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Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney was happy his side could register a 4-1 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday for both manager David Moyes and the club's supporters.
Much had been made during the build-up of a planned fly-by protest, with a plane carrying the message 'Wrong One - Moyes Out' flying over Old Trafford shortly after kick-off.
Things then began badly on the pitch when the home side conceded a free-kick from Ashley Westwood, but Rooney's double plus further goals from Juan Mata - his first for the Red Devils - and Javier Hernandez earned United a much-needed victory to take some of the pressure off the club.
It was the lift Moyes - who was given a rousing reception inside the stadium - and his players needed after the midweek defeat to Manchester City, and Rooney told BT Sport: "Today was a big game for us after midweek.
Manchester United: The latest match picturesShow all 73 1 /73Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United: The latest match pictures Swansea 2 Manchester United 1 Jonjo Shelvey broke Manchester United hearts with a late winner
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Swansea 2 Manchester United 1 Ki equalised for the Swans just before half time.
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Swansea 2 Manchester United 1 Ander Herrera put the Red Devils ahead against Swansea
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 2 Stoke 1 Juan Mata and Marcos Rojo celebrate United's second
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 2 Stoke 1 Steven Nzonzi fires in the equaliser
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 2 Stoke 1 Marouane Fellaini scores United's first goal of the game
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Southampton 1 Manchester United 1 A bloodied Nemanja Vidic says thank you to the United fans, he will join Inter Milan this summer
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Southampton 1 Manchester United 1 Nemanja Vidic and Adam Lallana commit for the ball
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Southampton 1 Manchester United 1 Juan Mata celebrates after putting United level
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Southampton 1 Manchester United 1 Juan Mata scores the equaliser from a free-kick
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Southampton 1 Manchester United 1 Rickie Lambert wheels away after giving the Saints the lead
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Southampton 1 Manchester United 1 England forward Rickie Lambert scores the opening goal
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Southampton 1 Manchester United 1 Chris Smalling wins a header under pressure from Sam Gallagher
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 3 Hull City 1 Player-interim manager Ryan Giggs brings himself off the bench to replace Tom Lawrence
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 3 Hull City 1 James Wilson celebrates with Nemanja Vidic, who was making his last appearance at Old Trafford for United
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 3 Hull City 1 Phil Jones goes down clutching his shoulder
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Sunderland 1 Robin van Persie jumps for the ball Vito Mannone
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Sunderland 1 Nani keeps the ball under pressure from Sunderland players
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Sunderland 1 Manchester United players react to going a goal down
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Sunderland 1 Sebastian Larsson is congratulated by John O'Shea after scoring
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Sunderland 1 Connor Wickham celebrates after setting up Sebastian Larsson for the Blackcats' opener
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 4 Norwich 0 Juan Mata celebrates his second goal to make the score 4-0
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 4 Norwich 0 Juan Mata came off the bench to score after eight minutes and make it 3-0
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 4 Norwich 0 Wayne Rooney celebrates after converting from the penalty spot
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 4 Norwich 0 Wayne Rooney scores a penalty to put United ahead
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Norwich 0 Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and Phil Neville discuss things before Manchester United's match with Norwich
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Manchester United 0 Manchester United manager David Moyes receives a hostile reception on his return to Goodison Park
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Manchester United 0 Everton's Seamus Coleman pursues Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Manchester United 0 Phil Jones handles Romelu Lukaku's shot in the area and Everton are awarded a penalty
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Manchester United 0 Leighton Baines strikes the opening goal from the spot in Everton's win over Manchester United
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Manchester United 0 Everton manager Roberto Martinez and assistant Graeme Jones urge their side on from the touchline
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Manchester United 0 Kevin Mirallas fires Everton's second goal past the helpless David De Gea
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Manchester United 0 Kevin Mirallas celebrates after scoring for Everton against Manchester United
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Manchester United 0 James McCarthy brings down Juan Mata with a late challenge
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Everton 2 Manchester United 0 Manchester United manager David Moyes looks on during his side's defeat to Everton
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Bayern Munich 3 Manchester United 1 David Moyes applauds the travelling United support following their elimination from Europe
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Bayern Munich 3 Manchester United 1 Arjen Robben's shot takes a deflection off Nemanja Vidic's left foot to deceive David De Gea and put the tie beyond United
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Bayern Munich 3 Manchester United 1 Mario Mandzukic scores with his head within 60 seconds of United's goal
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Bayern Munich 3 Manchester United 1 Manchester United's celebrations were to be short-lived following Patrice Evra's wonder strike
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Bayern Munich 3 Manchester United 1 Patrice Evra fires United into the lead with an unstoppable strike
