Sir Alex Ferguson might have thought his side would be in for a tough afternoon once Jeremie Aliadiere had levelled Nani’s stunning early opener.

But Wayne Rooney profited from Stewart Downing’s blunder to put the hosts in front before the break and Carlos Tevez finished the Teessiders off with a second-half double.

Gerard Pique replaced a not-too-impressed Ferdinand 18 minutes from time before Cattermole was booked for a lunge at Nani.

Rooney nodded Nani’s cross straight at Schwarzer just before Ryan Giggs took over from Anderson in central midfield.

United were coasting by now, although they had not finished scoring and when Ronaldo and Rooney combined to release Tevez, Taylor only managed to send the Argentina international’s shot bouncing past Schwarzer as he dived to try to stop it.