Premier League: Manchester United 4 Wolves 1

Manchester United bounced back from their midweek Champions League upset as they cruised to a 4-1 victory over Wolves on Saturday.

Nani and Wayne Rooney bagged two goals apiece to hand United three points against Wolves in the English Premier League match at Old Trafford, with Steven Fletcher netting for the visitors.

United surprisingly bowed out of the Champions League group stages with a 2-1 loss away to FC Basel on Wednesday.

They were out to make amends against Wolves and it did not take them long to assert their control over Saturday’s contest.

A wide gap between the Wolves defence and midfield was effectively exploited by Michael Carrick, who supplied Rooney with a through ball.

The England international forced a good save from Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.

Portugese forward Nani fulfilled United’s early promise when he opened the scoring in the 17th minute, slamming home a low shot from the edge of the box.

Wolves came from behind to beat United in the league last season but they appeared to have little chance of staging another upset.

Rooney, whose barren spell prior to this match had stretched to eight league games, has never gone nine Premier League matches without a goal.

He ensured that record remained intact with a precise finish from 18 yards, making it 2-0 to United after 27 minutes.

Hennessey was called into action again a short time later, just doing enough to get his fingertips to a Rooney effort.

The visitors’ goalkeeper went on to make two further saves from Rooney and Nani before the half drew to a close.

Wolves began the second half the sharper of the two teams and United were punished for their early lethargy.

Matthew Jarvis sped down the left and evaded Chris Smalling before standing up a cross for Fletcher, who rose above Patrice Evra to bring Wolves back to within one goal.

United sprang back into life, as Rooney and Danny Welbeck narrowly failed to convert a cross from the energetic Phil Jones.

It was Jones who would instigate the move that restored United’s two-goal lead.

The 19-year old released Antonio Valencia down the right wing and the Ecuadorian picked out Nani in the box, who tapped past by Hennessey.

The goal seemed to energise Ferguson’s team further and they continued to pour forward.

Evans spurned a glorious chance when he somehow handballed in front of goal, before Valencia drilled narrowly wide following a positive run.

Former Wigan man Valencia soon made amends for his miss when he set up United’s fourth.

Cruising into space down the right-hand side he pulled a pass back for Rooney, who duly netted his second of the match.

The hosts might have had a fifth goal, but substitute Federico Macheda was denied by Hennessey in the closing stages.

The missed opportunity mattered little, as United moved back to within two points of league leaders Manchester City, who play Chelsea on Monday.