Magnificent Manchester United cruelly ripped apart Newcastle's lingering title hopes with a devastating display to return to the top of the Premiership table.

Paul Scholes rattled home a superb hat-trick as the men from Old Trafford dominated throughout at St James' Park and laid down the gauntlet to Arsenal four days ahead of their championship showdown at Highbury.

Scholes, skipper Roy Keane - who limped off five minutes from time to leave his side with only 10 men - and Nicky Butt were outstanding in midfield, and Alan Shearer and Craig Bellamy got no change at all from the United rearguard, in which Rio Ferdinand was outstanding.

The speculation is that Sir Alex Ferguson is about to stage a radical overhaul of his team during the summer, but that all looked a little unnecessary as they tore the heart out of the Magpies in a supercharged 12-minute first-half blitz.

Sir Bobby Robson's side briefly re-ignited their championship challenge when Jermaine Jenas fired them into a 21st-minute lead, but even then, the feeling that they had been second best was difficult to ignore.

United's critics suggest Keane is not the player he was and that Ryan Giggs will leave at the end of the season, and with David Beckham missing with a hamstring injury, the Magpies fancied their chances.

But as Giggs, Scholes and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer went into overdrive, the gap between genuine contenders and championship 'wannabes' was graphically illustrated.

Solskjaer levelled after 32 minutes after beating the offside trap to shoot past Shay Given, and Scholes made it 2-1 within two minutes after playing a one-two with the Norwegian and smashing a first-time volley home.

Giggs was the provider after 38 minutes when he waltzed through a shell-shocked Magpies rearguard to allow Wes Brown to set up Scholes for a blistering second, and it was four with a minute of the first half remaining after full-back John O'Shea powered his way into the box and when his shot came back off the crossbar, Giggs needed no second invitation.

Scholes completed his hat-trick within seven minutes of the restart and Ruud van Nistelrooy slotted home a 57th-minute penalty before substitute Shola Ameobi pulled one back two minutes from time.

A bumper crowd of 52,164 packed into St James' Park to witness what they believed would be a titanic struggle, and Shearer's 22nd-minute booking after X-rated challenges on Keane, Mikael Silvestre and O'Shea demonstrated his determination.

However, Jenas' superb strike was one of few opportunities the home fans had to celebrate in a first half which became increasingly one-sided as it wore on.

Any suggestion that United had taken their foot off the pedal when Giggs was replaced by Diego Forlan at the break and O'Shea made way for Gary Neville within four minutes of the restart was soon dispelled as they turned the screw once again.

The half was only seven minutes old when Titus Bramble's weak header fell to the Uruguayan and he found Solskjaer who in turned played the ball into the path of Neville.

He looked up before driving a low cross to the far post where Scholes gleefully fired home to complete his hat-trick.

It was six five minutes later after Bramble caught Forlan as he surged into the box and van Nistelrooy made no mistake to send Given the wrong way from the spot.

United looked capable of scoring at will and Given had to save from Forlan and Scholes as his defence parted before his eyes with alarming regularity.

And he was spared further embarrassment when Forlan, unmarked at the far post, slipped as he prepared to volley Neville's cross home.

Robson sent on Ameobi and Lomana LuaLua in a bid to reduce the deficit, but apart from a long-range Jenas effort and and Shearer's first shot at goal, which were both dealt with by Fabien Barthez, there was little to suggest a fightback was on the cards.

Indeed, Forlan should have increased his side's advantage 10 minutes from time when van Nistelrooy put him in on goal, but he attempted to lob Given and only succeeded in floating the ball into the keeper's waiting arms.

The home fans finally had something to cheer a minute from time when Jenas collected Barthez's miskicked clearance and put in Ameobi, who lifted a shot over the advancing keeper to hand his side their second goal.

Teams

Newcastle: Given, Hughes, Bramble, Woodgate, Bernard, Solano (Ameobi 66), Dyer, Jenas, Robert (Viana 15), Shearer, Bellamy, Viana (LuaLua 66).

Subs Not Used: Griffin, Harper.

Booked: Shearer.

Goals: Jenas 21, Ameobi 89.

Man Utd: Barthez, O'Shea (Gary Neville 49), Ferdinand, Brown (Blanc 65), Silvestre, Solskjaer, Keane, Butt, Giggs (Forlan 45), van Nistelrooy, Scholes.

Subs Not Used: Phil Neville, Ricardo.

Goals: Solskjaer 32, Scholes 34, 38, Giggs 44, Scholes 52, van Nistelrooy 58 pen.

Att: 52,164

Ref: S Dunn (Avon).