The victory enabled Ferguson’s men to take maximum advantage of Chelsea’s failure to beat Reading at Stamford Bridge a couple of hours earlier and double their advantage over Jose Mourinho’s men.

United only learned of Chelsea’s slip from the crowd reaction as they were completing their pre-match warm-up.

And Ferguson acknowledged it was a result he did not think very likely.

“It is an unexpected lead we have now,” he said. “I did not expect Chelsea to draw but that is the nature of football.

“Nobody expected us to lose at West Ham a couple of weeks ago but we did.

“It just reminds you football can knock you on the head. It turns the tables on you all the time.

“Consistency will win the league and if we can maintain the consistency we have played with over the first half of the season, we will have a marvellous chance.”

The Red Devils should certainly fancy their chances if Ronaldo maintains his present form.

After his two-goal salvo at Aston Villa on Saturday, the Portugal winger also destroyed Wigan, who battled against the odds and in ‘keeper Chris Kirkland had one of the game’s outstanding performers.

Called off the bench after a goalless opening period, Ronaldo put United ahead with his first touch, powering home Paul Scholes’ corner, then doubled their lead by knocking home the rebound after Kirkland had parried his initial penalty.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer added a third before the hour mark and while Leighton Baines did pull one back for the Latics with an injury-time penalty, manager Paul Jewell was honest enough to admit Wigan had been beaten by a better team.

“Manchester United were better than us in all departments. They are a brilliant team, who play magnificent football,” he said.

Although he was full of praise for Ronaldo, Jewell was also highly complimentary of Wayne Rooney, even though the England striker wasted three golden chances to give United a first-half lead before he blasted a late effort against the bar.

However, it was Rooney’s dash back to defence when Wigan tried to break forward when the contest was still goalless which really caught the Latics boss’s eye.

“The lad does not know the meaning of the phrase ‘lost cause’,” drooled Jewell. “We had a three-on-one situation when he got back to clear.

“The difference between being good, very good and world class is desire. As well as all the technical ability and brains, he has that in abundance.”