Manchester United recorded their biggest league win of the season with this victory at Charlton to keep the pressure on Arsenal in the race for the runners-up spot in the Barclays Premiership.
Addicks keeper Stephan Andersen will certainly not forget his first taste of English top-flight football after he was beaten by Paul Scholes and Darren Fletcher before the break, with Alan Smith and Wayne Rooney completing the
scoring midway through the second period.
Sir Alex Ferguson's men still need Arsenal - who play relegation battlers West Brom on Monday night - to drop points if they are to secure automatic qualification for
the Champions League, but on this display, United have no intentions of giving up the chase without a fight.
For Charlton, though, it is now seven matches without a win as another promising campaign has been allowed to tail off, rather than one pressing for European qualification.
There was almost a nightmare start for young Andersen, handed his first start since joining from AB Copenhagen in the summer.
Inside the opening 30 seconds, Rooney had darted into the right side of the area, and skipped past the advancing keeper.
Fortunately for Andersen, though, the England striker's cut-back was headed over by Fletcher.
At the other end, it took a fine save from Roy Carroll to deny Francis Jeffers in the fourth minute.
A sweeping diagonal ball from Radostin Kishishev on the left found the Charlton striker just outside the United box. He took the ball on his chest to wrongfoot Rio Ferdinand and drilled in a low, first-time effort, which the
Northern Ireland keeper did well to parry away.
Andersen did his confidence a world of good with a brilliant one-handed stop to deny Smith after 18 minutes.
Mikael Silvestre flicked the ball on after Rooney's snapshot was only half-cleared and Smith, his back to goal, spun marker Danny Murphy on the six-yard line before blasting in a right-foot effort which the Denmark international somehow managed to claw up and over the crossbar.
The Addicks keeper then saved well from Scholes, diverting a low, 15-yard effort wide.
Andersen, though, would not have been best pleased with the way United took the lead in the 34th minute.
A corner from the right found its way out to Rooney on the opposite edge of the penalty box. The England man sidestepped his marker before sending in a low, swerving drive, which appeared to get a slight deflection off defender Talal El Karkouri.
Andersen got his body behind it, but could not hold on to the ball, and Scholes was first to the rebound for his ninth Premiership goal of the campaign.
The midfielder, though, was then somewhat fortunate to remain on the pitch after he went in two-footed on Dennis Rommedahl, but was given the benefit of the doubt by referee Dermot Gallagher, who eventually took out his yellow card after being surrounded by several United players.
Andersen then made amends somewhat with another great reaction save, this time getting down quickly to block Rooney's first-time close-range effort with his right hand.
The Charlton keeper, though, could do little to keep out United's second on 44 minutes.
Rooney again surged clear down the left channel and to the goalline, before slipping in Scholes.
He was allowed to turn and had the presence of mind to look up, then lay the ball back to Fletcher on the edge of the area, who confidently dispatched a low shot into the bottom left corner.
After just two minutes of the second half, a flick-on by Smith sent Rooney racing clear.
And the England man was only denied his 11th league goal of the season by the right-hand post as his low 15-yard drive smacked against the foot of the woodwork.
Jeffers then needed treatment after falling awkwardly on the goalline, and was unable to continue, being helped down the tunnel with a shoulder injury, to be replaced by Kevin Lisbie after 56 minutes.
It was, though, soon 3-0 and game over in the 62nd minute.
El Karkouri hesitated as he went to clear a long punt up field, some 35 yards out, which allowed Smith to nip in and steal possession.
The England striker raced on into the box before slotting the ball into the bottom right corner after drawing the keeper for his first goal since December 18.
Rooney then produced a cool finish to a fine United passing move to make it 4-0 in the 67th minute.
Ryan Giggs, Smith and Kleberson all exchanged passes before the Brazilian slipped a slide-rule ball through for the England striker, who calmly lifted the ball over Andersen from 12 yards.
Lisbie was slipped into the United box with 18 minute to go, but Carroll was out quickly to make a brave stop at the Charlton striker's feet.
Charlton's afternoon got worse in the 85th minute.
Chris Perry had not long been on the field, a replacement for Kishishev after 68 minutes, when - as the last defender - he was shown a straight red for wrestling Wes Brown to the ground on the edge of the penalty area.
Teams
Charlton Andersen, Young, El Karkouri, Fortune, Konchesky,
Kishishev (Perry 68), Holland, Murphy, Rommedahl (Euell 68),
Johansson, Jeffers (Lisbie 56).
Subs Not Used: Kiely, Hughes.
Sent Off: Perry (85).
Man Utd Carroll, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Brown, Silvestre, Giggs,
Keane (Kleberson 65), Scholes (Phil Neville 64), Fletcher,
Rooney (Fortune 69), Smith.
Subs Not Used: Howard, Ronaldo.
Booked: Scholes, Keane.
Goals: Scholes 34, Fletcher 44, Smith 62, Rooney 67.
Att: 26,789
Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).
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