FULL TIME: Manchester United return to the top of the Premiership after this efficient performance at Old Trafford tonight. Cristiano Ronaldo was sublime, and his free-kick on the 12th minute is one of the best you will ever see!
90
United are piling the pressure on Portsmouth but the defence are holding steady and blocking everything that is thrown at them.
89
Park has a shot parried away by James but the rebound falls kindly for Anderson, who rides three challenges before releasing a delicate shot which bounces inches past the far post.
87
Anderson latches onto a long ball but strikes his shot into the stand behind the goal.
85
Park hits an ambitious shot at goal and it sails over James' crossbar.
81
Nani hits a dangerous looking shot from distance and it swerves in the air before grazing James' crossbar.
80
Nani looks for Anderson with a through ball but Campbell cuts out the pass in the nick of time
78
Substitution
Milan Baros makes way for Richard Hughes
75
The game has quietened down a little now, but the home side are still enjoying a good spell of possession.
73
Substitution
Wayne Rooney doesn't look like he wants to come off, but leaves the field for Carlos Tevez.
73
Substitution
Ferguson makes it a double substitution, replacing two-goal hero Ronaldo with Owen Hargreaves
73
Ronaldo finds Nani who searches out Ferdinand with a cross, but Campbell puts in a vital interception before the United skipper slots the ball home into an empty net.
72
Rooney gets a shot away and it comes back off James. The ball falls for Ronaldo who strikes the ball goal-wards and it is blocked again by the Pompey keeper.
71
United have players coming in from warm-ups and it seems Alex Ferguson is about to make a few changes.
70
United are well on course to return to the top of the Premiership and they do not look like letting this lead slip.
68
Anderson's through ball finds Park, but he slips when trying to get a cross away and the ball falls kindly to a Portsmouth defender.
66
Rooney hits a pot-shot at goal but it is straight at James.
66
Sean Davis picks out Milan Baros in the box and after a strong challenge from Ferdinand, he goes down looking for a penalty. Martin Atkinson waves away the protests.
65
Nani cuts inside from the left flank and hits a right-footed shot which does not trouble James
63
Rooney's challenge on Pamarot results in the ball falling into the path of Ronaldo who does not make the most of the opportunity, slicing his shot wide of the mark.
62
Substitution
Paul Scholes hasn't shown any indication of being out of the United side since October, but is brought off for Anderson as he presumably is not yet match fit.
60
The corner is swung into the mixer but it is a Man United head that reaches the ball first.
60
Pamarot wins a corner off Brown and Pompey have a half-chance to pull a goal back.
59
A long bouncing ball catches the Portsmouth defence off-guard and Rooney tries to get on the end of it, but James rushes off his line to smother the opportunity.
58
Nani delays a chipped through ball to Rooney and the striker, who made an early run, is caught offside.
56
Nani bursts into the penalty area and looks for a team-mate but sends his cross into the arms of James
55
United go straight up the other end and Rooney, one-on-one with the keeper- tries to lob the ball into an empty net but his shot does not have enough power.
54
Diarra hits an ambitious effort which sails straight down the throat of Van der Sar
53
Nani is left hobbling after a challenge with Mvuemba, but it looks like he will be OK to continue.
51
Nan plants a corner on the head of Rio Ferdinand and James shows quick reflects to parry the ball away
49
Benjani twists and turns in the United box but cannot get a shot away thanks to persistent challenges from Vidic.
47
Pompey immediately put in some strong challenges in attempts to stop their opponents keeping possession, but the ball keeps ending up at the feet of red shirts.
45
Substitution
Sylvain Distin makes way for Hermann Hreidarsson
45
Substitution
Lauren is replaced by Arnold Mvuemba
Second half
The sides re-appear for the second-half and Harry Redknapp makes two changes.
Half time
HALF TIME: The home side have hardly given their opponents a sniff and very much deserve their lead, though a magnificent first-half performance from Ronaldo has helped significantly
44
Fine build up play from Scholes and Nani give Park a decent opportunity, but he tries too much and Noe Pamarot wins the ball back for his side.
43
Alex Ferguspn's side are looking dominant at the moment and the possession statistics are looking very one sided.
41
Nani cuts in from the right flank and hits a powerful shot which whistles past the far post.
