MANCHESTER, Nov 20: Goals from Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes either side of the interval earned Manchester United a 2-0 victory over Charlton that inched them closer to the leaders in Saturdays early kick-off.

The win insured the gap between United and first placed Chelsea was cut to just eight points but their performance would not have Chelsea boss Jose Mourino losing any sleep.

Despite Charlton showing little ambition, United laboured to victory in Sir Alex Fergusons 999th game in charge.

Ferguson decided to play a five man midfield, with Wayne Rooney and Giggs taking it in turns to act as support strikers for Ruud van Nistelrooy.

The Dutchman had been a doubt prior to the game after aggravating a hamstring injury while playing for his national side in midweek.

And for large parts of the opening period it seemed as though he was still struggling with injury.

Frequently offside and failing to play the focal point his team needed him to be, van Nistelrooy and United laboured to break down Charltons deep lying defence.

In only the second minute Wes Brown managed to ghost down the right and pick out van Nistelrooy with a perfect cross.

The out of sorts Dutchman, unmarked in the centre of the box, could only head weakly at Charlton keeper Dean Kiely.

Though defending well, the Londoners carried little attacking intent to indicate they were capable of recording their first ever Premiership victory at Old Trafford.

As the half-time approached United, reacting to the murmurs of discontent among the home faithful tried to step up their game.

Darren Fletcher just failed to connect with a dangerous Giggs centre that agonisingly went the whole way across the box.

Scholes fired two warning shots at the visitors goal within quick succession, the second a delicious volley from the edge of the box stung the Charlton keepers palms.

Just as it looked as though Charlton would achieve their first objective of getting to the break unscathed disaster struck.

An innocuous long clearance was flicked on by Rooney into the path of Giggs, who set off on a mazy run towards goal.

Results