Zimpapers Logo

MANCHESTER. — Anthony Martial scored Manchester United’s first Premier League hat-trick since Robin van Persie for Sir Alex Ferguson’s title-winners in April 2013 as Sheffield United were cuffed aside.

The Red Devils won 3-0.

It was also the Frenchman’s inaugural career hat-trick, moving to a best ever season’s tally of 19 in all competitions for United, who stretched their unbeaten run to 13 matches and took their points tally to 49 with seven games left, two behind Chelsea in fourth, who play Manchester City tonight.

For this first home game of the restart Ole Gunnar Solskjaer selected close to United’s strongest side with only Scott McTominay missing: he was given a rest, Nemanja Matic coming in.

This meant Paul Pogba broke a 10-month wait for a league start and was paired in the XI with the effervescent Bruno Fernandes for a first time.

Martial scored two similar goals in the opening half at Old Trafford, firing United into a seventh-minute lead when he reacted instinctively with his weaker left foot after good work by Marcus Rashford on the right flank. — The Guardian.