Rooney finds his rhythm on return

Manchester U 2 Newcastle U 1:WAYNE ROONEY will hope his season now starts in earnest. On his return the forward can be pleased with a performance that dazzled ever more after the hour mark passed and he dropped into midfield to run proceedings in what ended as a sixth consecutive victory for Manchester United.

Of prime benefit will be the 75 minutes he played. Now, with Robin van Persie and Shinji Kagawa rested whether Rooney starts against Tottenham Hotspur here on Saturday is the next question. He lined up in an XI also including Darren Fletcher, who was making a first start for nearly a year and who captained the side.

The eight-week lay off for Nemanja Vidic following knee surgery plus injuries to Chris Smalling and Phil Jones meant Jonny Evans was rested for Saturday. Thus United’s back four had one senior start – from the left-back Alexander Buttner – and one substitute appearance – in Michael Keane at centre-back – between them.

This allowed Marnick Vermijl, a right-back, and Scott Wootton, Keane’s partner, to make their debuts, with the former creating the tie’s first chance. A sweeping cross from the Belgian’s flank found Javier Hernandez, who beat Rooney to the header but could only flick the ball wide. Next up for United was Anderson. A burst that took in a return from Tom Cleverley and the holding off of Fabricio Coloccini ended with shot that forced a corner. Rooney let fly an effort that was blocked by Coloccini, before a later pass, flipped over the top to Hernandez, was swung at and missed when his right boot should have connected.

Alan Pardew’s stated intent to focus on the league meant the only notable names in his team were Coloccini, Shola Ameobi and Cheick Tiote, all of whom were virtually anonymous before the break. Ameobi rose to head the ball down to Gosling but his attempt at a volley was skied.

From deep inside his territory Rooney sent a 50-yard pass curving into the run of Danny Welbeck as he crossed halfway. The striker continued down the left, cut inside, then tested Robert Elliot with a rasping finger-tingler that forced another corner.

Moments after Cleverley missed from close range, a throw-in from Rooney went to Fletcher. He passed inside to Anderson and, outmuscling Gosling, the Brazilian pinballed the finish off Elliott’s left post to make it 1-0 a minute before the interval.

Anderson should have had a second within moments of the restart. A slick move was began by Rooney near his area. He laid off to the midfielder whose pass sliced along the left touchline into Welbeck before the Brazilian surged upfield. When the striker picked Anderson out he failed to work Elliot from 20 yards despite being on his favoured left foot.

There was nothing awry with Cleverley’s radar for United’s second, which was too simple: Welbeck fed the 23-year-old and he slotted in from the edge of the penalty area.

United wobbled a little after Papiss Cisse’s 62nd-minute goal which came from a dipping cross from Shane Ferguson. From the left, his ball beat De Gea and Cisse’s header was calm. He later hit the bar with an overhead kick.

MAN UTD: De Gea, Vermijl (Tunnicliffe 77), Wootton, Keane, Buttner (Brady 86), Cleverley, Fletcher, Anderson, Rooney (Powell 76), Welbeck, Hernandez. Subs Not Used: Johnstone, Evans, Lingard, King.

NEWCASTLE: Elliot, Perch, Williamson, Coloccini (Ferguson 61), Tavernier, Obertan, Tiote (Bigirimana 71), Gosling, Marveaux, Vuckic (Cisse 61), Shola Ameobi. Subs Not Used: Harper, Anita, Amalfitano, Sammy Ameobi. Booked: Tiote,Bigirimana.

Referee: A Taylor (Cheshire).