Manchester Utd 4 Aston Villa 0:"IT'S JUST like watching Brazil" is a tongue-in-cheek chant that often reverberates around football stadiums to much amusement, but there would be no need for Manchester United fans to suppress smiles when singing the words. No one was laughing when Wayne Rooney, emboldened by a mesmerising United performance that included everything from audacious backheels to outrageous nutmegs, drew comparisons with football's favourite country.

"Growing up, I used to love watching Brazil and I think the football we play is similar to the way Brazil play," said the England international. "It's an honour to play in this team and I love it."

Rooney is not prone to hyperbole and there was no reason to suspect the striker was losing his senses after an exhilarating display that will be greeted with a sense of foreboding in Rome. United arrive in the Italian capital this morning and could not be in better form.

So impressed was Martin O'Neill the Aston Villa manager suggested his younger players watch a DVD of the thrashing to learn from Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. Neither would look out of place in a Brazil shirt and, on this evidence, the same can be said for a number of Alex Ferguson's players. For the 11th time this season United scored four or more goals, a statistic that says everything about the freeflowing style Ferguson has imbued in his team.

So irresistible were United that Luciano Spalletti, the Roma manager, would be better off ignoring the scouting report from this 11th straight league win over Villa lest his players struggle to sleep ahead of their Champions League quarter-final first leg in the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow night.

"R and R" is supposed to be associated with rest and relaxation but there will be none of that for the Italian defence with Rooney and Ronaldo in this mood.

"Ronaldo has gone on to be exceptional," said O'Neill who, ominously for Roma, claimed that United are a "better side" than last season. "His goals are obviously giving him great confidence. He's going on to the field with much more confidence and so is Rooney. I genuinely believe Rooney is one of those players who wouldn't worry - need to worry - about scoring for four or five weeks. He's got the capabilities, he's got the game, it's only a matter of time."

Rooney admitted as much later, though the celebration that greeted his first goal, when he sashayed around Scott Carson following Ronaldo's fortuitous backheel, carried more than a vestige of relief. It was the 22-year-old's first goal at Old Trafford since October and he had no intention of waiting another five months for the next. Ronaldo's reverse pass nutmegged Nigel Reo-Coker and Rooney, deceiving Carson, dragged a low shot inside the Villa goalkeeper's near post.

Ronaldo's brilliant improvised first goal, when he flicked the ball through Martin Laursen's legs after hooking one foot behind the other, had Ferguson drooling.

"It was only when I saw the replay I realised what he had done. The execution was absolutely brilliant, so full marks to him," said United's manager.

But there was no doubt that Rooney's contribution provided the greatest fillip. "He is the kind of striker who could go on a run now and get goals in his next six or seven matches," added Ferguson.

He is certainly a player who benefits from support, and he combined with Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez and Ryan Giggs in a four-pronged attack that might easily have inflicted more misery on Villa.

Rooney and Tevez, who headed home his 16th goal of the season, were profligate at times.

Villa left Old Trafford battered and with hopes of qualifying for the Intertoto Cup fading fast. They have taken only two points from a possible 15 while the failure to keep a clean sheet since November continues to undermine their challenge for sixth place.

Zat Knight, who has endured a torrid time recently, was dropped here but others are fortunate O'Neill has so few options.

The Villa manager could, with some justification, cite the opportunity Shaun Maloney squandered three minutes before Rooney's first as a turning point, but so dominant were United it is difficult to believe a goal then would have done anything other than rouse Ferguson's players.

"They were terrific," enthused O'Neill. "In terms of the Premiership, that was real great stuff."

Just like watching Brazil, in fact.