Rooney back Manchester United won, Mesut Ozil showed that the capacity of the first match, Mourinho not happy.

Manchester United 2 Crystal Palace 0:If you got Wayne Rooney dont need panicky.

Wayne Rooney was expected to be sidelined for another week with the badly gashed forehead that kept him out of England’s two World Cup qualifiers.

But Moyes admitted he was desperate to ensure Rooney, who wore a protective headband, got a full 90 minutes under his belt against Crystal Palace on Saturday before the start of United’s Champions League campaign against Bayer Leverkusen tomorrow and the clash with neighbours City at the Etihad on Sunday.

Rooney is the joint- leading scorer in Manchester derbies with 10 goals, and Moyes said: “We wanted to try to get Wayne through 90 minutes. I wanted to keep him on, get some minutes under his belt and get him ready for the coming weeks and months.

I thought that would help us in the long run. I could have changed it earlier but I wanted him to get those minutes because he needs it.

“He has got himself in good physical condition but he lacks match practice because of his injuries. In the first half he was excellent but tired in the second.

“It was a difficult decision to play him because it was a nasty cut. The headband didn’t arrive until Friday – he felt he could wear it so we thought we’d get him out there.”

Just moments before the local hitman, who is set to face David Haye, was introduced, Ian Holloway’s side had exploded in combined anger at the award of a penalty involving hate figure Ashley Young.

The England winger, who has already in the past endured a lecture from former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson about going to ground too easily, was yellow carded early on for a blatant dive in the box, purposely collapsing under Kagisho Dikgacoi’s legal challenge.

But the next time the South African came into contact with Young, he was forced into the walk of shame towards the dressing room after being sent off, while Robin van Persie waited patiently on the penalty spot.

A sloppy pass deep in their own half allowed Young a clear run towards the area and Dikgacoi caught the former Aston Villa player who wasn’t looking for a second invitation to collapse in a crumpled heap.

Referee Jon Moss deemed that the offence had been committed just inside the area, although TV replays suggested it was just outside.

In any case there was no reprieve for Dikgacoi although many of Palace’s players vented their anger at Young.

Van Persie simply waited for the commotion to die down before slotting the spot-kick past Julian Speroni – game over.

Watching Palace boss Holloway could only fume alone in the stand, a two-match touchline ban isolating him among the posh seats.

Not too far away was Sir Alex, back watching a game at Old Trafford for the first time since his retirement and subsequent successful hip operation.

Safe to say it wasn’t a feast of football to set before the king but as Ferguson has often observed, three points never does anybody any harm.

And after all, it was his successor’s first ever win at Old Trafford at the 13th time of asking, taking in visits from Everton and his United goalless draw debut against Chelsea.

David Moyes will know and expect that the side entrusted to him can perform with more aplomb.

At least ‘the big man’ was back, Wayne Rooney complete with black headband determined that the effects of team-mate Phil Jones’ studs which necessitated a dozen stitches in his forehead weren’t going to delay his comeback any longer.

“The headband didn’t arrive until Friday but he felt all right with it and so we decided to give it a go,” Moyes explained. “I think it was what a sumo wrestler would wear! But he was fine. He even went for a couple of headers.”

Nine minutes from time his moment arrived. Neat and tidy with bursts of his usual energy, Rooney had set up Van Persie to smash a volley against the bar and been a general nuisance to Palace’s defence.

But when young substitute Adnan Januzaj was brought down just outside the box Rooney seized the opportunity, curling a brilliantly executed free-kick over the wall and just inside the post.

Moyes clapped in the dug out, Fergie managed a smile and Rooney blew kisses to all areas of the ground – seemingly the summer of discontent behind him.

Palace to their credit had not lost their shape and discipline despite playing with 10 men for half the game.

When they were at full strength Dwight Gale took Rio Ferdinand by surprise following a long ball into the penalty area only to chip inches past the far post.

United were on the front foot in the second half with Young firing straight at Speroni before new £27.5million man Marouane Fellaini marked his entrance from the substitutes’ bench with an attempt from outside the box which Speroni just managed to claw away.

But the former Everton midfielder was upstaged in the late flurry of action by his 18-year-old Belgium compatriot Januzaj who evoked memories of a young Ryan Giggs as he slalomed down the left creating a chance for Rooney which the striker impudently curled past the post.

Moyes revealed: “He is only 18 and ahead of schedule. I even considered playing him from the start. He is looking a very good player and justified that thought.”

Holloway can take some solace in the knowledge that it could never have been as bad as his last visit here.

“I was relegated with Blackpool. That hasn’t happened yet with Palace,” he said.

