Ashley Young’s brilliant brace sets up Manchester United win in goal-fest

A brilliant brace from Ashley Young set Manchester United on the path to a 4-2 victory over Watford at Vicarage Road.

Young’s early two-goal salvo was added to by a Anthony Martial strike before half-time to put Jose Mourinho’s visitors in a comfortable position, but United took their foot off the gas after the break and a Troy Deeney penalty and Abdoulaye Doucoure strike gave Watford a glimmer of hope.

However, that hope was extinguished when Jesse Lingard launched on a mazy solo run that ended with a tidy finish past Heurelho Gomes to ensure United closed the gap to Manchester City at the top of the table to five points, while Watford stay in eighth.

Young, back on the ground where it all began, fired home a stunning half-volley 19 minutes in for his first Premier League goal since 2016, before then going one better, curling a sublime free-kick into the top corner six minutes later to net his first double for United since March 2012.

Watford looked shell shocked, and seven minutes later it was three for United, as the excellent Martial raced clear before firing home his eighth of the season.

After the break, United were happy for Watford to have the ball in their own half, but still created chances to really put the game to bed, with Romelu Lukaku guilty of missing a guilt-edged opportunity.

Moments after Lukaku had gone close, Watford were handed the opportunity to get themselves back in it after Marcos Rojo clumsily brought down Roberto Pereyra in the box to concede a penalty. Substitute Denney duly converted, before the roof then almost came off six minutes from time as Doucoure fired home to make it 2-3. United looked ragged.

The travelling United faithful didn’t have to worry for long, though, as, two minutes later, Lingard carried the ball from inside his own half, past two Watford defenders before brilliantly firing into the net, making it the sixth league game this season that United have scored four times. Not bad for a team supposedly not playing the "United way".

Has Jose found the best system to suit Martial? In the two previous league games, Jose Mourinho has gone with Martial and Marcus Rashford alongside Romelu Lukaku. Against Newcastle, it paid off, but against Brighton, United looked flat, and shorn of ideas. Neither Rashford nor Martial seemed happy to be that far out wide, and weren’t able to drive at the heart of the Brighton rearguard from such a position. With Rashford on the bench, and United deploying a 3-5-2 system, Ashley Young provided the width on the left from wing-back, meaning Martial could cut inside, to devastating effect. The France international has often been keen to point out he prefers to be utilised as a striker, and with Young on the flank, he could be just that.

Ashley Young. Things are good in the Young household at the moment. Back in the England set-up, a new contract reportedly in the offing, and now back in the goals. And what a way to do it. If the half-volley for his first was good, then free-kick for his second was on another planet. Young has been so consistent this season, and has become a key player for United. All credit to him.

Watford: Gomes 5, Kiko Femenia 6, Prodl 5, Mariappa 5, Kabasele 5, Zeegelaar 6, Cleverley 6, Doucoure 7, Hughes 6, Gray 5, Richarlison 8... Subs: Deeney 7, Carrillo 8, Pereyra 7.

Manchester United: De Gea 5, Valencia 6, Lindelof 8, Rojo 6, Smalling 7, Young 9, Pogba 8, Matic 6, Lingard 8, Lukaku 5, Martial 9... Subs: Ibrahimovic N/A, Rashford 6, Herrera 6.

19’ - GOAL! Watford 0-1 Manchester United. Ashley Young, against his former club, breaks the deadlock with a blockbuster of a strike! At the ground where it all started, Young smashes home his first Premier League goal since May 2016 to give United the lead. Lingard fed the ball across to Young, who was immediately tackled, the ball looped up, and Young drilled it home on the half volley. Great hit.

25’ - GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAL! Watford 0-2 Manchester United. Young again!!!! Stunning free-kick to net his, and United's second. Two special strikes to give United the lead from Young. He stepped up with such conviction to take that free-kick, and effortlessly arrowed the ball into the top corner. What a hit, again! And a proper celebration, too. None of that 'respectful against former clubs' nonsense.

31’ - GOAL! Watford 0-3 Manchester United. Wow! Devastating from United, as Martial strokes home the third. What on earth is going on? Three chances, three goals for United. This time it is much more straight forward, as Lukaku diverts the ball into the path of Martial, whose touch takes him clear of the Watford backline, before firing into the net.

44’ - DOUBLE SAVE! Heurelho Gomes to the rescue for Watford, as he first keeps out Lukaku's drilled effort, before getting up to palm Lingard's rebound strike over the top. Super goalkeeping. That really would have been game over.

76' - MISS! Watford try to play it out from the back, get caught, Rashford lays it across for Lukaku, who takes far too long to get the shot off, which allows time for defenders to get back and block.

77' - PENALTY TO WATFORD! Rojo clumsily hacks down Pereyra to give Watford the chance to get back in this.

77' - GOAL! Watford 1-3 Manchester United. Game on? Deeney steps up and converts coolly from the spot to give the home fans hope.

83' - GOAL! Watford 2-3 Manchester United. What a comeback this could be!!! Carrillo brilliantly picks out Doucoure who pokes the ball home to raise the roof here. United should have been out of sight. The finish from Doucoure was excellent, out of De Gea's reach. Carrillo is causing United all sorts of problems down the right.

86' - GOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL! Watford 2-4 Manchester United. That should be that now for United, as Lingard scores a stunning solo effort. Lingard had no right to score that goal. It was just him against five Watford defenders, but he skipped past one, past two, before firing past Gomes. Superb solo goal. He ran two thirds of the pitch with the ball.