Wayne Rooney's double set Manchester United on course for a 3-0 win over West Ham which put them back within one point of Chelsea.
In-form striker ensures United get back on track
Wayne Rooney's double set Manchester United on course for a 3-0 win over West Ham which put them back within one point of leaders Chelsea.
United's hopes of a fourth straight Premier League title suffered a setback as they were beaten 3-1 at Everton on Saturday.
But the Red Devils bounced back at Old Trafford as Rooney followed up his two-goal performance at AC Milan with another brace of headers.
The in-form striker pounced either side of the break, with late substitute Michael Owen reviving his fading World Cup hopes by wrapping up a comfortable victory.
West Ham had eased their relegation fears with back-to-back wins but despite holding United out until the 38th minute, they never looked like maintaining their revival.
Rooney's double took his season tally to 27 and it was little surprise that Sir Alex Ferguson opted to stick with him as the Red Devils were eager to put Saturday's setback behind them.
Vidic, Foster return
The United boss did make three changes in midfield while there was a return for fit-again Nemanja Vidic in defence.
Goalkeeper Ben Foster was also handed a chance to revive his World Cup ambitions as he made his first appearance since November in place of Edwin van der Sar.
Rio Ferdinand did not return following suspension, although Ferguson later revealed the newly-installed England captain had suffered a back twinge.
United lost Anderson, one of the newcomers in midfield, to an early knee injury but Park Ji-Sung was an able replacement while Darron Gibson was the hosts' main early threat.
Although two long-range efforts by Gibson were easy for Robert Green, one of Foster's rivals for an England call-up, a third forced a fine low save from the Hammers' keeper.
The wisdom of Ferguson's selection was then proved when Rooney rounded off a fine breakaway by planting a diving header past Green.
Park fed Dimitar Berbatov and his crossfield ball was volleyed back across the box by Antonio Valencia for Rooney to head home from eight yards.
Brief scare
The visitors had given United a brief scare when an Alessandro Diamanti strike looped off Gary Neville and almost caught out Foster, who back-tracked and palmed the ball onto his own goal-line before gathering at the second attempt.
But 10 minutes after the break, Berbatov released Valencia with another excellent pass down the right and the Ecuador winger's cross found Rooney unmarked to beat Green's despairing dive.
The Hammers almost pulled one back as Carlton Cole failed to connect with Valon Behrami's cross with the goal at his mercy.
Rooney then bundled Green off the ball and although his effort from a tight angle was on target, Julien Faubert had got back to cover goal and clear the danger.
Rooney's bid for a third league hat-trick of the season was then halted as he made way for Owen in the 78th minute, and just two minutes later the sub sealed victory with his eighth of the season.
Paul Scholes fed Owen in the left channel, and with a finish reminiscent of his match-winner in the Manchester derby back in September, Owen tucked the ball beyond Green and in off the far post for his first league goal since that last-gasp effort against City.
Scholes then blazed over late so the veteran midfielder's wait for his 100th league goal goes on.
| Manchester United |
Team Statistics |
West Ham United |
| 3 |
Goals |
0 |
| 1 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 10 |
Shots on Target |
4 |
| 5 |
Shots off Target |
7 |
| 1 |
Blocked Shots |
2 |
| 6 |
Corners |
7 |
| 13 |
Fouls |
15 |
| 3 |
Offsides |
0 |
| 0 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 83.3 |
Passing Success |
77.9 |
| 19 |
Tackles |
23 |
| 84.2 |
Tackles Success |
73.9 |
| 53.8 |
Possession |
46.2 |
| 49.6 |
Territorial Advantage |
50.4 |
|
