Marcus Rashford’s sizzling form continued with a goal in each half to fire Manchester United back to within five points of leaders Arsenal with a 3-0 win over Leicester City at Old Trafford.Sunday
Leicester made most of the early running and would have taken the lead but for the superb reflexes of David De Gea, who denied Harvey Barnes one-on-one before pulling off an outstanding save on 20 minutes to keep out Kelechi Iheanacho’s bullet header.
Tete also fizzed a shot wide and Harry Souttar headed over before Rashford struck against the run of play.
The forward raced on to Bruno Fernandes’s through-ball and drilled his seventh successive Premier League goal at Old Trafford past Danny Ward, the first United player to achieve this feat since Wayne Rooney in 2010.
In an open match, Diogo Dalot spurned an opportunity to double United’s advantage on 35 minutes, but he poked wide from from four yards while Lisandro Martinez hit the bar with a header from Luke Shaw’s free-kick.
Man Utd took control after the restart, however, as Rashford slid home Fred’s pass to make it 2-0 on 56 minutes for his 24th goal of the season in all competitions, the England star’s most in a single campaign for United, beating his previous best in 2019/20.
Five minutes later the match was settled by a sweeping move in which Fernandes produced his second assist of the match, finished expertly by substitute Jadon Sancho
There was still time for 17-year-old Academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo to make a 10-minute cameo appearance on his Premier League debut on a satisfactory afternoon for Erik ten Hag’s side.
Man Utd remain third on 49 points, with Arsenal on 54 points but having played one match fewer. Leicester lie 14th with 24 points after their first defeat in four matches, four points clear of the relegation zone.
Supersub Son seals derby win for Spurs
Second-half goals from Emerson Royal and substitute Son Heung-min helped Tottenham Hotspur leapfrog Newcastle United into fourth place with a 2-0 victory over West Ham United.
Spurs were in need of a boost, with manager Antonio Conte recovering from gallbladder surgery and several key players including Hugo Lloris and Rodrigo Bentancur injured.
Cristian Romero returned from suspension for Spurs, who brought in Richarlison for last season’s joint Castrol Golden Boot winner Son, while West Ham, desperate for points in their relegation battle, handed a first Premier League start since October to Flynn Downes.
Spurs appealed for a penalty on 11 minutes when Richarlison’s shot hit Thilo Kehrer’s arm, but a VAR review determined no spot-kick for the home side, while the Brazilian was denied by Lukasz Fabianski, who also thwarted Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
The second half sprang into life on 56 minutes with a goal created by Ben Davies, who raced on to Hojbjerg’s pass to set up fellow wing-back Royal to mark his 50th PL appearance with his third goal in the competition.
West Ham’s best opportunity to level came straight from the restart but Fraser Forster did well to repel Jarrod Bowen’s effort.
Substitute Son made the points safe for Spurs 18 minutes from time, taking a touch from Harry Kane’s brilliant pass before rolling in his 98th Premier League goal.
It was Son’s fourth top-flight goal in his two matches as a sub this season, having scored only once from his 20 starts.
Spurs’ third win in four lifts them to 42 points, a point and a place clear of Newcastle United, who drop to fifth.
West Ham are third from bottom with 21 points after slipping into the relegation zone following wins for Everton and AFC.
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