Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson praised his side for their 6-0 demolition of Newcastle United on Saturday but said he was disappointed with the way they played in the first half, when they failed to score.

"We had too many individuals in the first half trying to walk the ball into the net," said Ferguson.

"But the second-half display was marvellous, absolutely fantastic and could not be faulted," he told Setanta Sports.

Ferguson, who saw the champions move back to the top of the table on goal difference from Arsenal, heaped praise on Cristiano Ronaldo whose second-half hat-trick took his tally for the season to 22 goals.

"He has gone close to scoring one several times before for us and he capped a fine display with his hat-trick. To score 22 goals at this stage of the season for a wide player is fantastic, incredible. But I am not surprised. He is always practising, improving and his decision-making is getting better."

Ronaldo told Setanta: "It was a very special day today. I am very proud and very happy, but it is even more important we are top of the league."

Ronaldo opened the scoring with a cleverly taken free-kick that he fired under the Newcastle wall as they jumped expecting a lofted shot after 50 minutes.

His second, after 70 minutes, completed a good move involving Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez and his third, two minutes from time, again gave goalkeeper Shay Given no chance.

Carlos Tevez added two and Rio Ferdinand the other as United recorded their biggest win of the season.

Nigel Pearson, in temporary charge of the Newcastle side following the departure of manager Sam Allardyce on Wednesday, struggled to hide his feelings afterwards.

"It's a very, very difficult day for us, it's very painful. They were a lot better than us and the way we folded at the end, it is difficult to take.

"We as a club need to move forward quickly to get the situation resolved."

Newcastle were unlucky to have a Michael Owen goal disallowed for offside in the first half when television replays showed he was onside when he collected the ball, but Ferguson was upset that referee Rob Styles had turned down a clear penalty appeal by United.

"Maybe he was trying to prove a point but I thought it was unfair," he said.