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| Anthony Martial celebrates after scoring the third goal for Manchester United |
Manchester United ran out comfortable winners against Liverpool after a second-half blitz saw them claim a 3-1 win on Saturday evening. After a dismal first half, Daley Blind fired home from Juan Mata's free-kick,
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| All alone: Mata picked out Blind with the freekick.. |
Christian Benteke's spectacular bicycle kick left David de Gea no chance in the 83rd minute to reduce the arrears, but a wonderfully-taken debut goal from Anthony Martial sealed the hosts win. United now sit second in the Premier League table with 10 points from their opening five games, but Brendan Rodgers' side have now fallen to back-to-back defeats.
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| Outstanding: Benteke's brilliant overhead kick |
1. United fans have forgiven David de Gea for Real Madrid dalliance It was easy to forget, as the crescendo of cheers went around Old Trafford following the announcement of David De Gea's name as the United line-up was read out before kick-off, that the keeper was moments away from joining Real Madrid, before an administrative cock-up scuppered the move. De Gea wanted the move, United had sanctioned it, but at the last minute a glitch meant it never happened. Fast forward 11 days and De Gea has penned a new four-year deal worth £200,000-a-week, and all has been forgiven. Reuters / Phil NobleDavid De Gea celebrates after Daley Blind scored the first goal for Manchester UnitedBack between the sticks: De Gea celebrates on his return The euphoria of United fans is understandable – they have managed to keep hold of one of the world's best goalkeepers, who provided a reminder of his enduring value with two fine saves to deny Danny Ings and Jordan Ibe. But United fans should be under no illusions that De Gea's desire to join Real is no more, simply because he has signed a new deal. Next summer will tell us everything we need to know about his commitment to United, if Real choose to come in for him again.
2. Fellaini cannot lead the line as a striker in Rooney's absence As expected, following Mirror Football's story last night and confirmation more than four hours before kick-off, United skipper Wayne Rooney missed the encounter with a tight hamstring suffered in training the day before. With Louis van Gaal unwilling to throw £36million teenager Anthony Martial in at the deep end for his United and Premier League debut, Marouane Fellaini was chosen to lead the attack. Fellaini's nuisance factor is a valuable weapon, his height, imposing physique and aerial threat giving opponents a unique problem to deal with. Reuters / Carl RecineMarouane FellainiFocal point: Fellaini's braun offered a target, but the Belgian struggled But it took just seven minutes for confirmation the Belgium international does not have the composure and nous to play as an out-and-out striker. When Simon Mignolet's lame throw was blocked by Juan Mata, the ball fell to the feet of Fellaini, who snatched at the chance, hoofing it high over the bar. The least Fellaini should have done was get the ball on target, but the fact he couldn't even manage that shows why he was so ill-suited to role in which he was thrust. All this on the day former United hero Cristiano Ronaldo scored FIVE goals for Real Madrid. How times change.
3. Van Gaal shows again he has the balls to make big calls Louis van Gaal famously dropped his trousers in the Bayern Munich dressing room once to show his players he had the balls to make big decisions. Here, the United boss made another ballsy call, replacing £25million summer signing and fellow Dutchman Memphis Depay with Ashley Young at half-time. Memphis actually didn't perform that poorly in the opening 45 minutes, which is what made van Gaal's decision to replace him all the more admirable. Van Gaal clearly felt his side needed greater pace and penetration down the left side, and Young duly delivered, winning the cleverly worked free-kick that led to United's opening goal from Daley Blind, who proved just as valuable at the other end, clearing the ball off the line with the score 1-0.
4. Martial had a debut to remember at the Theatre of Dreams Anthony Martial showed just why Manchester United were willing to pay over the odds for him, with a £36million fee even Louis van Gaal branded “ridiculous”, by scoring a wonder goal on his debut. Martial, a 65th-minute replacement for Juan Mata, had had little chance to show what he could do until the 86 minute. Shaun Botterill/GettyAnthony Martial comes on as a substitute for Juan MataWelcome to Manchester: Anthony Martial makes his United bow Reuters / Carl RecineAnthony Martial scores the third goal for Manchester United...Before making his mark with a classy finish... Matthew Peters/Man UtdAnthony Martial celebrates after scoring the third goal for Manchester United...To the delight of he and the home fans Then he cut in from the right, gliding past Nathaniel Clyne and Martin Skrtel, before opening up his body and showing great composure to steer the ball beyond Mignolet to restore United's two-goal advantage at a crucial stage in the game, with Liverpool pushing for a late equaliser. Van Gaal had warned of the need to give Martial time to settle in to his new surroundings and not to expect too much, too soon, but the 19-year-old has set the bar high with his stunning debut cameo.
5. Benteke needed his wonder goal for his confidence For much of the game, Christian Benteke had been bullied off the ball by opponents with nowhere near his physical strength, chiefly Daley Blind and Matteo Darmian. Just as he was in Liverpool's abject 3-0 defeat at home to West Ham a fortnight earlier, Benteke was anonymous, shrugged off the ball with ease and failing to capitalise on his physical threat. And with just one goal for Liverpool since his £32m summer move from Aston Villa, a dubious one from an offside position against Bournemouth, he badly needed something special to prove himself worthy of his exorbitant transfer fee. Andrew Powell/Liverpool FCChristian Benteke scores an over head kickOutstanding: Benteke's brilliant overhead kick That duly came with his spectacular scissor-kick six minutes from time. The jury is still out on Benteke, who has endured a slow start to his Liverpool career, but his goal at Old Trafford could provide him with the spark he needs to kick-start his Anfield career. David Maddock's player ratings Man United: De Gea 7; Darmian 7, Smalling 6, Blind 8 MOTM, Shaw 6; Schweinsteiger 6, Carrick 7; Mata 6, Herrera 8, Memphis 6; Fellaini 5. Subs: Young 6, Martial 7, Schneiderlin 6. Liverpool: Mignolet 6; Clyne 6, Skrtel 6, Lovren 6, Gomez 6; Milner 6, Lucas 6, Can 6; Firmino 5, Benteke 6, Ings 7. Subs: Ibe 6, Origi 6.
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