Wayne Rooney made a goal-scoring return from his five-week injury layoff to help Manchester United beat Fulham 3-0 and extend its Premier League lead to five points.

Rooney, who had been sidelined with a hamstring injury, completed the scoring after coming on as a second-half substitute at Old Trafford last night. United led through first- half goals by Paul Scholes  andDimitar Berbatov.

United’s ninth straight league victory lifted the Red Devils to 59 points with 13 games remaining as they bid to tie Liverpool’s record of 18 English championships. Liverpool is second with 54 points.

“We didn’t take any risks with Wayne,” United manager Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports. “I could have played him on Sunday but I felt wait a few days and we’ll get the dividends of that, and we got that tonight.”

United has now gone 14 games unbeaten in England’s top division as it seeks an unprecedented five trophies this season. GoalkeeperEdwin van der Sar last night extended his shutout streak to 1,302 minutes, a European record.

Scholes opened the scoring in the 12th minute when he volleyedMichael Carrick’s corner kick from the edge of the area and Fulham goalieMark Schwarzer spilled the shot over the line. It was the 34-year-old Scholes’s 97th Premier League goal.

“Over the years I have always contributed goals but in the last couple of seasons that hasn’t been the case, as I have been playing slightly deeper,” Scholes told MUTV. “Hopefully that’s the start of a few more to come.”

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Carlos Tevez had a goal disallowed for offside in the 25th minute before Berbatov made it 2-0 five minutes later when he got between Schwarzer and  Aaron Hughes to tap in a cross fromJohn O’Shea, who had been picked out by Scholes’s chip.

United had a second goal waved off just before half time as Berbatov was judged offside as he headed in Christiano Ronaldo’s free kick.

Rooney, who got injured against Wigan on Jan. 14, replaced Berbatov 15 minutes into the second half. Less than three minutes later he metPark Ji-Sung’s shot across the face of goal at the far post for his seventh league goal of the season.

Van der Sar, who hasn’t allowed a goal during United’s unbeaten streak, surpassed the European single-season mark of 1,275 minutes without allowing a goal set by Atletico Madrid’s Abel Resino in 1991.

Should the Dutchman hold Blackburn scoreless for 89 minutes in three days, he will eclipse the record of Club Brugge keeper Dany Verlinden, who went 1,390 minutes without allowing a goal over two seasons of the Belgian league in 1990.

Man of the match: Paul Scholes ran the game and proved that he can play a major role in the remainder of the campaign.
Moment of the match: Wayne Rooney’s goal showed that Man United have plenty more to offer as the season progresses.
Attempt of the match: Bobby Zamora’s half-volley nearly ended Edwin van der Sar’s mammoth run without conceding a goal.
Save of the match: Mark Schwarzer did well to stop Dimitar Berbatov’s header from close range.
Goal of the match: Paul Scholes showed great technique to send his volley towards goal, although Mark Schwarzer should have stopped the ball finding the back of the net.
Talking Point: Can Manchester United be stopped in their quest for the Premier League title?

Sourced via bloomberg.com

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