<<Print>>

NEIL WARNOCK and Frankie Cocozza were left in no doubt as to who really has The X Factor. Wayne Rooney showed his star quality to ensure United stormed back to the top of the Premier League charts yesterday lunchtime. The England striker opened the scoring after just 52 seconds and ran Warnock's Rangers ragged � following a bizarre Twitter row with X-Factor reject Cocozza. The wannabe pop flop, who was kicked off the ITV series for boasting about taking drugs, wound up Roo on Saturday morning by accusing him of bad hygiene in a #CelebsThatLookLikeTheyStink trend. Cocozza tweeted: "Not really a celeb but I bet his pits are stinking along with his breath wayne rooney." Riled Rooney then tweeted back: "Frankie Cocozza sorry who are u again? Oh yeah I remember your the kid who was on x factor who couldn't sing." Rooney, however, was certainly on-song as United coasted to victory � although their joy of going back top was short-lived with noisy neighbours City returning to the summit after beating Arsenal later on. For the 78 minutes Roo was on the pitch he was like Cocozza's 'music' � simply unplayable. And had some of his United team-mates been on anything like the same wavelength the scoreline would have been embarrassing for Rangers. As it was, the 2-0 result flattered Warnock's Hoops as Rooney put them to the sword. The United striker, 26, opened the scoring in the first attack of the game with a diving, glancing header from Antonio Valencia's cross. But it was not just his 16th goal of the season that had QPR on the back foot. His unrivalled movement, vision, passing and determination made the Rangers' back four look like Little Mix. And it should have resulted in many more goals for United. Danny Welbeck should have made it 2-0 when he was put clean through in only the third minute but his weak finish allowed keeper Radek Cerny to save. Jonny Evans then headed against the bar with the goal at his mercy after Cerny had flapped at Nani's 28th-minute corner. Cerny redeemed himself when he spread himself and used his right boot to deflect a Phil Jones shot out for a corner following another sensational Roo through-ball. Cerny then pulled off a one-handed wonder stop to keep out Valencia's point-blank shot after Rs defender Danny Gabbidon had blocked Rooney's strike from Nani's centre in the 31st minute. Rangers had no answer to Rooney, but you could not blame them. On this form, no team could have stopped the United ace. A couple of Jay Bothroyd efforts � a shot into the upper tier of the School End and a low 18-yard volley that went just wide of David de Gea's left-hand post � was all that the home side could muster in the first half. And they were lucky not to concede a second quite quickly when defender Evans had a header hacked off the line by Alejandro Faurlin on the stroke of half time. United, always in command, did not begin the second half in such rampant fashion. But the second goal duly arrived in the 56th minute after Rangers skipper Joey Barton gave the ball away to Michael Carrick. United's England midfielder has been accused of lacking pace. But the Hoops midfield made him look like Usain Bolt as he flat-footed Faurlin with a Glenn Roeder-style shimmy and raced towards goal from inside his own half before drilling a right-footed shot past Cerny. The floodgates threatened to open once again as Welbeck forced Cerny into another fine save and Jones rattled a shot against the inside of the post. The 3,000 travelling fans celebrated with a chorus of 'Oh Channel Five is wonderful, it's full of t**s, f***y and United." The Champions League may have a unusual look about it without United � but the Premier League has a familar ring to it with Alex Ferguson's men typically kicking into gear with New Year approaching. Rooney was given a standing ovation by the red and white hordes when he left the field to be replaced by Ryan Giggs with 12 minutes remaining. As he accepted the hand of his manager on the touchline, Roo received a rueful look from QPR boss Warnock, who must have been cursing Cocozza for winding up the star before the game. As for Rangers, they nearly grabbed a consolation when DJ Campbell cushioned a cross from fellow sub Adel Taarabt onto the roof of the net. After a fair start to the campaign, the newly-promoted Hoops are on the slide after just one win in their last seven matches. Boss Warnock was jeered by the Loft when he took off Heidar Helguson instead of Bothroyd in the 65th minute. Warnock insisted it was to save the Icelandic hitman for Wednesday's visit of Sunderland. It is now crucial they get something from the clash against the Black Cats. Fortunately for Warnock and his players, they will not have to face Rooney again for a while. STAR MAN � WAYNE ROONEY (Man Utd) QPR: Cerny 7, Young 6, Gabbidon 5, Connolly 6, Traore 5, Mackie 5, Barton 5, Faurlin 6, Wright-Phillips 5 (Taarabt 6), Bothroyd 5 (Hill 5), Helguson 6 (Campbell 5). Subs not used: Kenny, Orr, Derry, Smith. Booked: Gabbidon. MAN UTD: De Gea 6, Smalling 7, Evans 7, Ferdinand 6, Evra 6, Valencia 7, Jones 7, Carrick 7, Nani 7 (Young 5), Rooney 9 (Giggs 6), Welbeck 6 (Hernandez 6). Subs not used: Lindegaard, Berbatov, Park, Fryers. Booked: Ferdinand, Jones.