Manchester Utd 2-0 West Bromwich Albion: Rooney double sees United move ominously into pole position

Rooney took his seasonal tally to 24 with a goal either side of the interval as United took advantage of Manchester City’s shock defeat at Swansea to assume that familiar position at the head of affairs on the title run-in.

However, the Reds were still trying to adjust to a line-up with only one conventional winger in Ashley Young, when Keith Andrews slid in to reach Liam Ridgewell’s low left-wing cross.

It seemed the Irishman was sure to score but instead he prodded his effort wide.

Then, Andrews let fly with a thunderous shot that would have found the bottom corner had David de Gea, not for the first time in recent games, not made a fine, full-length save. It was the cue for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to awake from their slumber.

If Nani is going to be out for a few weeks as pre-match rumours suggested, Young is going to be a key man and, together with skipper Patrice Evra, he tormented the right side of West Brom’s defence. The former Aston Villa man had a shot beaten away by former United goalkeeper Ben Foster, then ran on to Danny Welbeck’s back-heeled through ball before cutting a cute cross back into the box which Jonas Olsson scrambled away.

When United’s opener came, the Premier League could have been forgiven a sharp intake of breath as Foster immediately appealed for offside when Rooney touched home Javier Hernandez’s cross from what did appear to be an illegal position. After what went on at Bolton on Saturday, further controversy was the last thing they needed.

Happily, TV replays showed the officials had got it spot on as Rooney timed his run to perfection before netting for the fourth time in a week.

When Peter Odemwingie went over Evra’s half-hearted challenge, he was convinced West Brom should have had a penalty.

He might have been right, as Evra did not play the ball and dangled a leg out for the striker to fall on.

It was another of those fortunate moments United make a habit of capitalising on. This time, they could not do it as Hernandez drove a shot against a post, Rooney’s overhead kick went straight to Foster and, most startlingly of all, Danny Welbeck slid his shot wide of an open goal after the entire West Brom defence, including their goalkeeper, had been caught out by Paul Scholes’ inspired long pass.

Booked at the start of the second period for a foul on Rooney, Olsson was then sent off when he was beaten to Welbeck’s pass by Hernandez and chopped the Mexican down instead.

Within five minutes, the hosts had their second, Rooney slotting home a clinical penalty after Andrews had fouled Young. Among the plethora of substitutions that followed, Paul Pogba came on for Scholes, which tends to shoot down suggestions that the teenage Frenchman has agreed to join Juventus in the summer.

Young and Hernandez both wasted chances to reduce the goal difference advantage which Manchester City have in their favour at present but United are back on top with an easier run-in on paper than their city rivals.