Bradford City suffered their fourth Premiership defeat in a row against leaders Manchester United in front of their biggest crowd for 31 years at Valley Parade.

The 3-0 scoreline did scant justice to a creditable City performance as the Bantams matched the defending champions with some skilful football and sound defence until a bad mistake by goalkeeper Gary Walsh in the 71st minute put the visitors on the road to victory.

Walsh missed the ball as he tried to clear and Teddy Sheringham seized on his mistake to put United ahead.

United then took command as Ryan Giggs scored a second goal after 75 minutes and substitute Luke Chadwick completed the scoring seven minutes from the end.

Billy McKinlay gave City a pre-match boost when he passed a morning fitness test.

The Scot, so influential in recent matches, had taken a knock at training but showed no ill-effects before the game.

That meant boss Jim Jefferies could name the side he wanted, with only one change from the team knocked out of the FA Cup on Monday.

The switch came up front where Ashley Ward was recalled to start his first match since November 25. Dean Saunders dropped to the bench - where there was no place for transfer-listed Benito Carbone.

Manchester United man mountain Jaap Stam played his first game since suffering an achilles injury in September.

Teddy Sheringham's FA Cup winner at Fulham earned him a starting place while Andy Cole, also coming back from injury, was among the substitutes.

The start was predictably frantic ,with Ward quickly feeling the physical presence of Staam at his back.

Robbie Blake's lay-off gave Stuart McCall room to cross and his deep centre picked out Wayne Jacobs but instead of attempting a volley he tried to knock it across and the danger was gone.

United immediately countered with Phil Neville's angled pass finding Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in full flow on the right. He squared to Teddy Sheringham who side-footed over the City bar.

The danger of United on the break was highlighted in the 12th minute when a careless pass from Blake gave away possession just outside the visitors' box.

David Beckham gained possession and swept an effortless 40-yard pass over the City defence for Ryan Giggs to run on to. Fortunately for City, the Welshman's finish was woeful and wide.

Suddenly Windass, a player never short of confidence from long distance, tried a dipping drive from nearly 40 yards which the fit-again Fabien Barthez palmed nervously over his bar. The Frenchman was soon called upon again to gather a low drive from Ward.

But it was United who came close to grabbing the lead in the 22nd minute. Giggs turned on the after-burner, exchanging passes with Solskjaer before bursting into the City box.

He flicked the ball over Gary Walsh and seemed set to put United in front. But as he tried to turn it home at the near post, Peter Atherton heroically hooked the ball off the line.

With the tempo now 100 miles an hour, Eoin Jess shot straight at Barthez and Giggs sliced through the City rearguard again to deliver a teasing low cross beyond the far post.

O'Brien made an important block to deny Solskjaer 10 yards out as City defended desperately against the swarming United raiders.

The pressure was briefly eased when Blake was fouled halfway inside United territory. Windass swung in the free-kick and Molenaar got in front of Staam but brushed his header tamely off target.

Ten minutes from half-time Walsh pulled off a stunning one-handed save to tip a Beckham thunderbolt round the post and then tipped the England man's corner over the bar.

City broke from the second and suddenly it was two against two as Blake stormed away. But instead of going on himself, he swapped passes with McKinlay and was offside from the return.

But the teamwork and organisation from the last two matches was evident again as City worked their socks off to block out the champions.

The effort was appreciated by the home majority of the full house who cheered enthusiastically as the teams went in level at half-time.

HT: City 0 United 0

United were first to attack at the start of the second half and when skipper Roy Keane, who had had a quiet first half, darted through dangerously it required two City defenders to stop him in his tracks just inside the penalty area.

The visitors then forced a corner on the right when Irwin raced on to Beckham's through pass, but Jess cut out the danger by playing the ball behind.

City's first attempt at goal in the second half came in the 54th minute when Jess swung a free kick high into the United goalmouth where Molenaar's header was gathered by Barthez although the ball was going just off target.

There was more danger for United a minute later when Molenaar's clearance aimed for Ward was cut out by Gary Neville, but the header was misplaced and Barthez had to race out of the penalty area to clear.

City were almost punished when a misplaced pass by McKinlay in midfield set United on a swift counter attack which ended with Keane shooting narrowly.

There was a brief flare-up in the City penalty area after 62 minutes when Keane fell under a challenge in a clear attempt to win a penalty. This incensed the City players and there was a confrontation between Atherton and Keane before order was restored.

United made a double substitution after 65 minutes, when manager Alex Ferguson brought on Wes Brown for Stam and Luke Chadwick for Phil Neville.

At the same time, Jim Jefferies replaced Blake with Dean Saunders.

City were producing a creditable performance against the leaderrs when they fell behind after 71 minutes following a bad mistake by Walsh.

The goalkeeper was about to clear from a back pass when he missed the ball completely and Sheringham seized on his error to shoot into the empty net.

Four minutes later United scored a second goal when Giggs raced through the defence before driving the ball home at the near post.

These two goals were a cruel blows to City who had stuck to their task well against United, but they were surely heading for their fourth Premiership defeat in a row against the defending champions.

United were completely in command as the game went into the closing stages and they scored a third after 87 minutes when Beckham played the ball through to Chadwick to score