Manchester United took home the Carling Cup last by beating Aston Vila 2-1 in the 50th League Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

Rooney, who came on as a substitute for United’s other scorer Michael Owen, struck with a superbly executed header after 74 minutes, for his 20th goal in his last 20 matches, as United became the first team since Nottingham Forest (in 1989 and 1990) to win the cup in successive seasons.

Rooney, who started on the bench as he had a sore knee, told reporters: “It’s great to have this cup again, it means a lot to win a Wembley final and I am delighted to score the winner, but it’s another great day for the club and the fans.”

Aston Villa, the first winners of the trophy in 1961, and victors over Manchester United in 1994, took the lead after five minutes when James Milner scored from the penalty spot, but were often second best against a dominant United, who also hit the post twice.

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Chelsea’s lead at the top of the Premier League was cut to one point on Wednesday when they lost 2-1 at Everton with Louis Saha continuing his scoring jinx over them.

Second-placed Manchester United drew 1-1 at Aston Villa while Arsenal stayed in the hunt after beating Liverpool 1-0.

Saha, who scored against Chelsea in the FA Cup final last season and in the 3-3 draw against them in December, cancelled out Florent Malouda’s 17th minute opener for Chelsea with a header in the 33rd.

He then had a penalty saved by Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech on the stroke of halftime before scoring the winner after 75 minutes when he chested the ball down, turned and fired home.

That sent Chelsea to their first defeat in 11 matches and gave Everton manager David Moyes his first victory over the London side on the night he celebrated his 300th Premier League game.

Chelsea remain top with 58 points, but are just one point ahead of Manchester United, who drew at Villa despite playing for more than an hour with 10 men after Nani was sent off for a ragged two-footed challenge on Stilian Petrov.

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Aston Villa upset Liverpool at Anfield on Monday night by beating them 3 – 1. An own goal by Brazilian Lucas, Curtis Davies’s header and Ashley Young’s penalty made up the goals for Villa, with Fernando Torres pulling one back.

Midfielder Lucas glanced Young’s free kick into his own net 11 minutes before the interval and Davies made it two in added time.

Torres halved the deficit with 18 minutes left but after Steven Gerrard tripped Nigel Reo-Coker, Young made it three from the spot to make it two defeats from their opening three matches for the Reds.

It was also the first time since December 2007, when they were defeated 1-0 by Manchester United, that Liverpool were defeated in the Premier League at Anfield as Rafael Benitez’s side’s frustrations at home, where they drew seven matches last season, surfaced once again.

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Liverpool moved to within one point of the Premier League log leaders Manchester United yesterday by beating Aston Villa 5 – 0 at Anfield. Captain Steven Gerrard scored a hat trick.

United still have a game in hand but, having won 4-1 at Old Trafford last week, the Reds now have a better goal difference by two with eight games left.

Dirk Kuyt started the goal-spree with seven minutes gone and Albert Riera doubled the lead just after the half hour at Anfield.

England midfielder Gerrard added a third from the spot just before the interval and scored a fourth with a free-kick just after the restart.

The Liverpool captain scored a second penalty after goalkeeper Brad Friedel was sent off for a challenge on Fernando Torres as Villa’s winless run stretched to eight games.

Fifth-placed Villa remain three points behind Arsenal and a place in the top four is now looking beyond them.

Liverpool began with real purpose and from Fabio Aurelio’s corner, Friedel was forced to save from Martin Skrtel’s header with just a minute on the clock.

After Villa’s James Milner had a shot deflected wide, Liverpool took the lead with just seven minutes gone following Nigel Reo-Coker foul on Riera down the left flank.

Gerrard drove the ball into the area and Xabi Alonso’s header came back off the bar but Kuyt made no mistake with a powerful follow-up from six yards for his tenth goal of the season

With Gabriel Agbonlahor left on the bench, Villa had a strong spell and Pepe Reina pulled off an impressive stop from John Carew’s flick from Ashley Young’s cross from the left.

Midway through the opening period, another glancing header from Carew, this time from Reo-Coker’s lofted free-kick, was pushed away by Reina before Young hit the side-netting.

But just as Villa were looking threatening, Liverpool doubled their lead.

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