MANCHESTER (AFP) – Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Robin van Persie scored as Manchester United rubbed salt into Liverpool’s wounds with a crushing 3-0 home victory in the Premier League on Sunday.

Rooney and Mata both found the net before half-time, the latter apparently from an offside position, before van Persie added a third to avenge United’s loss to Liverpool by the same scoreline at Old Trafford in March.

Victory, United’s sixth in a row, allowed Louis van Gaal’s side to move back to within eight points of leaders Chelsea and five of champions Manchester City, fuelling hopes of a slow-burning title push.

“I think we have scored wonderful goals,” United manager van Gaal told Sky Sports.

“In spite of the goals, we gave a lot of chances away. That was every time we gave unnecessary passes away and that is how we have to improve.”

United’s fans finished the game by chanting “You’re getting sacked in the morning!” at Liverpool coach Brendan Rodgers, whose side limped out of the Champions League in mid-week and now trail United by 10 points.

But Liverpool might have emerged from the game with more credit had it not been for a stunning display by United goalkeeper David de Gea, who denied Raheem Sterling and substitute Mario Balotelli three times each.

“We created so many chances today and David de Gea was man of the match,” said Rodgers.

“Today we created opportunities, which we haven’t been doing. I’ll keep searching for the solutions.”

Rodgers had reacted to the poor form of his own goalkeeper, Simon Mignolet, by dropping him in favour of Brad Jones, and the Australian’s presence on the pitch at kick-off was not the only novelty.

Both teams lined up with three-man defences, with midfielder Michael Carrick marshalling United’s back line and Liverpool full-back Glen Johnson playing in a narrower role than usual.

De Gea was presented with United’s player of the month award prior to kick-off and he demonstrated his value to van Gaal in the 12th minute by sliding out to thwart Sterling from Adam Lallana’s incisive pass.