Ronaldo scored from the spot on 34 minutes to notch his 23rd goal of the season after he had been tripped by Michael Ball.

It was the perfect response from United in the wake of their humbling 3-0 Champions League semifinal defeat to AC Milan in midweek - losing 5-3 on aggregate - and increased their lead over Chelsea at the top of the table to eight points.

United will be crowned champions for the 16th time unless Chelsea beat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

The writing was on the wall for Manchester City - who are subject to two rival bids to buy them and also had to suspend their star midfielder Joey Barton earlier in the week after a training ground altercation with Frenchman Ousmane Dabo - once they had fallen behind as Stuart Pearce's side finished their home campaign having scored just once at Eastlands in the Premiership since New Year's Day.

But City still contrived to miss a penalty 10 minutes from time when Darius Vassell saw his spot kick saved by Edwin van Der Sar after Wes Brown had tripped Ball.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was able to recall influential defender Rio Ferdinand, badly missed in the San Siro, while Alan Smith was recalled in attack alongside Wayne Rooney.

Eastlands' biggest crowd of the season generated a tremendous atmosphere, not least because the home side could hammer a huge dent in United's title aspirations.

This was arguably the greatest incentive of all for the majority of the 47,000 inside the ground, but in order to do this City would have to end their woeful home goal drought.

Ball was guilty of a nasty stamp on Ronaldo in the opening minutes, which combined with Ferguson's irate reaction towards a linesman did little to ease the tension as it became evident United were not going to have things all their own way.

Pearce's decision to select a five-man midfield did little to enhance his side's chances of scoring, but the purpose was to stifle the forward runs of Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs and Ronaldo.

United had to wait 20 minutes for their first opening, Ferdinand finding Ronaldo with a precise ball but his control let him down.

Moments later Ronaldo flicked Giggs's corner to the back post where Ferdinand was waiting, but his header back rebounded off the crossbar and was gratefully gathered by Andreas Isaksson.

The home team were happy to sit back and try and hit their opponents on the counter attack.

Emile Mpenza stung the palms of Van der Sar with a powerful turn and volley on 16 minutes, while Demarcus Beasley did the same with a similar effort from the edge of the penalty area 13 minutes later.

Just when United's frustrations were beginning to surface, however, the breakthrough came when Ball's outstretched foot was enough to send Ronaldo crashing to the turf.

Referee Rob Styles pointed to the spot, from where the Portugal international lashed a clinical penalty into the bottom corner to secure the advantage.

His strike was to prove more than enough as the visitors cruised through the second half without their lead being threatened.

Pearce threw on Trevor Sinclair and Paul Dickov in a bid to give home fans a goal to cheer but it made no difference.

City's last chance came when Brown was penalised for a collision with Ball. Vassell drove his penalty down the middle but van der Sar, diving the wrong way, managed to save the shot with his legs.

That save surely means United's four year wait to regain the title is over.