Four-star Rooney sends United top

Wayne Rooney scored four times to send Manchester United top of the Barclays Premier League following their 4-0 victory over Hull.

Rooney put United in front after just seven minutes amid a backdrop of anti-Glazer chants.

And, after coming through some worrying moments in the second period, two goals in three minutes from the England star completed his fourth United hat-trick before he added another for good measure in stoppage time.

After using a large chunk of his programme notes to plead for unity in the stands, Sir Alex Ferguson must have been dismayed at the volume and regularity of the anti-Glazer chants that echoed around the ground.

On the pitch, though, United were in control and it was Nani who played an excellent reverse pass through for Michael Owen's best chance, only for former Manchester United defender Paul McShane to divert it back to Boaz Myhill with a despairing tackle.

Hull could do little, though, when Paul Scholes unleashed a shot and England striker Rooney latched on to the loose ball in a flash to drill his second touch beyond Myhill.

Half-time cost United their fluency. Rooney continued to battle hard and was just off target with a 25-yard shot.

Substitute Kamel Ghilas almost got the equaliser when he turned on to McShane's cross, only to see his shot bobble agonisingly wide of the far post.

But then Rooney took command. When Myhill fumbled Nani's free-kick on to his own crossbar and then flattened Andy Dawson, he created mayhem in the Hull box which Rooney exploited with a brutal finish.

The England man then gleefully nodded home a Nani cross as the Portugal wide-man continued to play an excellent supporting role to the main act. And Hull were on their knees before Rooney struck again in stoppage time.