40
Diarra tries his luck with a long range free-kick but strikes it straight into the wall.
39
Diarra breaks into the United half and goes on a mazy run but loses out to Carrick.
39
Nani gets to the byline this time but his cross does not find a team-mate and Pompey hack the ball clear.
38
Diarra tries to find a team-mate with a free-kick but puts it straight behind for a goal-kick.
36
Nani picks out Evra who reaches to the byline before finding Rooney with a pass, but he cannot direct his shot goal-wards. Lovely football from the home side.
35
Portsmouth enjoy a decent spell of possession but in the end gift possession back to United with a poor cross from Glen Johnson.
34
Nani takes the corner but it comes to nothing.
33
Ronaldo slides a pass through to Rooney and Distin is forced to put the ball behind for a corner.
32
Evra gets to the byline but does not get enough on his cross and it is hoofed clear at the front post.
31
Ronaldo latches onto a long ball from Scholes but is sandwiched by two Portsmouth defenders who then shield the ball back to their keeper.
29
Ronaldo is showboating now and tries to find Park with an intricate pass but James is quick off his line to smother the loose ball.
27
Patrice Evra breaks into opposition territory and strikes the ball from 30-yards but he fails to work James on this occasion.
25
The home side do not look like they are going to settle for a 2-0 scoreline and are exerting constant pressure on the Portsmouth defence.
23
Nani picks out Wes Brown unmarked in the box from the corner, but the defender tries to hit the ball to hard and it sails over the crossbar from 6-yards.
23
He hits his shot across James this time and the keeper is forced into a fine save, palming the ball away for Distin who concedes a corner.
22
Sean Davis brings down Paul Scholes and the Champions have a free-kick in the exact same place as where Ronaldo scored from before.
20
Rooney tries his luck from the left side of the penalty area but his shot is straight at a grateful David James.
19
Ronaldo tries to slip a pass through to Park leaving him one-on-one with James, but Sylvain Distin puts in a vital interception.
18
The visitors have a free-kick in a decent position but the delivery is poor and United clear their lines.
16
Ronaldo is on a hat-trick now and tries to latch onto a through ball which is just too far in front of him.
14
The two goals in three minutes have left the visitors stunned, and they fail to make the most of a corner which sails straight into the arms of Edwin Van der Sar
12
Goal
MANCHESTER UNITED 2 - 0 PORTSMOUTH: RONALDO's sublime free-kick gives James no chance as it thunders into the top corner of his goal.
11
United win a free-kick in a dangerous position and Ronaldo is stood over it in his trademark stance.
9
Goal
MANCHESTER UNITED 1 - 0 PORTSMOUTH: Nani's lobbed pass over the Pompey defence finds RONALDO who slides the ball past a helpless David James.
8
Nani tries to find Rooney in the box, but it is not the best cross and it bounces off the striker and behind for a goal kick.
7
United pass the ball around on the edge of the area and eventually Cristiano Ronaldo gets a shot away, but Sol Campbell stands firm to block it.
5
Vidic hits another long pass and this time finds Ji-Sung Park behind the defence, but he fails to get the ball under control.
4
Lassana Diarra wins the ball off Paul Scholes but goes in two-footed, and some may say that he is still lucky to still be on the pitch.
3
Nani tries to bring the ball down on the edge of the box but loses out to a strong challenge from a Portsmouth defender.
1
Neither side seems able to keep hold of the ball at the moment and so Nemanja Vidic takes the long option, but Wayne Rooney is offside.
The pitch is not in the best condition, but hopefully that will not alter the football this evening.
Kickoff
Referee Martin Atkinson gets the game underway and the visitors kick-off.
MAN UTD STARTING XI: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Nani, Scholes, Carrick, Park, Ronaldo, Rooney. SUBS: Kuszczak, Hargreaves, Anderson, O'Shea, Tevez
Awaiting Kickoff
Milan Baros makes his Portsmouth debut and is straight into Harry Redknapp's starting eleven along with Sol Campbell who returns from injury to captain the visitors.
Awaiting Kickoff
Paul Scholes passes fit for tonight's game at Old Trafford and makes the starting line-up but Gary Neville and Louis Saha are still out.
