( CNN ) -- After a week remembering one of the most traumatic incidents in the club 's past , Manchester United fans can now look forward to one of their biggest days in modern history . The English Premier League leaders will visit nine-time European champions Real Madrid -- and former player Cristiano Ronaldo -- on Wednesday safe in the knowledge that last season 's nightmare may soon be erased . Alex Ferguson 's team moved 12 points clear of rivals Manchester City after Sunday 's 2-0 win over Everton -- the side who last season came back from 4-2 down to snatch a draw at Old Trafford and derail United 's challenge for a record-extending 20th title . Having seen City lose 3-1 at Southampton on Saturday , Ferguson resisted the temptation to rest key players ahead of the Champions League trip to Spain and was rewarded as veteran Ryan Giggs and top scorer Robin van Persie sealed a crucial win . `` I was going to make about seven changes but when I got the result , I felt this was a more important game for us because it could give us a comfortable lead , '' Ferguson said . `` We can make changes later on in the season . It is realistic ; we knew that if we got a good result today then we 'd be in a positive position . '' Before the match , United fans had unveiled a huge banner commemorating the 55th anniversary of the Munich air disaster , which killed 23 of 44 people onboard including eight United players . Ferguson , who was 16 at the time , said on Wednesday 's anniversary that he had been affected by the incident ever since . The 39-year-old Giggs put United ahead on Sunday in the 13th minute from Van Persie 's assist , and has now scored in the league for each of the last 23 seasons . `` His legacy lives on , he is a fantastic human being , '' Ferguson said of one-club man Giggs , who made his debut against Everton on March 2 , 1991 . `` He 's up and down that pitch all day and has shown fantastic energy for the game , it is wonderful to see . '' Van Persie doubled the lead at the end of the first half , beating the offside trap and rounding keeper Tim Howard before sliding in a shot that Everton defender Johnny Heitinga could only help into the net . It was the Dutchman 's league-leading 19th goal this season and his 23rd in all competitions since joining from Arsenal for $ 38 million in August . Everton dropped to sixth after the weekend 's results , losing ground in the race for Champions League qualification . At the other end of the table , Aston Villa moved out of the bottom three with a 2-1 win over midtable West Ham , ending a run of nine league matches without a victory . Belgium striker Christian Benteke broke the deadlock in the 74th minute from the penalty spot -- his 11th league goal this season -- after a foul on Charles N'Zogbia , who curled home a free-kick four minutes later . Paul Lambert 's team then held on despite a late own goal from Ashley Westwood .
Robin van Persie and Ryan Giggs score in Manchester United 's 2-0 win over Everton . The two goals came after the Toffees had taken a two-goal lead through Wayne Rooney It comes after the 55th anniversary of the Munich air disaster involving United . United will play Real Madrid in last 16 of Champions League on Wednesday .