AS Charlton failed to break their losing sequence away to Manchester United on Saturday, manager Alan Curbishley confessed it was becoming even harder for mid-table Barclays Premier League clubs to dent the reputations of the elite.

Charlton, who went into the game on the back of excellent wins against Tottenham and Norwich, took a beating that could have been a battering as United cruised to a 2-0 win with an ease which separates potential contenders from hopeful survivors.

A mere three points separated the clubs going into the game. It might just have been a country mile.

Curbishley, at the helm for his 653rd match in charge of Charlton, said: "When you come to a club that's in the top three or four, you have to work so hard to contain. The trick is how you turn that around and turn some of your possession into trying to create chances.

"That was our problem against Manchester United and we didn't have too much going the other way. That's the only thing I can complain about because we tried to keep ourselves in the game.

"We invariably gave possession away and when we did have possession it lasted three or four passes - and that's not enough. Mid-table clubs like ourselves come to big clubs like Manchester United knowing that's going to be the pattern of play."

Though Charlton defended courageously, they were out of luck in the 41st minute when a shot from Ryan Giggs deflected past goalkeeper Dean Kiely off the heels of Luke Young.

Their second, in the 50th minute, was the result of a clinical right-foot volley from Paul Scholes. It was his first goal in 23 games for United on his 350th appearance for the club.