Fernandes, Oakley, Anders Svensson, Marsden, Beattie, Tessem (Davies 70).

Subs Not Used: Williams, Arias, Ormerod.

Booked: Anders Svensson, Benali.

Man Utd Barthez (Carroll 37), Gary Neville, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Beckham (Scholes 69), Veron, Keane, Giggs, van Nistelrooy (Forlan 88), Solskjaer.

Subs Not Used: Phil Neville, Brown.

Goals: van Nistelrooy 15, Giggs 22.

Att: 32,085

Ref: P Dowd (Staffordshire).