MANCHESTER UNITED, the Theatre of Dreams. Old Trafford is a ground steeped in history and tradition, but the atmosphere is not as half as good as St Mary's.

I was in Manchester at the weekend, a witness to the execution of Southampton. It was clean, it was clinical, and it was 6-1.

You had to feel sorry for Southampton. They didn't play badly, far from it. United were simply playing at a different level, expressing their play with such confidence and verve.

Here was a Manchester United team totally rampant with David Beckham, bedecked in a tasteful white bobble hat, along with Welsh wizard, Ryan Giggs, sat warming the substitutes' bench.

The two stars came on for late cameo roles. The flashbulbs around Old Trafford lit up when Becks and Giggsy appeared on the touchline with 20 minutes left.

The Manchester United team simply ooze class. In fact their only weak link is at centre-back with Laurent Blanc, who was an absolute liability.

He was a great player in the 90s and was a distinguished servant of the French team which won the World Cup.

But he is well past his best, and I haven't seen a worse centre-back in the Premiership this season. He is so slow and tentative.

But with such a potent midfield, the back four are able to hold their own.

Fabien Barthez may have been going through a rough period in the United goal in recent weeks, but he was world class on Saturday. His two saves from James Beattie were top drawer and quite breathtaking.

And in Ruud van Nistelrooy - here's a player who doesn't waste chances - they have a clinical finisher who worked his socks off.

The hat-trick he scored was no more than the Dutch destroyer deserved.

At one stage he was back helping out his defence and the United crowd rose to acclaim the Dutchman for his work rate.

As I suggested in these columns a couple of weeks ago, I see no reason why Manchester United cannot add to the tally of 14 major titles won under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Even though the likes of Liverpool, Leeds and Arsenal are dropping points left, right and centre, I feel United's Champions' League distractions might prove too much in terms of Premiership aspirations. The FA Cup could be the best bet of silverware for Sir Alex in his swansong season.

As for the Manchester United experience, you walk up Matt Busby Way taking in the aroma of deep fried chips, the curry pies, while deftly dodging the horse droppings which litter the road! I don't know what it is about United, but when you're looking for the soul of soccer, you won't find it anywhere in these parts.

It could be the ugly sight of materialism - the long lines of supporters waiting patiently outside United's huge Megastore. You can just hear the tills ringing their relentless Christmas chimes.

It could be the unedifying sight of the 'prawn sandwich' brigade, rolling up in their Rolls-Royce's, Mercedes and Jaguars, clutching invitations for pre-match nosh and maybe taking in a bit of the footy - if it doesn't interrupt the four-course meal.

Then there is the United contempt for the media. Sir Alex doesn't deign to attend post-match press conferences with the written media and no players are sent up either. Apparently, it is down to Fergie's distrust of the written press.

Instead, we were left listening to the United manager's comments on the sycophantic MUTV station where I've seen more incisive lines of questioning on the Sooty & Sweep Show.

Or perhaps my antipathy is down to the jarring sound of southern accents of United fans claiming to be dyed-in-the-wool reds. I had a annoying couple of Tunbridge Wells-ites sitting behind me at Old Trafford. Totally clueless.

Manchester United are the richest and most successful club in the Premiership, but in my travels around the country the closest I have ever come to tapping the soul of football have been visits to Newcastle, Sunderland and, believe it or not, Torquay United.

While up in Manchester, I heard a great Christmas story about the rivalry between United and City.

In the run-up to Christmas, youngsters visiting Santa at the Asda Supermarket in Hulme were able to see him dressed in either United's red or City's blue.

Store manager Simon O'Hara got the idea after two youngsters refused to go into Santa's grotto because they thought he was wearing Manchester United's colours.

The Asda at Hulme is half way between City and United's grounds. It says it gets equal amounts of shoppers who support both teams.

I wonder if they might try that at Marks & Spencers in Hedge End next Christmas for Saints and Pompey-supporting children?!