Manchester United needed three late goals and a masterclass from Wayne Rooney to give this victory over EPL strugglers Hull the expected sheen.

But without Rooney, and a surprisingly good display from much-maligned Portuguese midfielder Nani, United would have struggled and Hull had opportunities to send a shockwave through the EPL.

The game was played to a background of United fans chanting for the dismissal of the owners, the Florida-based Glazer family, whose financial strategy has left a £716.5m debt burden on the previously mega-profitable organisation.

But Rooney got plenty of namechecks after opening the scoring with a right-foot shot from close range after keeper Boaz Myhill parried a Paul Scholes 30-yarder.

United were regularly wasteful and nearly paid when Hull substitute Kamel Ghilas fired narrowly wide on 75 minutes.

Rio Ferdinand escaped when he whacked Craig Fagan off-the-ball - a penalty and red card if referee Steve Bennett had seen it.

Rooney made it 2-0 with eight minutes left, firing home from the corner of the six-yard box and completed his hat-trick four minutes later, heading home a superb Nani right-wing cross.

He completed the scoring in stoppage time, firing past Myhill despite the close attention of three defenders.