Manchester United are back to their winning ways! After a 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side comes swinging, beating Sheffield United 3-0. It was Anthony Martial’s day, as he scored a hat-trick, with goals coming in early and late first half and then midway through the second.
This was an important win for United on their return to home ground after three and a half months and that famous Manchester Derby victory. The Blades were not sharp today, as Chris Wilder’s side was trying to get back into the game just after it started and that was always going to be a difficult situation for them.
Martial Supremacy
It was a day to remember for Anthony Martial. The French striker has done an amazing job today, scoring a hat-trick finished off with a beautiful chip in the second half. This strong performance comes on the back of a weaker one against Spurs, when Martial did not have his ideal moments, especially following that great chance Bruno Fernandes had created for him. His finishing was sloppy in that situation, but there certainly was not any sloppiness this time around.
Martial was ruthles and team’s leader, earning himself a Premier League matchball to remember the day.
Rashford Still Needs Time
And it was important Martial was a leader for Man United against Sheffield United, considering Marcus Rashford was still not back to his best. The England forward did not enjoy a good game against Spurs, when he was quiet, isolated and simply unconvincing. And this time it was obvious he is still not back to his usual self. And that is okay.
Rashford had a long spell off the pitch due to injury and then the coronavirus pandemic struck too, making things awkward for everyone. Rashford still needs time to get into form and hopefully that will happen in crucial games next month.
Man United On A Great Run At Old Trafford
There was a lot of occasions in the past few years when Manchester United did not feel entirely comfortable playing at Old Trafford. It does not have to be that there was some specific reason for that, but it was obvious the results and performances were often underwhelming for the Devils when playing at home. And now would be a good time to start rebuilding Old Trafford as a sort of a fortress for Solskjaer’s side. That is not an easy or short-term task, but it is good to see Devils improve in that regard.
Manchester United have now won their last four home games in all competitions and they did that by having an aggregate score of 13-0.
Champions League Is Getting Closer
The Devils are now getting closer to Champions League football with another win. They are on 49 points, two less than fourth-placed Chelsea. But a lot of this conversation will come down to whether Court of Arbitration in Sport (CAS) punishes Manchester City or allows them to play in UEFA competitions next season.
If City remain punished, then fifth place will be enough, but it is good to see Devils breathing behind Chelsea’s back. The Blues do have to play their match in this round and Wolves are equal on points with United, but there are positives for Solskjaer’s side, especially considering their run-in.
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