Manchester United 3-1 Aston Villa: Wayne Rooney wonder goal and Ander Herrera double move Red Devils up to third in the table

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Ander Herrera put Manchester United ahead just before half-time with a low left-footed effort
Wayne Rooney doubled United's lead with a beautiful half-volley on 79 minutes at Old Trafford
Christian Benteke pulled one back for the visitors a minute later after a rare David de Gea error
Herrera added a third in the closing stages of the first half to complete the scoreline for the Red Devils
PLAYER RATINGS - Herrera shines as Louis van Gaal's side triumph to move above Manchester City into third

Published: 10:56 EST, 4 April 2015 | Updated: 19:44 EST, 4 April 2015

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Louis van Gaal has found the best way to keep Manchester United fans happy is to win at home.

Powering past Aston Villa was their 13th victory in 16 Premier League matches at Old Trafford and they have accumulated more points on their own territory, 40, than anyone else.

No wonder after a period of irritation earlier in the season, the Stretford End are cheering regardless of whether United play quickly, slowly, pass back to goalkeeper David de Gea or boot it up to Marouane Fellaini

Wayne Rooney (centre) scored a stunning half-volley as Manchester United beat Aston Villa 3-1 in the Premier League on Saturday

Rooney put United 2-0 ahead on 79 minutes as he crashed home the Red Devils' second with his right-footed strike

United's No 10 celebrates his stunning effort at Old Trafford - his sixth goal in eight games for the club since being moved back up front

Rooney (centre right) is mobbed by his team-mates after his wonderful goal gives them a 2-0 lead against lowly Villa

MATCH FACTS, PLAYER RATINGS PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE BY DOMINIC KING

Manchester United (4-3-3): De Gea 6; Valencia 7.5, Jones 7, Rojo 7, Blind 6.5; Carrick 7, Herrera 8.5, Fellaini 6.5 (Falcao, 77 mins); Mata 6.5, Young 7 (Di Maria, 70), Rooney 7.

Subs not used: Valdes, Rafael, McNair, A Pereira, Januzaj.

Goals: Herrera 43 and 90+2, Rooney 79

Aston Villa (4-4-2): Guzan 7; Hutton 5.5 (Bacuna, 45), Okore 5.5, Clark 6, Lowton 5.5; Delph 6.5, Sanchez 6, N'Zogbia 5.5 (Baker, 61), Weimann 6 (Cole, 77); Agbonlahor 5, Benteke 6.5.

Subs not used: Given, Vlaar, Gil, Grealish.

Goal: Benteke 80

Booked: Delph

Referee: Roger East

Attendance: 75,397

CLICK HERE to view our brilliant Match Zone - including the move for Ander Herrera's opener in Manchester United's win

They remember losing seven home games under David Moyes last season.

Two goals by Ander Herrera and a special one from Wayne Rooney were enough to sweep aside lowly opponents and took United up to third place, a point ahead of neighbours Manchester City who play Crystal Palace on Monday before they are up next at the Theatre of Dreams.

Even more importantly, Van Gaal's side are now eight points clear of Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool in fifth.

It means his number one priority, restoring Champions League football to Old Trafford, has nearly been achieved. In terms of performance, it was something of the old, something of the new.

United used width as their tradition demands with former Villa winger Ashley Young seeing a lot of the ball on the left. But there was a lot of patience and possession too.

United had 72% of the ball without a lot to show for it until the reward came after 43 minutes. Daley Blind overlapped for the umpteenth time and on this occason his cutback to Herrera was perfect for the Spaniard to drill home.

The second goal didn't arrive until 11 minutes from the end but was worth the wait. Angel Di Maria, on as a substitute, chipped the ball behind Rooney, but the England striker still found a way to score. He fully extended his left luminous green boot, brought the ball under control with his first touch and then spun 180 degrees to lash home his finish on the half-volley with his right.

On such goals has the Theatre of Dreams acquired its reputation. But surprisingly there was still work to do for United because David de Gea let a Christian Benteke shot squirm through his body almost immediately aftewards.

