It only seems like yesterday that we waited at Swansea's Liberty Stadium for Wayne Rooney to emerge as a substitute during Manchester United's opening Barclays Premier League game of the season.
Back in August, towards the end of a difficult summer for the forward, it was hard to guess just how United's travelling supporters would react to him and indeed he to them.
Ultimately, of course, the afternoon passed by without rancour. United's support realised just how much they needed Rooney. Here in the freezing cold of the Bay Arena, they gave thanks for their favourite Liverpudlian once more.
Comfortable: Manchester United recorded an impressively easy victory against Bayer Leverkusen in Germany
Brilliant: Wayne Rooney supplied four goals in a wonderful performance
Arriving: Antonio Valencia arrives at the back post to convert a measured Wayne Rooney cross to make it 1-0
Glance: Emir Spahic is unfortunate to score an own-goal as David Moyes' United team double their lead
Rooney was his team's man of the match once again, just as he was in their last significant win, at home to Arsenal in the Premier League at the start of the month. Moyes has said privately that he can't afford to drop him at the moment and it is easy to understand why.
United came through a slightly tricky opening 20 minutes to win here and ensure they qualify for the knockout stages with a game to spare. Rooney was involved in everything, his cross allowing Antonio Valencia to score in the 23rd , his whipped free-kick brought an own goal from the head of Emir Spahic seven minutes. Then, in the second half his his shot led to Jonny Evans’s third goal and his goalbound lob was turned in by Chris Smalling. Nani's late goal was the only thing not supplied by the striker after he had been substituted.
There could have been more, too. All that was missing for Rooney was a goal but he shouldn't worry. He has 10 already this season and, on this form, there are sure to be more.
With United missing the calming presence of Michael Carrick in the middle of the field, their destiny was always likely to depend largely on how well they could function in that area.
Making sure: Jonny Evans scored the third goal, turning in after a scramble from a corner
This one's his: Chris Smalling scored the fourth, with a simple tap-in at the back post
Late goal: Nani latched on to a perfect Ryan Giggs pass to add a neatly taken fifth with just two minutes remaining
Pats on the back: The United No 10 delivered the perfect ball for Valencia to score
The omission of Tom Cleverley perhaps
didn't say much for his recent form but nevertheless the return of Phil
Jones was reassuring for a United team that had certainly missed his
steel in drawing at Cardiff on Sunday.
As it was, the visitors did indeed struggle for possession and tempo early on. Indeed, Moyes' team were struggling a little bit before their breakthrough goal in the 23rd minute and could easily have been behind.
Rooney was perhaps a little unfortunate when he was adjudged to be offside running on to a Shinji Kagawa through ball early on but for the next 20 minutes or so it was the home team who looked the more dangerous.
With Jones and Ryan Giggs - 40 on Friday - struggling to get a grip on Bayer's midfield runners, United's defence found it a little difficult to stem the flow of black shirts.
Nani did curl a shot over from 18 yards for United in the 16th minute but he then gave the ball away cheaply in midfield before Smalling did the same to invite more pressure on to the United defence.
In terms of chances, Son Heung-Min may have done better than shoot wide in the 18th minute before central defender Spahic arrived to head the resulting corner narrowly over the bar.
As it was, the visitors did indeed struggle for possession and tempo early on. Indeed, Moyes' team were struggling a little bit before their breakthrough goal in the 23rd minute and could easily have been behind.
Rooney was perhaps a little unfortunate when he was adjudged to be offside running on to a Shinji Kagawa through ball early on but for the next 20 minutes or so it was the home team who looked the more dangerous.
With Jones and Ryan Giggs - 40 on Friday - struggling to get a grip on Bayer's midfield runners, United's defence found it a little difficult to stem the flow of black shirts.
Nani did curl a shot over from 18 yards for United in the 16th minute but he then gave the ball away cheaply in midfield before Smalling did the same to invite more pressure on to the United defence.
In terms of chances, Son Heung-Min may have done better than shoot wide in the 18th minute before central defender Spahic arrived to head the resulting corner narrowly over the bar.
From our Match Zone: Antonio Valencia capped a quick counter-attack, turning a brilliant Wayne Rooney cross
Disbelief: Leverkusen players are stunned after shipping their second goal from a perfect Rooney free-kick
Finish: Nani adds a late fifth to add a cherry on top of the United performance
Vintage: Ryan Giggs started for David Moyes and added a late assist for Nani - the legend turns 40 on Friday
Forward Gonzalo Castro then should
have done better than blast widely over when through on goal down the
right before a last-ditch tackle form Evans spared Rio Ferdinand's
blushes after Stefan Kiessling left the former England player for dead
on the edge of the penalty area with a deft shake of the hips.