Manchester United
Portsmouth
Full time
FULL TIME: Manchester United return to the top of the Premiership after this efficient performance at Old Trafford tonight. Cristiano Ronaldo was sublime, and his free-kick on the 12th minute is one of the best you will ever see!
United are piling the pressure on Portsmouth but the defence are holding steady and blocking everything that is thrown at them.
Park has a shot parried away by James but the rebound falls kindly for Anderson, who rides three challenges before releasing a delicate shot which bounces inches past the far post.
Anderson latches onto a long ball but strikes his shot into the stand behind the goal.
Park hits an ambitious shot at goal and it sails over James' crossbar.
Nani hits a dangerous looking shot from distance and it swerves in the air before grazing James' crossbar.
Nani looks for Anderson with a through ball but Campbell cuts out the pass in the nick of time
Substitution
Milan Baros makes way for Richard Hughes
The game has quietened down a little now, but the home side are still enjoying a good spell of possession.
Substitution
Wayne Rooney doesn't look like he wants to come off, but leaves the field for Carlos Tevez.
Substitution
Ferguson makes it a double substitution, replacing two-goal hero Ronaldo with Owen Hargreaves
Ronaldo finds Nani who searches out Ferdinand with a cross, but Campbell puts in a vital interception before the United skipper slots the ball home into an empty net.
Rooney gets a shot away and it comes back off James. The ball falls for Ronaldo who strikes the ball goal-wards and it is blocked again by the Pompey keeper.
United have players coming in from warm-ups and it seems Alex Ferguson is about to make a few changes.
United are well on course to return to the top of the Premiership and they do not look like letting this lead slip.
Anderson's through ball finds Park, but he slips when trying to get a cross away and the ball falls kindly to a Portsmouth defender.
Rooney hits a pot-shot at goal but it is straight at James.
Sean Davis picks out Milan Baros in the box and after a strong challenge from Ferdinand, he goes down looking for a penalty. Martin Atkinson waves away the protests.
Nani cuts inside from the left flank and hits a right-footed shot which does not trouble James
Rooney's challenge on Pamarot results in the ball falling into the path of Ronaldo who does not make the most of the opportunity, slicing his shot wide of the mark.
Substitution
Paul Scholes hasn't shown any indication of being out of the United side since October, but is brought off for Anderson as he presumably is not yet match fit.
The corner is swung into the mixer but it is a Man United head that reaches the ball first.
Pamarot wins a corner off Brown and Pompey have a half-chance to pull a goal back.
A long bouncing ball catches the Portsmouth defence off-guard and Rooney tries to get on the end of it, but James rushes off his line to smother the opportunity.
Nani delays a chipped through ball to Rooney and the striker, who made an early run, is caught offside.
Nani bursts into the penalty area and looks for a team-mate but sends his cross into the arms of James
United go straight up the other end and Rooney, one-on-one with the keeper- tries to lob the ball into an empty net but his shot does not have enough power.
Diarra hits an ambitious effort which sails straight down the throat of Van der Sar
Nani is left hobbling after a challenge with Mvuemba, but it looks like he will be OK to continue.
Nan plants a corner on the head of Rio Ferdinand and James shows quick reflects to parry the ball away
Benjani twists and turns in the United box but cannot get a shot away thanks to persistent challenges from Vidic.
Pompey immediately put in some strong challenges in attempts to stop their opponents keeping possession, but the ball keeps ending up at the feet of red shirts.
Substitution
Sylvain Distin makes way for Hermann Hreidarsson
Substitution
Lauren is replaced by Arnold Mvuemba
Second half
The sides re-appear for the second-half and Harry Redknapp makes two changes.
Half time
HALF TIME: The home side have hardly given their opponents a sniff and very much deserve their lead, though a magnificent first-half performance from Ronaldo has helped significantly
Fine build up play from Scholes and Nani give Park a decent opportunity, but he tries too much and Noe Pamarot wins the ball back for his side.
Alex Ferguspn's side are looking dominant at the moment and the possession statistics are looking very one sided.
Nani cuts in from the right flank and hits a powerful shot which whistles past the far post.
Diarra tries his luck with a long range free-kick but strikes it straight into the wall.
