Juan Mata inspired Manchester United to a 4-0 victory at Newcastle which took them into the Barclays Premier League's top six.

The 25-year-old Spaniard struck twice to take his tally to three goals in his last two games and pay off another slice of his £37.1million transfer fee.

On a day when manager David Moyes was without the injured Wayne Rooney, and decided to make eight changes to the side which drew 1-1 with Bayern Munich in midweek ahead of Wednesday night's return leg, United ran out deserved winners as the Magpies' early promised dissolved.

The win was not without controversy, with referee Kevin Friend - the official who had to deal with Alan Pardew's head-butt on Hull's David Meyler, coming under fire for awarding the free-kick from which Mata gave United a first-half lead.

However, there were no complaints thereafter as Mata extended the lead five minutes after the break and further strikes from Javier Hernandez and substitute Adnan Januzaj wrapped up the victory.

The defeat was Newcastle's fourth in five league games, a run which has seen them score just one goal, and in truth there was little prospect of them completing a first league double over United since 1931 from the moment that Mata struck.