MANCHESTER UNITED CLOSE TO ARSENAL AS THEY BEAT SPURS AT OLD TRAFOD

Wayne Rooney pounces on a defensive howler and delivers a knock-out blow to Tottenham as he makes it 3-0 in the 34th minute 

Out for the count! Rooney hits the proverbial Old Trafford canvas but it's Spurs who were knocked out after he made them pay for an error

Flat on his back, Rooney mocks reports of a boxing incident with friends, including Phil Bardsley, at his home 

Marounne Fellaini buries this chance for United's opener inside the first 10 minutes as Louis van Gaal's side get off to a flyer

Tottenham defender Eirc Dier's sliding challenge comes too late as Fellaini keeps his composure and places his left-footed shot

Fellaini celebrates striking the first blow for United in the ninth minute after a sublime pass from Michael Carrick 

United captain Wayne Rooney is first to celebrate with the towering Belgian as United race away to an early lead

Andros Townsend (obscured) can only put his hands on his hips as Rooney and Fellaini celebrate with fans in the corner

Fellaini points to the heavens after his brilliantly taken early goal set United on their way to a valuable three points 

United keeper David de Gea gets a chance to expend some energy in a quiet first half at his end while celebrating Fellaini's strike

Provider becomes scorer just shy of the 20-minute mark as a loose clearance from a corner is headed home by Michael Carrick 

Carrick has to create his own power as the ball loops to him in the box and places his header to perfection to the left of Hugo Lloris 

Rooney watches the ball nestle in the bottom corner as Lloris dives and Nacer Chadli and Harry Kane can only be helpless onlookers

Carrick shows off his guns after his rare goal that gave Manchester United a 2-0 lead at Old Trafford on Sunday

Carrick, who left Spurs for United back in 2006 after 64 appearances for the club, shows no hesitation in celebrating after finding the net

Manager Mauricio Pochettino makes an early change in a bid to turn around the 2-0 deficit, bring Townsend off for Mousa Dembele

Townsend walks to the bench having been hooked after just 31 minutes of the first half at Old Trafford

Eric Lamela (centre) watches on as a disappointed Townsend watches the remainder of the first half from the red car-style seats

Wayne Rooney is clinical as he puts United up 3-0 on 34 minutes with a simple one-on-one finish as Jan Vertonghen arrives too late

Lloris is given no chance as Rooney's shot is slid along the ground and well beyond the French goalkeeper's right glove

Rooney times his celebration to perfection with a joke at his own expense following reports of a boxing incident with Phil Bardsley

Ashley Young enjoys Rooney's knockout performance as Van Gaal's side take a formidable lead on Sunday against the top-four dreamers

Rooney hits the deck as his team-mates surround their captain during a dream start to the match on Sunday

Daley Blind reaches an anything but down and out Rooney as the goal-scorer beams a grin at his team-mates from the turf

Referee Mark Clattenburg shares a joke with goal-scorer Rooney after his self-deprecating celebration

Juan Mata attempts to muscle away Spurs' Danny Rose as United mount another attack down the right hand side

Spurs' Nabil Bentaleb (left) challenges United's Ander Herrera in the midfield as the visitors attempt to get back into the match

Rose and Herrera both pull out of a potentially dangerous sliding challenge on Sunday at Old Trafford 

Mauricio Pochettino doesn't look pleased as his side are blown out of the water in the first half and unable to fight their way back

United's Antonio Valencia (left) and Rose show their speed as they challenge for possession during their Premier League clash

Harry Kane shows his frustration with Clattenburg during a rare off day for the prodigious Spurs striker

Rooney speaks with assistant manager Ryan Giggs as Radamel Falcao prepares to replace Fellaini late in the second half

England manager Roy Hodgson prepares to take his seat ahead of the match in which veterans Rooney and Carrick outshone Harry Kane

Wayne Rooney warms up with company from United's mascot for the day, his son Kai

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Rooney gets some last minute advice from his young son Kai (left) before club mascot Fred the Red leads him off the pitch