United rely on Rooney

By Jon Caswell

Wayne Rooney scored twice as Manchester United FC overcame Newcastle United FC 3-1 at St James' Park on Sunday to move back into seventh place in the Premiership.

Early goal
Liverpool FC's win against Crystal Palace FC on Saturday had temporarily knocked Sir Alex Ferguson's side back to eighth, but Rooney broke the deadlock after just eight minutes on Tyneside, turning in a Darren Fletcher cross to put his side on course for victory.

Shearer leveller
Alan Shearer has other ideas, the Newcastle centre-forward capitalising on a slip by substitute Wes Brown, who replaced the injured Mikaël Silvestre, to charge into the visitors' area and slide a left-footed effort past Roy Carroll on 71 minutes. But Rooney was quick to help his side regain the lead.

Given foul
The 19-year-old striker caused confusion in the Newcastle area with an arcing effort which drew Shay Given into a foul on Paul Scholes as they scrambled for the loose ball eight metres out. Ruud van Nistelrooij tucked away the 74th-minute penalty and Rooney made sure of the points by crashing in his second of the afternoon on 90 minutes after Titus Bramble's goalline clearance from Van Nistelrooij's effort had fallen straight into his path.

Kanu miss
Middlesbrough FC sit in fourth, a point ahead of United, after defeating West Bromwich Albion FC 2-1 in the day's other Premiership encounter. But struggling West Brom, under former Middlesbrough manager Bryan Robson's guidance for the first time, could have rescued a share of the spoils had Nwankwo Kanu not missed an open goal at the death.

Zenden header
The visitors had gone ahead when Darren Purse diverted a Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink cross into his own net after 32 minutes but were pegged back moments later through Robert Earnshaw's third goal in two games. Boudewijn Zenden's 52nd-minute header restored Middlesbrough's lead before Kanu squandered that golden chance from point-blank range.