Another trip north, another 3-0 defeat.

Pompey returned south with a comprehensive defeat at the hands of a Premiership giant for the second time in a week. But they left Old Trafford with far more positives than they had taken from St James's Park seven days earlier.

On the face of it, Saturday's loss at Manchester United was a similar story to the reverse against Newcastle but Pompey responded to their worst performance of the season with a gutsy show at the Theatre of Dreams that deserved more than another 3-0 reverse.

The midweek 4-2 Carling Cup win at Nottingham Forest had helped them recoup some of the confidence that was lost in the north east.

And, had Teddy Sheringham taken his second-half chances, they may have even left with a point as well as more self belief.

Instead the 250-mile trek back down the M6 was made to feel longer than it might.

Pompey had defended with resolution and attacked with verve before Cristiano Ronaldo's first Manchester United goal and Roy Keane's third in four games made the points safe for Manchester.

If United had scored two goals in the first ten minutes, the goal glut predicted in response to the shock defeat at home to Fulham seven days earlier may have materialised.

But the Reds were strangely subdued for long periods on Saturday. Rio Ferdinand seemed distracted by his off-field problems and Yakubu, who had scored two brilliant goals at Forest three days earlier, looked ready to capitalise on uncertainty in the home defence on more than one occasion.

The Nigerian had fired narrowly wide and been denied by Tim Howard at the American's near post after dispossessing Ferdinand long before United had threatened Pompey's defence.

Neither Sir Alex Ferguson nor Harry Redknapp spoke to the written press after the match but Pompey's strike partnership may well have been one of their talking points as they shared a bottle of red wine in the United manager's office.

Ferguson is a big fan of Yakubu and Sheringham. He recommended Yakubu to Redknapp after watching the Nigerian inspire Maccabi Haifa to a 3-0 Champions League win against his side last year.

And Sheringham remains one of his best signings as United boss.

In 1999 the Pompey skipper won the first medals of his career, playing a leading role in United's treble success after replacing Eric Cantona.

He was given a warm welcome on his return to Old Trafford and once again linked well with the man he calls 'The Yak' - but he should have netted at least one of his two chances.

Four years ago he may well have done. Sheringham has enjoyed the salad days of his career in his thirties because his speed of thought and experience makes up for the pace he never had.

But, at 37, his reactions are not what they were. He fluffed two chances in the space of ten second-half minutes. His desperation to score against his old club may have accounted for the way he snatched at the ball soon after miscontrolling a slide-rule pass from Patrik Berger on the hour mark.

Berger had found Sheringham unmarked, only to see the former England man fail to capitalise. Then Sheringham followed up by mishitting with his left foot in the penalty area.

It was not long before Ferguson made his pal Redknapp green with envy by introducing Ronaldo, the most expensive teenager in the game, and Keane, who between them ensured a scoreline that flattered the home side.

Ronaldo's free kick from the left curled into the far corner without a deflection from anyone in a packed Pompey penalty area.

Then Keane added the gloss by turning round Dejan Stefanovic and firing hard and low past Shaka Hislop with his left foot.

Pompey's pre-season points budget for Premiership survival would not have included a result at either St James's Park or Old Trafford, but they left the north west thinking 'if only'.

If only they had reacted quicker than Diego Forlan just before the break, when the Uruguay striker struck the crucial first goal from 20 yards following Ryan Giggs's header from the back post to the edge of the penalty area.

And if only Boris Zivkovic had done better with his far-post header immediately after the break. When Yakubu found the Croatian unmarked six yards out, Zivkovic could only head straight at Howard.

But Manchester United missed two sitters of their own. Ruud van Nistelroy, who has now gone nearly ten hours without a goal from open play, blazed over with only Hislop to beat after being put through by Giggs with the scoreline still level, having earlier struck the crossbar with a dipping volley.

And Nicky Butt headed wide from inside the six-yard box following a David Beckham-like cross from Darren Fletcher. United will need to do better against Rangers tomorrow night.