Marcus Rashford scored twice as Manchester United extended their 100 percent record on the road, coming from behind again to win 3-2 at the Premier League’s bottom club Sheffield United on Thursday.
United have now won all six away league games this season — conceding first on each occasion — and the latest comeback victory moved them up to sixth place, on 23 points, five behind leaders Liverpool but with a game in hand.
Sheffield United’s solitary point from 13 matches is the worst start by a team in any top-flight campaign and the Blades have now lost eight matches in a row and 15 of their last 16 going back to last season.
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer opted to play keeper Dean Henderson ahead of David De Gea for the trip to Bramall Lane where the English keeper played and impressed on loan last season.
But Henderson made a nightmare start, getting caught in possession by Oliver Burke who slid the ball to David McGoldrick who fired the Blades into a fifth-minute lead.
John Fleck failed to take a great chance to make it 2-0 for Chris Wilder’s team and that let-off sparked Manchester United into life.
After wasting a good opportunity with a wild shot, Rashford made no mistake in the 26th minute as he collected a long ball from Victor Lindelof with a deft first touch and deadly first-time strike.
Paul Pogba set up the second with a one-touch pass on the turn, over the top of the Sheffield defence to Anthony Martial, who rounded Aaron Ramsdale before slotting home.
FINE MOVE
Six minutes after the break, Rashford added his second to make it 3-1, finishing off a fine passing move started by Pogba, with a shot that squeezed under Ramsdale’s body.
McGoldrick pulled one back for the Yorkshire strugglers three minutes from the end, heading in a corner from close range before Henderson made amends for his early mistake with a reflex save to keep out a Lys Mousset drive.
Solskjaer was pleased with most of United’s display after another slow start.
“We played some brilliant football between their first goal and their second goal – the end was a bit too uncomfortable for my liking,” he said.
Asked about his players believing they could yet win the title, the Norwegian was cautious.
“We can’t get our heads too far ahead, but I am happy the players might be thinking that way because that means recovery, focus is better and those little margins mean a lot,” he said.
Wilder took heart from his side’s performance.
“It has given myself and the players a belief that if we do play in the manner we played – especially out of possession – that there is something left in this season for us,” he said.
“I will stick my head on the pillow tonight knowing the team has left everything out there.”