Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
QUICK OFF THE MARC
Jose: Rashford scored twice, but people would have questioned me if he had not
MARCUS RASHFORD would have dreamt about days like this one when he was a kid wrapped up in his Cristiano Ronaldo duvet.
And at Old Trafford yesterday, the Wythenshawe wonder-boy got to live the dream.
Rashford’s first-half double ensured that the bragging rights belong to the reds of Manchester.
In front of watching England boss Gareth Southgate, his first Premier League start of 2018 could not have gone any better.
Of course, when Jose Mourinho (right) is your manager, there’s usually a reality check. And when Liverpool reduced the deficit with 24 minutes left, the United boss let his pragmatism get the better of him by deciding Rashford would make way for the more muscular Marouane Fellaini.
Some United fans booed – before breaking into a standing ovation for one of their own.
Mourinho suggested they should blame Gary Neville.
“The fans can do what they want. I am not upset at all with that reaction,” said Mourinho, who then explained that the change was made because Rashford had been booked for a first-half lunge at James Milner. “At half-time, someone told me Gary Neville was asking for Marcus Rashford to get a red card and I was scared the referee was watching.
“So, when Marcus was defending, I remembered the pressure of Gary and made the decision to bring on a player who could get a yellow card. Marcus scored two goals in a big match against a top-class opponent. But if he hadn’t scored, then people would have questioned me.” It took Rashford 14 minutes to make his mark, timing his run to stay onside to perfection when Romelu Lukaku flicked on David De Gea’s goal-kick.
Trent Alexander-Arnold thought he had Rashford covered, but United’s No.19 produced a Cruyff-like turn to work a yard of space inside before burying an unstoppable finish past Loris Karius. Virgil van
Dijk should have equalised in the 23rd minute, but headed James Milner’s corner on to his shoulder and wide from four yards.
And, 60 seconds later, Rashford scored again.
Another De Gea goal-kick saw Lukaku hold off Dejan Lovren and Emre Can before freeing Juan Mata through the middle.
Van Dijk managed to nick the ball away from the Spaniard, but it fell for Rashford and this time his shot beat Karius with the help of a slight touch off AlexanderArnold’s heel.
Then came Liverpool’s riposte. Van Dijk looped a header just over and then referee Craig Pawson turned a blind eye when Andy Robertson’s cross struck Antonio Valencia on the arm.
United nerves started to fray when Sadio Mane outpaced Scott McTominay to whip in a cross that saw Eric Bailly get himself in an embarrassing tangle before diverting the ball past De Gea.
Rashford was replaced by Fellaini – and Klopp complained when the Belgian tangled with Mane and sent him tumbling. “It was a clear foul by Fellaini,” insisted Klopp. “If Fellaini doesn’t foul Sadio, then Sadio scores – or he has a shot. In these games, you must get the decisions right.”