Diarra breaks into the United half and goes on a mazy run but loses out to Carrick.
Nani gets to the byline this time but his cross does not find a team-mate and Pompey hack the ball clear.
Diarra tries to find a team-mate with a free-kick but puts it straight behind for a goal-kick.
Nani picks out Evra who reaches to the byline before finding Rooney with a pass, but he cannot direct his shot goal-wards. Lovely football from the home side.
Portsmouth enjoy a decent spell of possession but in the end gift possession back to United with a poor cross from Glen Johnson.
Nani takes the corner but it comes to nothing.
Ronaldo slides a pass through to Rooney and Distin is forced to put the ball behind for a corner.
Evra gets to the byline but does not get enough on his cross and it is hoofed clear at the front post.
Ronaldo latches onto a long ball from Scholes but is sandwiched by two Portsmouth defenders who then shield the ball back to their keeper.
Ronaldo is showboating now and tries to find Park with an intricate pass but James is quick off his line to smother the loose ball.
Patrice Evra breaks into opposition territory and strikes the ball from 30-yards but he fails to work James on this occasion.
The home side do not look like they are going to settle for a 2-0 scoreline and are exerting constant pressure on the Portsmouth defence.
Nani picks out Wes Brown unmarked in the box from the corner, but the defender tries to hit the ball to hard and it sails over the crossbar from 6-yards.
He hits his shot across James this time and the keeper is forced into a fine save, palming the ball away for Distin who concedes a corner.
Sean Davis brings down Paul Scholes and the Champions have a free-kick in the exact same place as where Ronaldo scored from before.
Rooney tries his luck from the left side of the penalty area but his shot is straight at a grateful David James.
Ronaldo tries to slip a pass through to Park leaving him one-on-one with James, but Sylvain Distin puts in a vital interception.
The visitors have a free-kick in a decent position but the delivery is poor and United clear their lines.
Ronaldo is on a hat-trick now and tries to latch onto a through ball which is just too far in front of him.
The two goals in three minutes have left the visitors stunned, and they fail to make the most of a corner which sails straight into the arms of Edwin Van der Sar
Goal
MANCHESTER UNITED 2 - 0 PORTSMOUTH: RONALDO's sublime free-kick gives James no chance as it thunders into the top corner of his goal.
United win a free-kick in a dangerous position and Ronaldo is stood over it in his trademark stance.
Goal
MANCHESTER UNITED 1 - 0 PORTSMOUTH: Nani's lobbed pass over the Pompey defence finds RONALDO who slides the ball past a helpless David James.
Nani tries to find Rooney in the box, but it is not the best cross and it bounces off the striker and behind for a goal kick.
United pass the ball around on the edge of the area and eventually Cristiano Ronaldo gets a shot away, but Sol Campbell stands firm to block it.
Vidic hits another long pass and this time finds Ji-Sung Park behind the defence, but he fails to get the ball under control.
Lassana Diarra wins the ball off Paul Scholes but goes in two-footed, and some may say that he is still lucky to still be on the pitch.
Nani tries to bring the ball down on the edge of the box but loses out to a strong challenge from a Portsmouth defender.
Neither side seems able to keep hold of the ball at the moment and so Nemanja Vidic takes the long option, but Wayne Rooney is offside.
The pitch is not in the best condition, but hopefully that will not alter the football this evening.
Kickoff
Referee Martin Atkinson gets the game underway and the visitors kick-off.
Awaiting Kickoff
PORTSMOUTH STARTING XI: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Pamarot, Lauren, Davis, Diarra, Kranjcar, Baros, Mwaruwari. SUBS: Begovic, Hreidarsson, Mvuemba, Hughes, Pedro Mendes.
Awaiting Kickoff
MAN UTD STARTING XI: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Nani, Scholes, Carrick, Park, Ronaldo, Rooney. SUBS: Kuszczak, Hargreaves, Anderson, O'Shea, Tevez
Awaiting Kickoff
Milan Baros makes his Portsmouth debut and is straight into Harry Redknapp's starting eleven along with Sol Campbell who returns from injury to captain the visitors.
Awaiting Kickoff
Paul Scholes passes fit for tonight's game at Old Trafford and makes the starting line-up but Gary Neville and Louis Saha are still out.