Highlights
- Marcus Rashford’s thunderbolt gave Manchester United a 1-0 lead against Manchester City, silencing recent criticism of the forward.
- United need as many points as they can get in the hunt for Champions League qualification.
- City looked to close the gap on Liverpool in the hotly contested Premier League title race.
Marcus Rashford has produced one of the goals of the 2023/24 Premier League season with a thunderbolt for Manchester United against Manchester City. The Red Devils’ forward has come in for recent criticism but responded in emphatic fashion by handing his side a 1-0 lead in the Manchester derby.
Erik ten Hag’s side made the short trip to the Etihad Stadium with the hope of getting revenge on their neighbours for the 3-0 rout Pep Guardiola’s men had carried out at Old Trafford in the reverse fixture.
Tottenham and Aston Villa won their fixtures earlier in the weekend, meaning United require all the points they can get in the hunt for Champions League qualification and their homegrown forward gave them the perfect start in the opening 10 minutes against their nearest rivals.
City, on the other hand, were looking to once again close the gap on Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table after Jurgen Klopp’s side grabbed a dramatic late winner against Nottingham Forest the day before.
Marcus Rashford stuns the Etihad
It came against the run of play
The opening exchanges of the game saw the home side dominate possession as many would have expected, and very few watching would have given the away side much hope of taking the lead.
Rashford had other ideas, however, as the boyhood Manchester United fan latched onto a Bruno Fernandes lay-off to rifle a long-range effort into the back of the net via Ederson’s crossbar. The Brazilian goalkeeper was left with no hope as the United number 10 hit the ball with an incredible amount of venom and power.
It was a moment that would have made many Premier League fans sit up and take notice, while Liverpool and Arsenal fans would have found themselves in the unusual position of celebrating a Man United goal.
Marcus Rashford ‘very excited’ by Man Utd project under INEOS
Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain, but he’s happy at Old Trafford.
The Premier League season heats up
There is plenty at stake for both Manchester clubs
Manchester City will travel to Anfield in their next league match to try and defeat their title rivals and try to ensure their fate is in their own hands. A defeat against Manchester United before the massive clash against Liverpool would be a massive blow and could drain the side of confidence.
Meanwhile, Manchester United making a huge statement and coming away with a result against their biggest foes would be enough for Aston Villa and Tottenham to nervously look over their shoulders at Ten Hag’s side. Rashford’s wonder goal could have huge implications in the Premier League.
Leave a Reply