A Derby County team revitalised after an abject display at Chelsea last Wednesday bravely gave Manchester United a run for their money, but were unable to prevent Sir Alex Ferguson’s side reclaiming top spot in the Premier League. There were times when the game seemed to resolve itself into a duel between the incomparable Cristiano Ronaldo and Derby’s revitalised goalkeeper, Roy Carroll.

The loyalty of Derby’s fans is remarkable. Despite their team’s pitiful display at Stamford Bridge, they packed Pride Park. Derby could have gone a goal or two down in the opening flurry. In the first minute a cross from the right by United’s South Korean winger Park Ji-Sung was met by the head of Ryan Giggs, but Carroll caught the ball comfortably. Two minutes more and Ronaldo received a pass from Patrice Evra and went past the static Dean Leacock as though he were a post rather than a player. Fortunately for Carroll and Derby, Ronaldo shot wide. Eight minutes later, he shot again. This time Carroll was well beaten, though blameless. But once more luck favoured him as the ball rebounded from a post.

After the 6-1 disaster at Chelsea, Derby manager Paul Jewell talked cheaply about what could be done next summer. There will obviously be a clear-out of players, and he was right to say that Derby can hardly compete with Chelsea and Manchester United, but they could surely put up more of a decent resistance than they did on Wednesday.

Yesterday was in some respects a tale of two goalkeepers. Carroll once played for Manchester United, and was infamous for the time he collected a long drive by Tottenham’s Pedro Mendes that had gone well behind his line and got away with it.

At the other end it was good to see 24-year-old Ben Foster making his debut for United. While on loan to Watford he performed so impressively that he won a cap for England before being injured.

United came close again after 33 minutes when Wayne Rooney got the better of Marc Edworthy and crossed from the left. Ronaldo got the ball, but Carroll was equal to it again, turning it aside at full stretch. This was a Derby team that was unrecognisable from the one that surrendered in midweek. Five minutes later they came thrillingly close to taking the lead. First, after an electric run on the left wing by their American international Eddie Lewis, whose cross was thumped by Mile Sterjovski, Foster was forced into a dramatic full-length save. Almost at once he was making another stop, this time from a shot by Kenny Miller after a pass from Robert Earnshaw.

United replied when Rooney roared in from the right, only to hit the side netting, but this was a revitalised Derby.

Early in the second half, Carroll somehow managed to keep out two formidable attempts by Ronaldo. First he dived and reached a ferocious free kick delivered from more than 30 yards out, but could not hold it. Then, when the inswinging corner came in from Giggs, it was Ronaldo who got his head firmly to it, only for luck to favour the brave as the ball bounced off a goalkeeper who knew nothing about it. Just after the hour, United sent on Louis Saha and Michael Carrick for Park and Paul Scholes.

Ronaldo had yet another chance when the ball broke out to him in a central position after a sustained attack. This time he shot surprisingly wide, but he could not be denied.

On 76 minutes, Rooney got away on the left, and when he pulled the ball back, Ronaldo put United ahead at last with his 22nd league goal of the season. There was time for yet another searing right-footed free kick by Ronaldo from 25 yards that Carroll parried. Yet again Rooney put Ronaldo through and again Carroll sprawled to frustrate him.

Overall, the margin of United’s win was perhaps a little deceptive. But all credit to Derby. Afterwards United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: “It became a battle on a greasy pitch. Their best players were their fans — they were fantastic.”

Of Ronaldo he said: “You’ve got to admire the boy, his courage is without question. People want to see footballers like that.”

Jewell said his players “lost with dignity. On Wednesday, it was men against boys. Today, it was all character”.

He added: “A brilliant team, United. We rode our luck today but we got into the game. A pleasing performance. You know, they’ve got so much quality but when they scored the lads kept going.”

He praised Foster, who he predicted would be “a major player in England for the next four years”. And of Ronaldo: “If he was only good-looking, he’d probably have everything! He’s a brilliant footballer surrounded by brilliant footballers.”

Star man: Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd)

Player ratings: Derby: Carroll 7, Edworthy 6 (Todd 55min, 5), Leacock 6, Moore 6, McEve-ley 6, Sterjovski 6 (Roberts 82min), Savage 6, Jones 6, Lewis 7, Miller 7, Earnshaw 6 (Villa 77min)
Man Utd: Foster 7, O’Shea 6, Brown 6, Vidic 6, Evra 6, Park 6 (Saha 62min), Scholes 6 (Carrick 62min), Anderson 5 (Fletcher 74min), Giggs 6, Ronaldo 8, Rooney 7

Scorer: Manchester Utd: Ronaldo 76

Yellow cards: Derby: Moore, Jones, Savage Manchester Utd: Carrick

Referee: P Dowd

Attendance: 33,072