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Manchester United extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to six points with a comfortable 2-0 win over Middlesbrough at the Riverside.

Recently-crowned PFA Player of the Year Ryan Giggs and substitute Park Ji-Sung were on target in each half as the champions took a giant stride towards retaining a third successive title.

Four matches remain this season for Alex Ferguson's side, who have now played the same number of games as second-placed Liverpool, who face Newcastle on Sunday.

While it was an entirely satisfactory afternoon on Teesside for United, it was a gloomy day for the hosts, whose top-flight status hangs by a thread.

The result saw Gareth Southgate's men stay second-bottom with 31 points - the same as Newcastle - and three from safety.

The evergreen Giggs capped a great individual week with the opener on 25 minutes, driving home crisply from the edge of the penalty area (pictured) - his 103rd league goal for United - after Boro allowed the veteran midfielder far too much time to set his sights.

It was a trait that characterised Boro's defending throughout the opening period and Brad Jones was fortunate not to have been called into action more often.

That the Boro keeper remained relatively unworked was entirely down to some oddly wayward United shooting, in particular from the normally deadly Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney.

More than once those players were given time and space to run at the Boro defence and get away shots, but neither were able to force a save from Jones; only the ballboys behind the goal troubled by their efforts.

At least Boro managed to test Ben Foster - in the United starting line-up for the rested Edwin van der Sar - at the other end, although it proved to be the hosts' only chance of the game.

It fell to Jeremie Aliadiere on 21 minutes, the Frenchman running on to a Marlon King through pass before firing on target. Foster had to be alert to repel the shot with his legs.

United shrugged off the scare and took the lead soon after; as the game progressed, the champions - apparently at ease - increased their control on upon it.

Federico Macheda - winning his first league start - prodded wide from Rooney's cross early in the second half before United made their dominance count with the second goal of the day.

Park won the plaudits for a composed finish - a low drive into the bottom right-hand corner - but Macheda and Giggs were both involved in an excellent passing move which ended with a killer ball through from Rooney to find the South Korean.

The goal took whatever wind was left in Boro's sails and United saw out the remainder of the 90 minutes as they threatened to increase their advantage.

Rooney went close with a curling effort on 77 minutes before Dimitar Berbatov, substitute Carlos Tevez and Rooney all linked up to present John O'Shea with a shooting chance on 81 minutes. The Irishman - on target against Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday - saw his shot well-blocked.

One slight blot on an otherwise impeccable day for United came when Patrice Evra picked up a knock to his ankle in the second half. With one eye on Tuesday's second leg at the Emirates Stadium, the Frenchman was withdrawn on 78 minutes.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport