Premier League: Manchester United brush aside Hull to maintain top-four push

Premier League: Manchester United brush aside Hull to maintain top-four push

Manchester United beat struggling Hull City 3-0 at Old Trafford Saturday afternoon thanks to goals from Chris Smalling, Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie.

The home side surprised many to move to a flat back four of the defence of three men that they used during their 2-1 win at Arsenal last weekend.

But this change has had no impact on the fluidity of United as they dominate the debates from the kickoff, and it is no really a surprise when central defender Smalling gave them a lead of 16 minutes following a corner from Juan Mata left.

The England international reacted faster after saw his initial header to the pole palmed away by Allan McGregor to Tigers, before poking the ball on a crowded goal line.

However, he needed yet referee Anthony Taylor to see his watch before receiving the go-ahead to grant the goal, with replay TV later confirming all of the ball that had just to cross the goal line.

And despite losing United States influential playmaker Angel di Maria from the beginning to a tendon problem - the 42nd damage that the Red Devils have resumed already so far this campaign - they still managed to double their lead three minutes before halftime through striker Rooney shaped.

The move was started by Mata and when the ball was eventually worked for the patron saint of England from 20 yards on goal after good buildup play the two replacing Ander Herrera and Van Persie, Rooney side foot past McGregor.

And that Rooney goal was his seventh in only five matches against Hull, while the captain of United now has an impressive 67 strikes in his last 101 competition Premier League at Old Trafford.

During this time for visitors, the second half was simply a case of damage limitation after an opening 45 minutes in which United No. 1 David de Gea did not have a single shot on target to treat.

However, hard as they tried, the holding of the Northeast struggled to carve out many significant openings after the break, aside from a Nikica Jelavic header that flew narrowily target.

For the home team, however, the icing on the cake came in Midway through the second period when moving previously Persie Van finally ended his recent drought of purpose and in a style too after the House of Dutchman struck an unstoppable finish from the left corner of the penalty area.

Van Persie had scored only eight goals in 21 League games this year topic in meeting this afternoon, down from 19 to 29 in 2013, and then that the attacker is still far from the levels that he displayed in his campaign's memorable debut at the theatre of dreams, find the back net tel model today can now see him best retrurn to his normally lethal front of goal.

The Red Devils even had time to reintroduce Radamel Falcao in the fray for the last 20 minutes following a recent layoff with a calf injury, with the machine of Colombian goal for Van Persie.

And for what is Van Gaal rapidly changing team welded, it is three straight wins of top flight for the first time since December, while Steve Bruce to shell a long and hard season awaits clearly.

PLAYER RATINGS

Manchester United: De Gea (7), Valencia (7), Smalling (8), Rojo (6), Young (8), Fellaini (7), Carrick (8), Mata (8), di Maria (6), Van Persie (7), Rooney (8)

Used subs: Falcão (6), Herrera (9), Fletcher (6)

Hull City: McGregor (7), Chester (6), Dawson (7), Davies (6), Evans (7), Randy (6), Livermore (6), Brady (7), Robertson (8), Ben Arfa (4), Jelavic (5)

Used subs: Meyler (5), Philippe (7), Quinn (6)

Man of the Match: Ander Herrera

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