United beat Watford 2-1, Rashford, Martial score
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Updated 30/03/2019 at 17:20 GMT
Premier League, Old Trafford - Manchester United 2 (Rashford 28, Martial 72) Watford 1 (Doucoure 89)
Anthony Martial of Manchester United celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Watford FC at Old Trafford on March 30, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom.
Image credit: Getty Images
Manchester United rode their luck to beat Watford 2-1 to mark Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first game since being appointed permanent manager.
The Hornets were the better side for much of the first half and created the most chances with the home side looking sluggish despite the return of Anthony Martial.
And the visitors were left to rue their missed chances after being caught on the break with Luke Shaw finding Marcus Rashford who coolly dinked the ball over the keeper to score his tenth league of the season.
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Marcus Rashford of Manchester United celebrates scoring their first goal during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Watford FC at Old Trafford on March 30, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom.
Image credit: Getty Images
Javi Gracia’s side continued to look the more threatening in the second half with Roberto Pereyra and Lee Hughes going close.
And against the run of play, Solskjaer's side increased their lead through Martial at the second attempt from substitute Jesse Lingard’s pass.
Abdoulaye Doucoure scored late on for a deserved goal but United held on to return to winning ways, after losing to Arsenal and Wolves before the international break, to climb to joint third with Tottenham, while FA Cup semi-finalists Watford slip to ninth.
TALKING POINT
Were United fortunate to take three points?
In the week when Solskjaer was given the job on a permanent basis and news of Rashford’s impending new contract, you would have expected United to come flying out of the blocks after back-to-back defeats. But they were flat and outplayed for most of the game. Two sucker punches from Rashford and Martial saved the day to paper over the cracks but their performances have noticeably dipped since the heroics against Paris St-Germain.
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Ashley Young of Manchester United in action during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Watford FC at Old Trafford on March 30, 2019 in Manchester, United Kingdom.
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea 8, Young 6, Jones 6, Smalling 7, Shaw 8, Herrera 5, Matic 4, Pogba 4, Mata 5, Rashford 9, Martial 5. Subs: Lingard 6, Pereira 5,
WATFORD: Foster 6, Janmaat 7, Britos 6, Kabasele 6, Masina 5, Hughes 6, Doucoure 8, Capoue 5, Pereyra 6, Deeney 6, Deulofeu 6. Subs: Femenia 7, Success n/a.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Marcus Rashford(Manchester United): Against the run of play he gave United the lead with a fine finish. And despite having little service from Paul Pogba, his pace was troubling for the Hornets defence as he reached ten league goals for the first time in his career.
KEY MOMENTS:
5’ - CHANCE! Pereyra easily gets the better of Mata and sends in a cross for Doucoure who drags it wide of the near post from around 15 yards - he should have done better from there.
12’ - CHANCE! Janmaat's ball to the back post is headed across by Deeney which is palmed away by De Gea who looks to have injured his shin under a challenge from Doucoure but looks to be okay.
28’ - GOAL FOR UNITED! United on the counter, Shaw's brilliant ball finds Rashford who dinks it over the keeper from the edge of the box.
53’ - TOP SAVE! Pereyra gets the ball on the edge of the box and his low shot at the near post sees De Gea tips it behind.
72’ - GOAL FOR UNITED! Lingard cuts the ball back, Martial's shot is parried by Foster but the Frenchman scoops the ball in on the rebound.
89’ - GOAL FOR WATFORD! Doucoure trades passes with Success and dinks the ball over De Gea after a dummy to reduce the deficit.
KEY STATS
This is the first time since the 1995-96 season (Scholes, Cole, Giggs, Cantona) that Man Utd have had four players score 10+ goals in a single Premier League campaign (Martial, Rashford, Lukaku, Pogba).
Watford have scored in each of their past 5 games.
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