Manchester United and Rashford repeat comeback trick at Sheffield United
What to make of Manchester United this season? An away victory that featured the customary concession of the opening goal lifted Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s side into sixth place on 23 points. Win their game in hand and they could be in outright second.
Yet while United hardly perform in scintillating style from kick-off to final whistle this was a sixth unbeaten Premier League match, including five wins. Sheffield United still have only a single point and while the visiting side stuttered at first, then suffered a late scare, they did end up defeating the division’s bottom team as any title pretender must.
The Blades’ defeat brought up an unwanted club record of eight straight losses, while Solskjær came close to rueing his headline selection of Dean
Henderson for David de Gea in goal. “He was the good, bad and the ugly maybe in different order, always learning,” the manager said. “After that start it shows his character for the rest of the game – and he passed with flying colours.”
If the good was a fine added-time save from Lys Mousset that sealed the win, the ugly was Henderson’s disastrous start. The home side forced a corner through Sander Berge (who went off injured soon after) on the right, and after John Fleck dropped it into a crowd in front of Henderson, he
punched away. Then calamity struck.
When Victor Lindelöf took a short free-kick, awarded for offside, to Henderson, he relayed possession left across the area to Harry Maguire. The captain returned it and the No 1 dawdled too long: Oliver Burke charged Henderson’s clearance down and flicked a pass to David McGoldrick, who smashed in his fourth goal of the season.
“He dillied and dallied,” said Solskjær of what was United’s latest miserable start to an away league match: the sixth straight time they have gone behind.
Again, they had to come from behind. Chris Wilder’s men were in charge. Aaron Wan-Bissaka had a pass smothered, Fleck shot just wide of Henderson’s right post, and United were unable to assert control or rhythm.
Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic were invisible in midfield, and when Marcus Rashford dropped deep to collect and run at United he met a redand-white striped wall, Wilder’s fiveman defence functioning as required.
Solskjær’s side needed a moment of brilliance and after Lindelöf chipped over the top for Rashford the forward produced a fine first touch, then an emphatic finish beyond Aaron Ramsdale. Next, Anthony Martial appeared certain to break his duck in the league when Bruno Fernandes played him in, only for John Egan to hook clear.
The Frenchman did not have to wait long to finally record a first league goal.
A brilliant no-look pass from Pogba – who became pre-eminent – bypassed the home defence and found Martial, who finished. Suddenly United were 2-1 up and Rashford was racing on to a Martial pass and though his left-foot shot was straight at Ramsdale, United ended the first half the happier side.
Perhaps with a flea in their collective ear from Solskjær they were far brighter at the start of the second period. Nemanja Matic found Fernandes expertly, Mason Greenwood claimed a free-kick, and United had a third.
This was a sweet sequence that featured a Pogba pirouette in his own half before the ball went via Fernandes, Greenwood, back to Fernandes, and Martial, whose mis-control of the ball tapped it inadvertently to Rashford and he unloaded under Ramsdale for 3-1.
Pogba had created two goals in the classic Pogba manner: via the elevated skill of the very best. Eyebrows had been raised when he was chosen ahead of Donny van de Beek yet his display vindicated Solskjær’s decision.
The Frenchman was running the contest as Fernandes often does for United – demanding the ball and using it destructively while inspiring his teammates.
Solskjær said: “We know about [Paul’s] vision, creativity – and his strength in the air, knew he was going to be important on set plays, goal-kicks, and he won more or less every single header. Paul’s responded really well to the work he’s been doing and it was an excellent performance.”
United’s late alarm came when Lindelöf headed a corner against McGoldrick and it somehow beat the hapless Henderson, who soon redeemed himself by saving from Mousset and assuring the victory.
The dismal run continues for Wilder, however. “I’m happy with the manner of the performance – we asked some questions from some world-class players,” he said. “I don’t worry about my job. I keep coming into work and doing it to my best of my ability. People don’t understand what Sheffield United are about when they talk about people’s futures.”