Sheffield (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United mounted yet another rescue mission on Thursday, beating Sheffield United 3-2 to win their sixth consecutive Premier League away match of the season.
The Blades took a shock lead through David McGoldrick after a horrendous error by returning goalkeeper Dean Henderson but two goals from Marcus Rashford and a Anthony Martial strike turned the tables.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Jekyll-and-Hyde team have won just a single match at Old Trafford this season but have taken all 18 points on the road to climb to sixth in the table.
But that is only half the story for United, who have been forced to come from behind in all six of those away games.
The home side started brightly as Manchester United struggled to find their rhythm and it was no surprise when the home side scored just their sixth league goal of the season in the fifth minute.
Henderson, in the United goal in place of David de Gea, was caught in possession by Oliver Burke, who scrambled the ball to McGoldrick to tap home.
The home side had a golden chance to double their lead but John Fleck put his left-foot shot wide of Henderson’s right-hand post.
Manchester United started to find their stride as the half wore on, with Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba pulling the strings from midfield.
They were level in the 26th minute when Rashford bent his run to stay onside, instantly controlling Victor Lindelof’s long ball with his right foot before lashing home.
Seven minutes later United were ahead. The impressive Pogba picked out Martial on the right of the penalty box.
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale failed to deal with the ball, which bounced kindly for the Frenchman, who poked home.
The visitors, also boasting Mason Greenwood in a multi-pronged attack, looked dangerous every time they swept forward but Sheffield United had attempts of their own through Burke and McGoldrick.
Manchester United extended their lead early in the second half.
Pogba cut out a misplaced throw-in, turned smartly and produced a lovely pirouette to start a break from deep in the United half.
Referee Michael Oliver allowed play to continue when Greenwood was fouled in the middle of a fine team move that ended with Rashford firing underneath a diving Ramsdale, who should have done better.
United appeared to be in cruise control but McGoldrick headed home from a corner in the 87th minute to make life uncomfortable and Henderson had to dive to his right to keep out a shot by Lys Mousset. But the visitors clung on for the win.
Earlier, Aston Villa and Burnley played out a 0-0 draw. Villa are in 11th place while the point lifted Sean Dyche’s men out of the bottom three.
