United hold on in seven-goal thriller

After Daniel Cousin cancelled out Cristiano Ronaldo's opener, further goals from Michael Carrick, Ronaldo and Nemanja Vidic put them 4-1 up just before the hour mark.

But Bernard Mendy gave the Tigers fresh hope before Geovanni tucked home a penalty to leave Sir Alex Ferguson's men sweating.

As they had already won at Newcastle, Tottenham and, more pertinently, Arsenal this season, Hull had every reason to travel across the M62 to Old Trafford for a league game for the first time since 1975 harbouring at least hope.

They refused to buckle even after Ronaldo had given United a third-minute lead, although the slack marking that allowed Ronaldo to exchange passes with Dimitar Berbatov before seeing his shot cannon in off Boaz Myhill's left-hand post would eventually return to haunt them.

Midway through the first half, Nemanja Vidic had a tug at King's shirt, presenting Andy Dawson with the opportunity to curl a dangerous free-kick into the heart of United's penalty area which Cousin headed home.

Just six minutes later, however, Carrick, making his first start for seven weeks, was given far too much room by the Hull defence and fired United back into the lead.

Rooney had a goal correctly disallowed for a marginal offside decision before Nani drifted a corner to the near post two minutes before the interval which Ronaldo powered home.

Vidic turned home Rooney's corner after the break to make it 4-1, but substitute Mendy then lobbed Edwin van der Sar and Geovanni converted from the spot after Rio Ferdinand upended Mendy to set-up a tight finish.