United ensure losing start for Laws

Dimitar Berbatov, Wayne Rooney and Mame Biram Diouf scored second-half goals to earn Manchester United a 3-0 win over Burnley.

Dimitar Berbatov, Wayne Rooney and Mame Biram Diouf scored second-half goals to earn Manchester United a 3-0 win over Burnley that was not quite as straightforward as the scoreline suggests.

The Clarets, who had new manager Brian Laws in charge for the first time, proved tricky opponents despite having picked up just one point away from home all season.

Berbatov finally broke down their resistance just after the hour and Rooney made the game safe with his 16th goal of the season.

New signing Diouf added a third, his first for the club, in added time but it was far from a comfortable afternoon for the champions.

Steven Fletcher passed up a golden chance for the Clarets to take a shock lead in the seventh minute.

The visitors broke From Nani’s corner, ex-United man Chris Eagles released David Nugent and his pass set Fletcher clean through on goal only for the Scotland international to drill wide.

Nani, back after a month out with ankle trouble, continued his poor form in front of goal with an air shot at Luis Valencia’s cross before Berbatov shot way off target.

Up against the ageing Gary Neville, Eagles was causing all sorts of problems by cutting in from the left and his lofted pass just had too much on it for Nugent, with the on-loan Portsmouth striker poised to strike.

But finally there was some quality from Nani as the Portugese slipped inside and hit a bobbling drive that was held by Burnley goalkeeper Brian Jensen.

Neville squeezed a pass through to Nani and the winger lifted a cross back in but Rooney’s header did not have the power to trouble Jensen.

United were dominating possession and after stroking it around, Neville lofted the ball in but Rooney headed straight at Jensen.

Valencia always looked United’s best option and when he was picked out once again by Rooney, he drilled in a low cross that was stabbed at goal by Berbatov only to be deflected wide.

And Valencia showed United’s mounting frustration when he clattered into Fletcher.

Stephen Jordan was continuing to give Valencia far too much space and the Ecuador winger’s cross flew over the area, allowing Nani to cross back in for Berbatov, but the Bulgarian failed to hit the target.

Another Valencia cross was glanced wide by Paul Scholes as he searched for his 100th Premier League goal.

Jensen was still leading a charmed life and after United finally worked some room on the edge of the area, Rooney clipped a shot wide of goal, while another quick break down the right saw Valencia cross in and Nani’s overhead kick deflected wide.

After the restart, Nani hit a hopeful long-range drive straight at Jensen and after Patrice Evra wriggled out of two challenges, Rooney sliced his shot well over the bar.

But Nani even surpassed that that with a horrible shank that almost went out for a Burnley throw.

Berbatov went much closer when he received a return pass from Valencia and juggled the ball past David Edgar, stabbing a shot off the outside of the post.

Nugent should have given the visitors a shock lead when he was played through by Eagles, but the one-time England striker sliced wide despite out-pacing Neville.

United finally made the breakthrough midway through the second period when Rooney slipped a pass through for Berbatov and the Bulgarian lifted a calm shot past Jensen.

Rooney doubled the lead when Berbatov's shot was blocked by Jensen and the England forward held off Michael Duff's challenge to roll into the corner.

Steve Thompson could have grabbed a consolation for Burnley in the closing stages but his header came back off the post before Diouf headed in United’s third from Valencia's huge clearance.