With a quarter of the game gone, Moyes may have been a little agitated. United just weren't seeing enough of the ball.
But everything seemed to change in the space of seven minutes as United broke away to score twice before the half hour.
Bayer midfielder Stefan Reinartz didn't help his team by trying to play a cute half-volley backheel in the centre circle in the 23rd minute but once United had the ball they broke devastatingly. Kagawa played the ball to Giggs, he funnelled it wide left to Rooney and when United's man of the moment crossed deliciously in to the box, Valencia arrived behind Kagawa at the far post to shovel the first goal in to the net from a matter of yards.
Whether Rooney was aiming for Valencia or Kagawa only he will know. It didn't matter, though, as United were ahead and it was soon to get better.
With a quarter of the game gone, Moyes may have been a little agitated. United just weren't seeing enough of the ball.
But everything seemed to change in the space of seven minutes as United broke away to score twice before the half hour.
Bayer midfielder Stefan Reinartz didn't help his team by trying to play a cute half-volley backheel in the centre circle in the 23rd minute but once United had the ball they broke devastatingly. Kagawa played the ball to Giggs, he funnelled it wide left to Rooney and when United's man of the moment crossed deliciously in to the box, Valencia arrived behind Kagawa at the far post to shovel the first goal in to the net from a matter of yards.
Whether Rooney was aiming for Valencia or Kagawa only he will know. It didn't matter, though, as United were ahead and it was soon to get better.
From our Match Zone: Wayne Rooney covered a huge amount of turf in his man of the match performance
Progress: Manchester United players enjoyed a comfortable evening in Leverkusen
Dejected: Leverkusen players trudge off after a heavy defeat
Face in the crowd: Sir Alex Ferguson watches his former team at the BayArena
Positive: David Moyes looks on as United record an impressive victory
Before United's second, they had three more chances and that said much for the manner in which the home team wobbled on going behind. Evans and Jones both applied agricultural swishes to chances as the ball zinged around the penalty area before Giggs then struck a free-kick in to the defensive wall when he may have been better leaving it to Rooney.
Moments later, Rooney did take command of a dead ball out on the left and when his cross caused consternation in the home defence Spahic applied the decisive touch, backheading the ball beyond his own goalkeeper and in to the top corner.
Sami Hyypia may have wondered just quite how his team were behind. This was a team that had won its last eight Champions League games at home but they had, it must be said, capitulated rather alarmingly.
Certainly, there was little in the way of a response from the German team. As the first half closed it was United who continued to push forward, Kagawa advancing to shoot low at the goalkeeper from 20 yards.
Kagawa could actually have put the game to bed completely in the opening minutes of the second half. Valencia's chipped cross from the right was a very good one and Kagawa seemed set to head the ball in at the near post. Sadly for the Japan star he couldn't quite make the right contact.
Anchor man: Phil Jones started in midfield for the Red Devils
Powerless: Simon Rolfes and his Leverkusen team-mates struggled to contain Rooney
Stand him up: Son Heung-Min attempts to take on United's skipper Patrice Evra
Still a chance: Sami Hyypia and his team still
have a chance to qualify, depending on the result between Shakhtar and
United in the next match - they will need to beat Real Sociedad and hope
Shakthar do not win
At the other end a Bayer free-kick bounced once and flew through the legs of the startled Smalling to present a re-energised home team with a corner. That, however, came to nothing. Then Rooney broke to set Valencia away again but the At the other end a Bayer free-kick bounced once and flew through the legs of the startled Smalling to present a re-energised home team with a corner.
That, however, came to nothing. Then Rooney broke to set Valencia away again but the German defence cleared the low cross that follows.
They couldn't do much when United scored their third in the 66th minute, though. Once again Rooney was involved as his close-range shot from a corner brought a save from Bernd Leno and Evans followed up to score.
And he was there again as a comfortable win became a rout with 13 minutes left. Kagawa's chipped pass played Rooney in and his lob across goal allowed Smalling to arrive and score from a yard. United’s No 10 was taken off in the 80th minute, job done.
Give him the brush off: Giulio Donati is kept at bay by the arm of Nani
Sliding in: Patrice Evra makes the tackle on Giulio Donati
Starting berth: Shinki Kagawa was granted a place in the starting line-up for the third match in a row
Staying power: Giggs shrugs off a tackle from Gonzalo Castro
Pep talk: Bayer Leverkusen players form a huddle before kick-off
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