Moyes: We Deserved To Win

David Moyes believes that Manchester United fully deserved the 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday, and was delighted to see his side pick up all three points.

Despite dominating for long periods during the game, the Reds' breakthrough didn't arrive until just after the hour mark, when Robin van Persie fired home from the penalty spot following a foul on Patrice Evra.

Moyes says he expected a tough test against a determined Palace defence, but believes his side's performance was deserving of maximum points in south London.

"Crystal Palace, since Tony Pulis took over, has been a difficult place for anyone to come," Moyes told Sky Sports. "They haven't conceded many goals and they made themselves hard to beat again. Thankfully, we got two goals in the second half.

"In the Premier League, getting the first goal is always crucial. The way we played, we thoroughly deserved it. We had made some opportunities, and it was certainly deserved."

Wayne Rooney's unstoppable half-volley settled the contest with 20 minutes remaining, and moved him to within 40 goals of Sir Bobby Charlton's record as the club's all-time top scorer.

The United boss was full of praise for Rooney after the game, and he believes the striker can go on to make history at Old Trafford, after signing a contract extension earlier this week.

"The finish for the second goal was exquisite. Patrice [Evra] did really well to get to the byline and it was a great finish.

"He [Rooney] is a really important player. If you think about the amount of clubs who wanted to sign him, he would have been too difficult to replace. There aren't enough good players out there that you can bring in cheaply or easily. Wayne's one of the top players, he shows it every week. You can see the change in him as a boy, with the leadership that he’s trying to bring to the team. We're on his case, we want him to continue and I'm sure he will, he's a boy who wants to keep getting better.

"He's got a great chance [to make history at the club]. Wayne's been playing unbelievably well this season, let's hope he keeps it up and continues scoring goals.

"I said to everyone from day one that he came in and trained well, he’s never been a problem, and I think the credit should go to the owners for making a stand to keep the best players. We're building a new team, we're keeping the good players, and we'll be adding to it. I think the owners and the board deserve the credit for the deal."

More: Match Report: Palace 0 United 2