The 16-year-old forward opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, reacting quickest after Jaume Camacho’s header struck the post. The finish gave Darren Fletcher’s side the lead after a competitive opening half-hour.
Rooney added his second from the penalty spot four minutes after the interval, after being brought down inside the area. He completed his hat-trick in the 63rd minute with a header from Jay McEvoy’s corner, then scored again three minutes later to make it 4-0.
Manchester United’s official match report confirmed the sequence of goals, with Camacho adding a fifth in the 82nd minute and substitute Noah Ajayi completing the scoring two minutes later.
The result followed United’s 6-3 victory over Liverpool on Saturday, when Camacho scored four goals of his own. The back-to-back high-scoring wins have lifted Fletcher’s side to second in the league table, with six victories from their first eight matches.
Rooney, the son of former United captain and England forward Wayne Rooney, has now scored five goals and provided one assist in three Under-18 appearances this season. His latest display further strengthens his case as one of the academy’s young players to watch, though he remains at an early stage of his development.
United’s first goal against Burnley came from a move down the right. Emmanuel Ziro’s cross reached Camacho, whose header hit the woodwork before Rooney converted the rebound with his left foot.
After the break, the visitors pulled away. Rooney’s penalty shifted the momentum, and his two quick goals afterwards left Burnley unable to recover. Camacho and Ajayi then added late finishes to complete a convincing scoreline.
The academy side’s form offers a positive note during a difficult period for the senior team, who have struggled for results under Michael Carrick. Rooney’s four-goal return, however, will be judged in the context of continued development rather than any immediate expectation of a first-team promotion.