George Best would have undoubtedly approved.
And in the capital of bright lights and late nights it was fitting that, under the dazzling Upton Park floodlights two footballing knights - Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Trevor Brooking - should have led those 60 seconds of appreciative applause in recognition of the maverick soccer superstar.
Within 52 seconds of the kick-off, however, the visiting fans were standing in stunned silence as United old boy Teddy Sheringham headed on to Matthew Etherington, whose curling ball behind Rio Ferdinand released Marlon Harewood who, in turn, calmly slotted a low eight-yarder inside the right-hand post of the helplessly exposed Edwin Van der Sar.
Following last week's late, late draw at Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham had made just one change as Shaka Hislop stood down in favour of Roy Carroll who returned to face his old club.
And the former United keeper soon found himself in the thick of things casual Ruud Van Nistelrooy saw his low ten-yarder pushed aside before man-of-the-match Rooney and Paul Scholes were also thwarted with fine one-handed saves.
West Ham were determined to hold on to their early advantage, though, and after Mark Noble was cautioned for a feisty challenge on Scholes, Mikael Silvestre then went into the book for hauling back Harewood.
Yossi Benayoun's consequent free-kick was deflected just an inch or so wide and, as United's frustration grew, Van Nistelrooy was yellow carded for a nasty lunge on Anton Ferdinand, who was certainly enjoying a better opening half-hour than his brother, Rio.
With Ji-Sung Park replacing Cristiano Ronaldo, United had made just one switch following the disappointing midweek draw against Villarreal, but with ten minutes still to go the break, Sir Alex Ferguson tinkered with his spluttering Reds' machine.
Withdrawn central defender Silvestre stomped straight down the tunnel after being replaced by right-back Gary Neville, whose arrival saw Ferdinand move into the heart of the Red Devils' rearguard.
It was, however, a reshuffle that was destined balance the visitors and drive them on to victory.
For just as West Ham had sprinted out of the starting stalls in the first half, United got off to a flyer in the second period.
Within two minutes of the restart, Park picked out Rooney, who sidestepped the grounded Danny Gabbidon's lunge and blasted an unstoppable eight-yarder through Carroll.
And after the rampant Rooney both mis-kicked in front of goal and then found the side-netting, United took the lead when John O'Shea rose in front of the Hammers' keeper to powerfully nod home Scholes' 56th-minute corner.
With United now easily in the ascendancy, Rooney sent fear surging through Upton Park every time he touched the ball, while Van Nistelrooy's sublime chip beat Carroll before agonisingly crashing down off the Hammers' crossbar.
With 20 minutes left, Alan Pardew made a double substitution as Christian Dailly and Bobby Zamora were pitched into the fray but, by now, the Hammers' early stranglehold was a dim and distant memory as United - fittingly inspired by the free-spirited Rooney - ensured that Best's passing was marked with this equally fitting victory.