WATCH out Villa. Manchester United are after the early leaders and winning matches with something to spare. This, their third consecutive Premiership triumph since the defeat at Highbury that so irked Alex Ferguson, was a clinical dissection. They might have doubled their score.

 Watch out Brondby, as well. United could scarcely have prepared more encouragingly for Wednesday's Champions' League visit to Denmark, where nothing less than victory will satisfy Ferguson.

Three points were pocketed within minutes of the resumption yesterday. Having conceded an equaliser that defined the phrase "against the run of play", United struck seconds from the interval, then twice more afterwards.

The contest in effect concluded, Ferguson could afford to rest David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Phil Neville and give substitutes an outing. Yet the pattern was unaltered and Andy Cole completed a richly deserved personal double towards the end. Seldom can Wimbledon have succumbed so tamely. There was simply no comparison.

This now-familiar fixture represents the most stark contrast in the league, yet the clubs have one attribute in common: for all the credit rightly given to United's achievements in youth development since Ferguson arrived from Aberdeen, Wimbledon, too, can claim to have been outstandingly proficient at schooling their own players. It has been a major factor in keeping them in the top flight for 12 years.

Here, striker Jason Euell, sure to become an England candidate if he continues to progress, delivered their lone blow. He was in opposition to the most highly regarded young centre-back to emerge from the Old Trafford ranks for some time, though on this occasion Wes Brown lined up at right-back for a quietly impressive first Premiership start on home ground, Ferguson choosing to preserve Gary Neville's central partnership with Jaap Stam.

Meanwhile, Giggs returned from injury as the longest-serving player in a United side who established an instant dominance and moved in front through Cole's second goal in as many matches since a six-week absence. He had already missed an inviting chance, glancing a header wide from Beckham's cross, before the England midfielder slid the ball though a defence caught hopelesly ragged, Cole punishing their inept offside game with a calm stroke out of Neil Sullivan's reach.

Wimbledon could not complain. Their marking had been poor a couple of minutes earlier when Roy Keane exchanged passes with Cole, dragged the ball back on to his left foot and struck a post. And the visitors' discomfort increased as Keane had an effort deflected over, Cole kissed the crossbar with a header from Jesper Blomqvist's cross and Brown let fly with a 25-yard drive that Sullivan did well to push behind.

The equaliser, then, was a complete shock as United suddenly lost concentration, letting first Carl Leaburn have an attempt on goal that was deflected to Euell, whose shot cannoned in off a defender.

Would United disintegrate? Far from it. In the eight minutes before they regained the lead, Cole forced a sharp save, hit the side netting and set up Dwight Yorke for a stab that Dean Blackwell headed off the line. Eventually, seconds from half-time, Blomqvist's cross was nodded home by Giggs from close range.

The second half had hardly begun when Beckham tried what he should have done in Luxembourg last week and profited spectacularly. Allowed to advance unhindered, he cracked a low drive past Sullivan from 25 yards.

Poor Sullivan. Yorke was next to beat him, after a delightful turn, and the Scotland goalkeeper remained busy until Cole rounded matters off.
 
Cole 19, 88, Giggs 45, Beckham 48, Yorke 54.Euell 39.
Manchester United: Van Der Gouw, G. Neville, Stam, Beckham (Cruyff 57), Cole, Giggs (Scholes 67), P. Neville (Curtis 74), Blomqvist, Keane, Yorke, Brown.
Subs not used:Solskjaer, Berg.
Booked:Stam.
Wimbledon: Sullivan, Cunningham, Kimble (Ardley 45), Perry, Blackwell, Thatcher, Earle, Roberts, Leaburn (Gayle 45), Hughes, Euell.
Subs not used: Heald, Kennedy, Cort.
Booked: Roberts.
Att: 55265
Ref: G Willard (Worthing)