United ended a torrid few days by sentencing Premiership new boys Wigan to a crushing 4-0 defeat at Old Trafford here Wednesday.

In the night's other game, West Ham United beat Everton 2-1 at Goodison Park.

Wayne Rooney helped himself to a brace while England colleague Rio Ferdinand's first goal for the club and a penalty by Ruud van Nistelrooy completed the rout.

As a result, United leapfrogged Liverpool into second spot but remain nine points behind defending champions Chelsea, who face London rivals Arsenal on Sunday.

However, Ferguson refused to give up the chase but warned his side not to throw away the good work against Wigan by failing to beat Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday.

"All we want to do is get some consistency," said Ferguson after the Wigan match.

"On Saturday we have another tough game against Aston Villa.

"We'll certainly be cheering Arsenal on against Chelsea, but first we've got our own job to do at Villa Park.

"We've got to show some good consistent form between now and the end of the season and see where that takes us."

"We've got 22 games left to get 15 points to enable us to stay up.

I think we will do it comfortably," he said.

"I could easily have gone in the dressing room and lambasted the players after this result, but I haven't.

They have done well to get us where we are.

"No one will have a tougher run of fixtures in the world than we have.

We've played Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United.

"It's been a tough for us because we're the new kids on the block," he said.

-Nampa-Reuters

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