With Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney scoring as Manchester United eased to a third successive victory, the fallen giants of English football appeared to be on the right track again on Saturday.

United's 3-0 victory over Hull ensured the Red Devils will complete a second successive weekend in the top four for the first time since Alex Ferguson retired as manager after winning the 2013 title.

After a poor season under David Moyes, manager Louis van Gaal is slowly rebuilding confidence while contending with injuries as United pushes for a return to the Champions League.

United's opener came from a surprise source, with defender Chris Smalling scoring his first goal in 11 months. Van Persie is expected to be finding the net regularly, but hit only his fourth goal of the season in the 66th minute after setting up Rooney's fifth just before half time.

"I was very pleased with our confidence," Van Gaal said.

Arsenal and Liverpool are out of the top four despite both posting 1-0 victories on Saturday. Glen Johnson's late scrambled header enabled 11th-placed Liverpool to overcome Stoke, while Danny Welbeck's goal at West Bromwich Albion sent Arsenal up to sixth.

But West Ham rose to fifth by ending Newcastle's five-game winning run. Aaron Cresswell clinched the 1-0 victory early in the second half before Newcastle midfielder Moussa Sissoko was sent off in the 76th after receiving two quick yellow cards.

Queens Park Rangers climbed off the bottom after Charlie Austin clinched a 3-2 victory over Leicester, which sunk to the foot of the standings. Burnley remains sandwiched between QPR and Leicester, after Danny Ings scored a late penalty to cancel out Joe Cole's goal for Aston Villa in a 1-1 draw.

There was also a 1-1 draw between Swansea and Crystal Swansea. Mile Jedinak, who scored Palace's equalizer from a penalty, paid a pre-match tribute to fellow Australian Phillip Hughes, placing a cricket bat on the field to honor the cricketer who died after being hit by a ball.