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Newcastle 0 Manchester United 4 Adnan Januzaj celebrates his goal and completing United's four goal rout
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Newcastle 0 Manchester United 4 Shinji Kagawa and Juan Mata congratulate Javier Hernandez after the Mexican scores United's third
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Newcastle 0 Manchester United 4 Juan Mata scores his second and gives United breathing room
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Newcastle 0 Manchester United 4 Darren Fletcher wins the ball in a tackle with Dan Gosling
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Newcastle 0 Manchester United 4 Juan Mata scores his first of the afternoon to put United one up
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Newcastle 0 Manchester United 4 Patrice Evra and Fabrizio Coloccini battle for the ball
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 1 Bayern Munich 1 Bastian Schweinsteiger celebrates bringing Bayern level
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 1 Bayern Munich 1 Nemanja Vidic strains his neck to score a header and put United ahead
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 1 Bayern Munich 1 Nemanja Vidic heads United in front
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 1 Bayern Munich 1 Manuel Neuer saves Danny Welbeck's chipped effort
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 1 Bayern Munich 1 Danny Welbeck is through one-on-one with Manuel Neuer but can't find the net, United's best chance of the first half
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 1 Bayern Munich 1 Ryan Giggs, the first man to play in the quarter final stage of 12 different Champions League seasons, does battle with Bastian Schweinsteiger
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 1 Bayern Munich 1 David Alaba wins a header against Phil Jones
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 1 Bayern Munich 1 Referee Carlos Velasco Carballo shows Antonio Valencia a yellow card for his tackle on Phillip Lahm
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 1 Bayern Munich 1 David Alaba shakes off the pressure and dribbles past Antonio Valencia
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 1 Bayern Munich 1 Danny Welbeck finds the net early on for United but the goal is disallowed for a high foot in the build up
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 1 Bayern Munich 1 Pep Guardiola and David Moyes exchange hand shakes before the Champions League quarter final first leg
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 4 Aston Villa 1 Javier Hernandez celebrates his goal with Juan Mata
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 4 Aston Villa 1 Javier Hernandez stretchers to score United's fourth
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 4 Aston Villa 1 Juan Mata puts United 3-1 up with his first goal for the club
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 4 Aston Villa 1 Ashley Young celebrates with Wayne Rooney as Man United go in front
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 4 Aston Villa 1 Wayne Rooney scores his second of the game from the penalty spot
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 4 Aston Villa 1 Wayne Rooney heads in from close range to level the game at one all
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 4 Aston Villa 1 Ashley Westwood and his teammates celebrate the opening goal
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 4 Aston Villa 1 Ashley Westwood curls in a free kick to give Aston Villa the lead
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Manchester City 3 Edin Dzeko celebrates one of his two goals at Old Trafford - both of which came early at the start of each half
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Manchester City 3 David De Gea looks dejected after conceding to Manchester City
Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Manchester City 3 Marouane Fellaini is taken off, much to the delight of United fans after another abject performance
Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Manchester City 3 England team-mates Joe Hart and Dnny Welbeck come together
Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Manchester City 3 Jesus Navas sees his cross blocked by Patrice Evra
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures Manchester United 0 Manchester City 3 Yaya Toure sweeps in his side's third goal late in the match
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures West Ham 0 Manchester United 2 Wayne Rooney celebrates his second goal against West Ham after a Mark Noble clearance was deflected of him and into the empty net
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Manchester United: The latest match pictures West Ham 0 Manchester United 2 Manchester United players swamp Wayne Rooney after his wonder-goal at Upton Park
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"We had to respond and it was difficult. We had a slow start, going behind, but we came through it and got the win and deserved it. It was a good win for us.
"We know the support the manager has got from the players and from the fans and that's what matters. The support he got from the fans was incredible again today."
United's attention now turns to the Champions League meeting with Bayern Munich at Old Trafford on Tuesday, a match Rooney is looking forward to.
He said: "It's a massive game, the quarter-finals of the Champions League against the champions. It's going to be a good game and hopefully we'll get a good result."
Moyes was also grateful for the support he received after a week of criticism from many quarters.
"I've been saying all the time since I've been here the crowd have been great, and they've been terrific to me as well," he said.
"Of course at times we haven't done as well as we'd like, and we didn't start the game well today. But the crowd were brilliant the way they got behind the team."
The manager was particularly impressed with Rooney's display and is keen for the England man to keep producing the goals.
Moyes said: "He's a top player. He's been great since the start of the season.
"I said to him after the end of the game 'if you keep scoring two goals for us, it's going to give us a great chance of doing much better'. And his form and the way he's been playing has been very very good."
Moyes now has the task of trying to plot a route past European champions Bayern, a tall order for any manager with the Bundesliga side the in-form club on the continent at present.
But the United boss is relishing the prospect and said: "I'm really looking forward to it.
"We've got a big game, we've got a tough game against probably the best team in Europe at this moment, but bring the challenge on. Coming to Old Trafford isn't an easy place for any team."
PA
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