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English Premiership champions Manchester United stayed a point behind leaders Arsenal with a convincing 3-0 win over Birmingham City at Old Trafford here.
Ruud van Nistelrooy's 36th minute penalty, after Blues keeper Maik Taylor had been sent off, plus second-half strikes from Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, ended Birmingham's unbeaten start to the league season.
Northern Ireland keeper Taylor was dismissed when, after Dutch striker van Nistelrooy played a through ball chased by Scholes, he was late in gathering and brought down the England midfielder instead.
Referee Mike Dean had little option but to award a penalty and send off Taylor as well. The Blues, managed by former Manchester United captain Steve Bruce, brought on substitute keeper Ian Bennett. Ticketmaster
But he could do nothing about van Nistelrooy's penalty, the striker's eighth league goal of the season.
Birmingham, who went into this match on the back of four Premiership wins and two draws from six games, had few clearcut chances early on with Frenchman Christophe Dugarry slicing a 25-yard volley wide.
But, after the
break, they had the first goalscoring opportunity of the second half when two
minutes in Jamie Clapham saw his left-footed shot from the centre of the penalty
area parried by United States international goalkeeper Tim Howard.
However, United were looking dangerous every time they attacked with Bennett
saving well from van Nistelrooy in the 55th minute.
But two minutes later United went 2-0 up. Scholes, receiving the ball from fellow England international Phil Neville, let rip with a 25-yard shot that flew into the bottom left of Bennett's goal. Ticketmaster
And the result was put beyond doubt in the 82nd minute when Giggs made it 3-0. Played in by Uruguay striker Diego Forlan, Giggs slotted home a left-foot strike from 18 yards.