MANCHESTER United had double reason to celebrate Wednesday — the team is back in the Champions League group stage and star striker Wayne Rooney is scoring again.

    Rooney scored a hat trick to inspire a 4-0 win over the Belgian side in the second leg and seal an emphatic 7-1 aggregate victory for the three-time European champions.

    Rooney’s treble was also a timely return to form for the England striker, who had gone 10 games without a goal for United prior to Wednesday.

    “To go through to the group stage after being out of it last year is a great result. We look forward to the draw now tomorrow,” said Rooney.

    “It was a big disappointment last year not to challenge in it. We didn’t think it would be as comfortable as it was, but it was vital we went through any way we could.

    “Over the two legs we deserved that. We’ll enjoy the draw and it is nice to be back in there again.”

    On a superb night for Louis Van Gaal’s United in Belgium, Dutch midfielder Memphis Depay had a role in Rooney’s first two goals on 20 and 49 minutes, with a Juan Mata cross eight minutes later allowing the United captain complete his hat trick.

    Spaniard Ander Herrera compounded a night of misery for the Belgian club after 63 minutes following a Bastian Schweinsteiger cross to put the three-time winners of the Champions League through in style, despite substitute Javier Hernandez missing a late penalty.

    Manchester United — winner in 1968, 1999 and 2008 — didn’t feature in the competition last season but had previously reached the group stages for 18 years in succession.

    Brugge has not made the group stages since the 2005/06 season and coach Michel Preud’homme admitted the outcome was logical.(SD-Agencies)