Fergie hails 'big step forward'

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United established a six-point gap between themselves and closest challengers Liverpool as a result of Saturday's comfortable 2-0 win at Middlesbrough.

Ferguson told Sky Sports: "It's a big step forward. I just keep saying that if you whittle the games away, eventually there are no games left, and hopefully we will still be at the top of the table when we get to that point."

He added: "It was a very good performance. They all worked their socks off and once we got a hold of the ball, we always looked a danger."

It took them until the 25th-minute to get their noses in front when skipper Ryan Giggs drilled a low shot past keeper Brad Jones from Nemanja Vidic's pass.

They effectively killed to game off six minutes after the restart when the energetic Ji-Sung Park ran on to Wayne Rooney's reverse pass to thump a second past Jones.

Ferguson was full of praise for newly-crowned PFA Player of the Year Giggs, who was imperious in central midfield along with the equally evergreen Paul Scholes.

He said: "What more can I say? He was fantastic. I think that goal sealed the victory. Once we got in front, that was the key to it because Middlesbrough are a young side."

Giggs, who made his 800th appearance for the club against Arsenal in midweek, admitted his week could hardly have gone any better.

He said: "It's been a great week. It couldn't have gone any better. I won the award, played my 800th game and then scored here. We just wanted to get this one out of the way and we've done that and now we just want to concentrate on the remaining games."