( CNN ) -- Manchester United are now just one point behind leaders Chelsea at the top of the English Premier League , after a double from in-form Wayne Rooney helped them to a comfortable 3-0 home win over West Ham on Tuesday evening . England striker Rooney , who is enjoying the best goalscoring run of his career , has now scored 27 goals this season , as well as finding the net in United 's last six league matches at Old Trafford . Former England striker Michael Owen added a late third goal , to ensure that United head into Sunday 's League Cup final against Aston Villa at Wembley in good heart . Rooney opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time , superbly converting a diving header from Antonio Valencia 's cross . And the 24-year-old doubled his advantage in similar vein in the second half , again finding space to head home another pin-point Valencia cross . West Ham arrived at Old Trafford on the back on consecutive victories that had seen them move away from the relegation zone , but they were always second best here and their fate was sealed when Owen netted his eighth goal of the season from a Paul Scholes through-pass .
Wayne Rooney scores twice as Manchester United beat West Ham 3 - 0 . Michael Owen scores the other goal to help United claim a comfortable win . The result puts United just a point behind Premier League leaders Chelsea .