One of the hallmarks of a great player is the ability to control a pass while at the same time working out where next to deliver it. A similar analogy can be applied to Manchester United: not a great team yet, but one which on Saturday was still able to brush aside Coventry's breathless challenge while keeping half an eye on a game nearly two weeks away.

This tightrope which United walk swings between the club's drive to recapture the Premiership title they view as part of the Old Trafford furniture and Alex Ferguson's growing obsession with the European Cup, the biggest trophy, in kudos and size, to elude his grasp during 13 years at the Theatre of Dreams.

So while United were grinding out this victory to maintain their four-point Premiership lead and push Coventry back into the bottom three, Ferguson's thoughts were equally on Inter Milan's visit to Old Trafford for their Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie on March 3rd.

This time last year an injured Ryan Giggs missed eight games during which United slumped in all three major competitions. On Saturday Ferguson's determination to see the Welshman running at the Inter defence prompted him to gamble on starting a player who has just returned from a hamstring injury. At halftime Ferguson also removed defender Jaap Stam.

The manager's explanations betrayed his priorities. "Giggs needed the game," said Ferguson. "There's no point coming to the match in two weeks and finding he doesn't have the stamina for it." As for Stam: "Tight hamstring. We took the precaution, bearing in mind a week on Wednesday."

As for the game, United have played this role countless times before: the glamour club visiting a struggling team inspired to play above themselves. No surprise, Coventry closed down United at every opportunity on a bumpy pitch which further frustrated the visitors' passing aspirations.

But United did what they normally do in such circumstances: battle it out, soak up pressure, stay solid at the back, and wait. With Paul Williams and Richard Shaw imperious in defence, it was Coventry who thought that everything was going to plan. Up front George Boateng forced a great save from the back-to-form Peter Schmeichel, while Paul Telfer went close and another goalbound shot from Boateng hit Denis Irwin's leg.

From the resultant corner came the one counter-attack United needed: Schmeichel's quick throw, Dwight Yorke's break down the right, David Beckham's cross to the far post, and Giggs to turn the ball in.

COVENTRY CITY: Hedman, Nilsson, Burrows (Soltvedt 85), Williams, Shaw, McAllister, Boateng, Telfer, Froggatt, Huckerby, Whelan (Aloisi 64). Subs Not Used: Ogrizovic, Konjic, Quinn. Booked: Burrows, Boateng.

MANCHESTER UTD: Schmeichel, G Neville, Irwin, Johnsen, Stam (Berg 45), Giggs, Keane, Scholes, Beckham, Cole (Solskjaer 73), Yorke (P Neville 85). Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Blomqvist. Booked: Scholes, Stam, Cole. Goal: Giggs 78.

Referee: D Gallagher (Banbury).