• Rooney made first start since March 4 as Man United beat Burnley 2-0
• Martial put United ahead in 21st minute
• Rooney's 251st United goal came in the 39th minute
• United a point behind fourth-placed Manchester City
• Burnley at Crystal Palace on Saturday, United at Manchester City on Thursday

LONDON: Wayne Rooney scored on his return to the Manchester United starting-line up as Jose Mourinho's side enjoyed a 2-0 win at Burnley in the Premier League on Sunday to close in on the top four. The win moved United (63 points) to within a point of fourth-placed Manchester City ahead of the pair’s derby clash on Thursday and extended United’s unbeaten run in the Premier League to 23 matches. After a week in which United lost top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Argentine defender Marcos Rojo to serious knee injuries, the return of Rooney to the side and to scoring form was a much need tonic. Rooney, who last started a game on March 4, was given the start for only the second time in 2017 with Mourinho opting to start with in-form 19-year-old Marcus Rashford on the bench. The 31-year-old England international could have scored as early as the ninth minute when he had a close-range shot blocked by Ben Mee and Burnley keeper Tom Heaton was able to clear up. Then Rooney was found on the left by Jesse Lingard but his lofted shot sailed just over the bar. It was Rooney’s French strike partner Anthony Martial who opened the scoring in the 21st minute, breaking decisively from midfield and then finishing in style after swift exchange with Ander Herrera. The goal will reportedly activate a clause in Martial’s contract where United must pay his former club Monaco around 8.5 million pounds ($10.89 million) when he reaches 25 goals for the club. Rooney then made it 2-0, with his 251st goal for United, in the 39th minute, reacting well to poke home from close-range after Heaton had uncharacteristically failed to hold on to a low shot from Martial. Burnley had plenty of possession in the second half but were unable to create any real chances apart from a diagonal shot from substitute Dan Agyei in the final moments. United, happy to manage the game, had come close to a third in the latter stages when Paul Pogba fired just wide of Heaton’s right-hand post after a strong run from midfield. The result leaves the Clarets in 15th place, five points above the relegation zone with four games remaining.