Manchester United climbed back to the summit of the Premier League with four goals from Wayne Rooney, but to the disconcerting sound of noises off. For once, Old Trafford was not full to capacity, and those who were present spent most of the afternoon disparaging the Glazer family, who own the club and have plunged it into debt to the tune of £716m.

Defeating relegation-threatened Hull was such a formality that supporters felt they could turn their attention to United’s alarming finances. Disaffection on this score was of sufficient concern for Sir Alex Ferguson to devote his programme notes to the subject, calling for an “all-for-one-one-for-all” unity of purpose. Given the raucous backdrop, he didn’t get it.

Out in the middle, United won with even more to spare than Rooney’s four-timer might suggest. At his peak, Michael Owen would have had a hat-trick, too, and it was scarcely the most demanding of comebacks for Rio Ferdinand, recalled after a three-month absence, injured.

Ferguson opted to rest Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick, Antonio Valencia and Dimitar Berbatov in the knowledge that almost any 11 he chose was going to be too good for Hull. He even allowed Owen a rare start. Phil Brown sought defensive security by flooding the midfield but, ominously, a dreadful lapse in concentration by Kamil Zayatte, letting in Rooney, might have produced a goal for United in the first minute. Instead they had to wait until the eighth to take the lead. Boaz Myhill, outstanding at Tottenham last week, was culpable this time, weakly parrying a 25-yarder from Scholes straight to Rooney, who gratefully accepted the gift from eight yards.

The Stretford End chose to celebrate with choruses of “We want the Glazers out” and “If you all hate the Glazers, clap your hands”.

Hull flurried in an attempt to get back into the game, but United always looked likely to score again, Rooney threatening a second with a shot that was deflected wide and a free-kick that was tantalisingly close and a last-ditch tackle by Andy Dawson and a sprawling save from Myhill twice denying Owen.

The former England striker should have settled the issue before half-time, but further undermined his prospects of an international recall in World Cup year by failing to beat Myhill from six yards. Park Ji-Sung was similarly profligate in the second half and Owen flashed a header wide, leaving it to Rooney to bring some semblance of sense to the scoreline by scoring three in the last 11 minutes. For his second, after 82 minutes, he pounced after Myhill had compounded his error for the first goal by fumbling a Nani free-kick against his crossbar. The third was a header from eight yards, from the excellent Nani’s cross and the fourth was struck low past Myhill’s right hand from near the penalty spot.

Premier LeagueManchester UnitedHull CityJoe Lovejoyguardian.co.uk