Manchester United 4-0 West Bromwich
Wayne Rooney sparked Manchester United into life against a limited West Brom as the champions moved ominously up to fourth in the Premier League table.
The visitors frustrated United in the first-half and referee Mark Halsey disallowed a Rooney effort for a push.
But the in-form England international cut inside Ryan Donk to fire a superb opener on 55 minutes before setting up Cristiano Ronaldo for a simple second.
Dimitar Berbatov added a casual third before Rooney created Nani's late goal.
With perennial rivals Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool all winning and United sitting in eight prior to the late kick-off, the home side were under a degree of pressure to get a win which would really kick-start their league campaign.
They had an unusual look to their midfield with Ryan Giggs and Darren Fletcher in the centre, but this did not hamper Ronaldo, who provided a regular early outlet and looked his usual threatening self with the ball.
West Brom, however, made a disciplined start and Chris Brunt had a decent long-range effort with United stretched at he back.
Their industrious five-man midfield formed a black-and-white barrier with the Old Trafford crowd quiet but United had the ball in the net after 21 minutes.
Ronaldo slipped a neat pass in for Rooney who muscled in front of a defender and delayed his shot before scooping the ball past Scott Carson.
But referee Mark Halsey disallowed the effort from the in-form England marksman, adjudging that Rooney, much to the Liverpudlian's annoyance, had pushed a Baggies man as he got to the ball.
Sixty seconds later Rooney lost his marker in the box and got his head to a whipped Ryan Giggs cross to force a decent low save from Carson.
The visitors were increasingly restricted to long-range efforts with Robert Koren firing a woeful effort into the Stretford End crowd behind Van Der Sar's goal after 28 minutes.
Rooney and Ronaldo soon linked up to good effect but Paul Robinson stayed admirably close to the Portuguese winger in order to nullify his attempts to get a shot off on goal.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had to make a change after 35 minutes bringing on John O'Shea for Patrice Evra, with the Frenchman seemingly having collected a knock.
The home side continued to press but lacked any real urgency around the box, with Dimitar Berbatov particularly quiet.
Rooney whipped over a dangerous corner after 40 minutes which Nemanja Vidic headed powerfully towards goal but the impressive Donk hacked away and both sides trudged down the tunnel without anything to show for their efforts.
Berbatov sprang into a semblance of life just after the break as he crossed well but Rooney could not make a proper connection in order to test Carson.
After persistent work from O'Shea in the 61st minute Rooney stung the hands of Carson with a powerful strike though he could have laid the ball off to Ronaldo, who was standing in space to his right.
Baggies boss Tony Mowbray brought the hard-working but largely anonymous Roman Bednar off for Ishmael Miller to inject some fresh life into West Brom's flagging efforts just before Carson saved a Berbatov shot which was too straight.
The breakthrough finally came in the 55th minute when Berbatov slipped a simple pass to Rooney.
Lurking on the left and with West Brom holding a high-line, the England man raced into the box to cut inside Donk before firing a superb low shot inside Carson's post for his eight goal in six game for club and country.
Rooney had Carson pushing the ball just around his post soon after following a creative through-pass from Giggs.
Ferguson sent Gary Neville on for Rafael Da Silva in the 65th minute with the young Brazilian fading after a strong first-half.
With West Brom offering very little, an inevitable second goal followed when Rooney turned provider for Ronaldo to finish easily through the legs of the over-worked Carson.
And West Brom's discipline slipped further when, after 72 minutes, substitute Nani's cross was allowed to pass through the legs of Jonas Olsson for Berbatov to stick out a leg and poke the ball high into the net from four yards almost with disdain.
Miller went close with a decent left-footed effort with three minutes remaining and tested Van Der Sar just before the final whistle and, with a late consolation proving beyond West Brom, Nani added a fourth with a simple finish after Rooney's slide-rule cross.
Man of the match :
Manchester United's Wayne Rooney 8.77 (on 90 minutes).
World Cup football 2010