Manchester United vs Crystal Palace Match Stats

Man United (4-2-3-1): De Gea 6; Fabio 7, Ferdinand 6, Vidic 6, Evra 7; Anderson 6 (Fellaini 61mins 6), Carrick 7; Valencia 6, Rooney 7, Young 6 (Januzaj 66mins 6); Van Persie 6 (Hernandez 77mins 6).

Subs not used: Amos, Evans, Cleverley, Zaha.

Booked: Young.

Goals: Van Persie 45 pen, Rooney 81.

Crystal Palace (4-3-2-1): Speroni 7; Mariappa 7, Gabbidon 7, Delaney 7, Moxey 7; Dikgacoi 6, Jedinak 6, Puncheon 6;  Gayle 6 (Jerome 63mins 6), Campana 6 (Guedioura 58mins 6); Chamakh 6 (Kebe 74mins 6).

Subs not used: Alexander, O’Keefe, Bannan, Phillips.

Booked: Chamakh, Moxey.

Sent off: Dikgacoi.

Ref: Jon Moss 5.

Manchester United 2 Crystal Palace 0 Match Video

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Sunderland 1 Arsenal 3: Gunners mure creativ team with Mesut Ozil

But there was bad news too as he revealed that Santi Cazorla is set to be sidelined for a month with an ankle injury.

Ozil, signed from Real Madrid, marked his entrance by setting up Olivier Giroud for an 11th minute opener and proceeded to run the game in the first half despite suffering from a stomach bug.

The German’s exertions caught up with him after the break and he was substituted 10 minutes from time.

But manager Wenger was delighted with Ozil’s contribution, saying: “He was like the team. He had an outstanding first half and dropped physically in the second half.

“He was sick on Thursday night and I only decided this morning to play him because he had a stomach bug and didn’t feel well.

Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey scored twice after Craig Gardner levelled with a penalty, and Wenger added: “What Ramsey has achieved, compared to a year ago, is fantastic.”

French hitman Olivier Giroud gave a dominant Arsenal an early lead, but his side was pegged back by Craig Gardner’s penalty for Sunderland in the 48th minute.

Ramsey restored the visitors’ lead in the 67th with a spectacular shot from just inside the area and then sealed the points in the 76th. However, Sunderland players were left to rue two second-half goals that were disallowed – for Steven Fletcher and American Jozy Altidore.

Mesut Ozil, Arsenal’s club record signing at 50 million euros ($67 million), made his debut in midfield and needed less than 11 minutes to provide his first assist – setting up Giroud’s opener on the break.

Ozil was always likely to be at the centre of attention, and he responded in the best possible way by producing a first-half display which fully justified Arsenal’s massive investment in his talent.

From the off, he led Sunderland a merry dance, interchanging neatly with Jack Wilshere behind frontman Giroud and picking out angles which left the Sunderland rearguard in disarray.

Walcott scuffed a shot harmlessly across goal from his fifth-minute corner, but it was Giroud who was the beneficiary of the German’s brilliance as the Gunners took their early lead.

Ozil killed Kieran Gibbs’ lofted ball down the left in an instant and just as swiftly rolled a cross into the path of the Frenchman, who swept it past goalkeeper Keiren Westwood with the minimum of fuss.

Sunderland vs Arsenal Match Stats

Sunderland (4-2-4): Westwood 7; Celustka 6, Diakite 5, Roberge 6, Colback 6; Vaughan 5 (Gardner 46, 8) Ki 6; Johnson 7, Fletcher 6 (Wickham 77), Altidore 6, Mavrias 5 (Borini 72, 6).

Subs not used: Brown, Larsson, Cuellar, Mannone.

Goal: Gardner 48 (pen)

Booked: Gardner.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Szczesny 6; Jenkinson 7, Sagna 6, Koscielny 7, Gibbs 7; Flamini 7, Wilshere 7; Ozil 9 (Vermaelen 80), Ramsey 8, Walcott 6 (Monreal 88); Giroud 7 (Akpon 90+3).

Subs not used: Frimpong, Miyaichi, Akpon, Gnabry, Fabianski. Booked: Flamini, Sagna.

Goals: Giroud 11, Ramsey 67, 76.

Referee: Martin Atkinson 5

Att: 39.055

Sunderland 1 Arsenal 3 Match Video

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English Premier League Week 4 Other Results

Tottenham 2 Norwich City 0

Fulham 1 West Brom 1

Aston Villa 1 Newcastle 2

Everton 1 Chelsea 0

Sunday, September 15

Southampton 0 West Ham 0

Monday, September 16

Swansea City vs Liverpool 8:00 PM

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