Man United starting XI- Edwin Van Der Sar, Rafael da Silva, Rio Ferdinand, Jonny Evans, Patrice Evra, Ji-Sung Park, Paul Scholes, Darren Fletcher, Luis Nani, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.
Sir Alex Ferguson was able to name Ferdinand in the starting line-up for the first time since the loss to Liverpool in October. Fergie also handed a rare start to Owen in a line-up, which wasn’t at it’s strongest but it wasn’t weak either.
United got off to an early start with Rooney cutting the ball back to Owen but his shot deflected of Hull’s Anthony Gardner for a corner. Minutes later a stinging Scholes shot was saved by Boaz Myhill, but the rebound went to Rooney who stuck it past the keeper and gave United the lead.
United went on to dominate the possession and play with Nani firing the ball over the bar from 30-yards out. Park was also unlucky not to put United 2-0 up when he was unable to direct a header at the far post.
Hull did have a little spell of putting a bit of pressure on the United defence but nothing materialised. With 17 minutes gone, Evans’ header back to Van Der Sar let Nicky Barmby in but the United keeper blocked the shot and Hull had a corner.
Hull’s spell of pressure didn’t last long, Nani crossed the ball in to Fletcher but Gardner blocked Fletcher’s strike, the ball fell to Rooney and his shot was deflected over. 22 minutes in Nani was screaming for a penalty after he went over in the area, referee said no penalty.
Second half and Nani was still causing trouble down the right but Owen and Rooney were unable to put the ball into the back of the net and double United’s lead. With a slender 1-0 scoreline it is never over.
70 minutes in Sir Alex brought Dimitar Berbatov and Darron Gibson on for Owen and Scholes. Owen had done well, he had a few decent chances but he was unable to capitalise on them.
Hull could have drawn themselves level with only 15 minutes left, a good cross in by Paul McShane found Kamel Ghilas, who hit a low shot which went inches from Van Der Sar’s post.
With 10 minutes left it looked like we could be ending for a nervy end but that wasn’t going to happen. Myhill pushed a brilliant freekick by Nani from 30-yards out onto the bar. Rooney managed to keep the ball in, he got it to Nani who passed to Gibson, Gibson got the ball back to Rooney and he smashed it into the goal. Minutes later Nani ran down right, he crossed towards Rooney and he stuck the ball past Myhill for the third time in the game and grab himself a hat trick and Rooney wasn’t finished there.
With 89 minutes gone, Sir Alex made his final substitution with Fabio da Silva coming on for Evra. Five minutes of stoppage time were added on, in the third minute of stoppage time, Rooney had his fourth.
Berbatov flicked the ball towards Rooney, who had three Hull defenders around him but he was still able to control the ball and fire it past Myhill. The game finished Man United 4-0 Hull City, a well deserved win and hopefully United are hitting some form ahead of the second leg of the Manchester Derby on Wednesday.
There was protesting and chanting by Manchester United fans before, during and after the game and I will have more on that later.
