MANCHESTER - Cristiano Ronaldo steered Manchester United back to the top of the table with his second brace in the space of three days.
After dismantling Tottenham in the FA Cup on Sunday, he showed similar panache against Portsmouth.
Ronaldo's two goals took his tally to 27 - and the campaign still has a way to run.
The Portugal winger looks intent on winning a second successive championship single-handedly.
However United are much more than a one-man team and with Paul Scholes back to full fitness they have plenty of impressive options.
With England manager Fabio Capello looking on they took the game by the scruff of the neck inside the first quarter.
United made the breakthrough in the 10th minute after an incisive break which dismantled Portsmouth - and the visitors never recovered.
Nani showed superb vision to pick out Ronaldo and he took full advantage with a cool finish.
That put United firmly in the driving seat early in the match.
It did not take Ronaldo long to add to his tally, either, with James stranded as a magnificent 25-yard free-kick whistled past his left shoulder in the 13th minute.
Such was the sweetness of the strike even the visiting fans must have felt like applauding.
Ronaldo then turned provider in the 20th minute when he set up Rooney but his chip was cleanly taken by James.
Ronaldo almost scored from an identical free-kick four minutes later, only for James to deflect his effort to safety before Brown thumped a close range shot over the bar.
United kept up the pace and Patrice Evra strode forward in the 27th minute but James made a good parry.
Portsmouth again found themselves on the back foot four minutes later when Scholes picked out Ronaldo with a good through-ball.
However Glen Johnson read the situation well and made a timely interception.
Rooney should then have made it 3-0 to United but contrived to miskick in front of goal.
Such was United's dominance at this stage he could afford a wry smile at fluffing the chance.
Scholes looked as though he had never been away by spraying some precise passes around the pitch.
Nani then went close in the 42nd minute after cutting inside, only to see his effort go wide of the target.
United started the second half where they had left off and James did well to push away a header from Rio Ferdinand in the 51st minute following a corner from Nani.
Rooney was wasteful in the 55th minute when he intercepted a sloppy back pass from Sol Campbell - the United striker lofted the ball up in the air but did not put enough weight on it and James was able to make the save.
Nani was looking lively and tried to release Rooney three minutes later but he had strayed offside.
Portsmouth were having a little more more possession at this stage but were finding United difficult to break down.
Ronaldo should have completed his hat-trick in the 64th minute but scuffed his effort wide after Rooney had won the ball off Campbell.
Rooney was putting in a hard shift and cut inside three minutes later, only send a shot into James' arms.
Nani almost got his reward for a promising display in the 72nd minute but James stood up and made the block.
The Portuguese winger was intent on seeing his name on the scoresheet but rattled a shot over the bar in the 82nd minute.
Then substitutes Carlos Tevez and Anderson both went close as United regained their place at the top of the table ahead of Arsenal.
