London: Two Wayne Rooney headers led Manchester United to a 3-0 win over West Ham United at Old Trafford on Tuesday, taking the champions within a point of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League.
Striker Rooney, who also scored two headers when his side beat AC Milan in the Champions League last week, took his tally for the season to 27 -- with 19 of those goals coming in his last 19 matches.
Substitute Michael Owen added the third in the 80th minute, two minutes after replacing goal machine Rooney who executed both headers with real power from crosses by Antonio Valencia after 38 and 55 minutes.
Manchester United have 60 points from 28 games, one behind leaders Chelsea although the second-placed team have played one more match.
Defeat ended 13th-placed West Ham's recent revival. Gianfranco Zola's men had lost once in six matches but were always second best on Tuesday.
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson reshuffled his side after Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Everton, making five changes including bringing back defender Nemanja Vidic and goalkeeper Ben Foster.
There was no place for Rio Ferdinand, who will miss Sunday's League Cup final against Aston Villa with a back injury, but the home team looked assured without him.
Manchester United gradually took control of the game and deservedly went ahead seven minutes before halftime with a brilliantly-executed goal, Valencia providing the cross for Rooney to score.
The hosts went close again 20 seconds into the second half when Park Ji-Sung smashed the ball against the crossbar.
Nine minutes later Rooney doubled the lead with another fine header and Owen made sure of victory when he dinked the ball into the net after a through pass from Paul Scholes.
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