Ruthless United bomb Wigan 5-0

Victory kept United, which is chasing a record fourth straight title, level with Arsenal on six points, but the Gunners have played two games to United’s three ahead of the teams’ meeting next weekend. Manchester City kept pace on six points after Emmanuel Adebayor scored for the second straight match to give his new team […]

Victory kept United, which is chasing a record fourth straight title, level with Arsenal on six points, but the Gunners have played two games to United’s three ahead of the teams’ meeting next weekend.

Manchester City kept pace on six points after Emmanuel Adebayor scored for the second straight match to give his new team a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Sunderland and Hull also won.

United has started the season slowly following the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid and struggled to break down Wigan for 56 minutes on Saturday.

But former Wigan winger Antonio Valencia then crossed from the left for Rooney to head in and become the 21st player to score 100 goals for United.

Wigan then hit the bar before Rooney and Paul Scholes combined in the 58th to set up Dimitar Berbatov, who lifted the ball over goalkeeper Chris Kirkland and into the net.

Rooney made it 3-0 in the 65th with a deflected shot to move to 101 goals in 241 appearances and Owen replaced his former England teammate before beating Kirkland with a near-post shot.

The win moved United up among the pack at the top of the Premier League, although Tottenham and Chelsea both have the chance to go three points clear when they play today.