Manchester United needed to stay focused until the final whistle to clinch a 4-3 victory over Premiership revelations Hull City.

Cristiano Ronaldo's opener on three minutes was cancelled out by Daniel Cousin twenty minutes later, but Michael Carrick's powerful strike from about 18 meters restored United's lead in the 29th minute.

Ronaldo headed in from a corner in the 44th minute, to give the hosts a comfortable lead by half time.

When a Nemanja Vidic volley set the score to 4-1 in the 57th minute, the match seemed all but over.

Hull didn't give up though and Bernard Mendy lobbed Van der Sar in the 69th minute and Geovanni converted a penalty for 4-3 in the 82nd. The spot kick was caused by Rio Ferdinand, who had fouled Mendy in the area.

The visitors wouldn't get another though and United escaped from what would have been considered a humiliation.