Sportsmail's Big Match Stats: Manchester United 3-1 Aston Villa

Villa manager Tim Sherwood (right) shakes the hand of his United counterpart Louis van Gaal before Saturday's encounter

United felt they should have had a penalty in the opening minutes of the match at Old Trafford when Rooney (left) fell in the box

The United skipper appeals to the officials after being denied a penalty during the opening exchanges at Old Trafford

United midfielder Marouane Fellaini (right) challenges for the ball against Villa defender Jores Okore during the first half

Rooney attempts an overhead kick midway through the first half as both sides try to break the deadlock at Old Trafford

EA SPORTS DISTANCE STATS
	MINS	KM	MILES
Manchester United		112.3	69.8
Juan Mata	90	11.5	7.2
Ander Herrera	90	11.5	7.1
Michael Carrick	90	11.2	6.9
Aston Villa		112.7	70.0
Fabian Delph	90	11.7	7.3
Carlos Sánchez	90	11.6	7.2
Matthew Lowton	90	10.4	6.5

It was only when Herrera added his second goal that van Gaal's men were totally safe though anything other than three points would have been a travesty on the balance of play.

'I wanted to come here and compete, and I thought we did that,' said Villa boss Tim Sherwood. 'But United have players who have been round the block, they know when to speed it up and slow it down. The goal just before half-time killed us.'

FA Cup semi-finalists Villa could be in the bottom three when they face QPR at home on Tuesday night in a genuine relegation six-pointer. But they will be without a string of injured players including Alan Hutton. taken off at half-time yesterday with an ankle injury, Scott Sinclair, Ashley Westwood and Kieran Richardson.

'I've never known anything like it. Ridiculous,' said Sherwood.

Van Gaal was simply relieved to get United's first game after the international break out the way.

'I was afraid before this match because we were playing against a very defensive organisaton. That is not easy to create chances and score goals,' he said.

United midfielder Ander Herrera (left) hit the first goal of the game just before half-time with a crisp left-footed strike

The 25-year-old (centre left) watches on as his shot heads towards the bottom of the Villa net

Herrera wheels away in celebration after scoring his fourth Premier League goal of the season since joining from Athletic Bilbao

United winger Ashley Young celebrates Herrera's strike - after providing the assist for the Spaniard's goal

Herrera shows his emotion at scoring United's opener as he is congratulated by his Old Trafford team-mates

Louis van Gaal hails Man United's two-goal Ander Herrera

On two-goal Herrera, he added: 'He has always been very good technically but sometimes was not composed at the right moment. But he is developing. He has scored seven goals now.'

Villa defended well in the first-half with Marcos Rojo going closest with a long-range shot that was tipped over by Brad Guzan.

For long periods, Rooney cut an unhappy figure, beating the turf in frustration and arguing with referee Roger East after beind denied a penalty for Ciaran Clark's early challenge in the area where he seemed to grab the United striker by the back of the neck.

If Rooney reflects on it later, maybe his over-dramatic fall to the ground persauded the official not to award a spot-kick.

The deadlock was eventually broken when United passed and passed long enough for Blind to escape free down the left.

The Dutchman picked out Herrera and he converted from 12 yards for his first goal at Old Trafford since September.

When United couldn't get a second goal with Marouane Fellaini going closest, van Gaal sent on Di Maria and Falcao, combined value £103million. Former Villa winger Young made way to jeers from the away fans and cheers from everyone else after a decent display.

Christian Benteke wheels away in celebration after pulling one back for Villa just moments after Rooney's goal

Benteke (second left) watches on as his tame shot proves too much for David de Gea (centre) in the United goal

The Belgium international punches the air in delight as the visitors made it a nervy ending for Van Gaal's men

Meanwhile De Gea is left rather red-faced at his error allowed the visitors back into the match late on at Old Trafford

However any hope of a Villa comeback were quashed when Herrera (right) added a third in injury time

Di Maria claimed an assist for Rooney's special, pinging the ball across from the touchline.

'He has 10 assists,' pointed out van Gaal, though he baulked at being asked why the winger hadn't started. 'You think we should always pick the most expensive XI? I think not,' was the manager's retort.

Surprisingly, David de Gea gave Villa brief hope to make the game 2-1.

Herrera gave the scoreline a realistic edge when he burst forward into the penalty area once again to fire past Guzan. The Manchester derby next Sunday is going to be a cracker.