Martial hits hat-trick as Solskjær’s side blunt Blades

Anthony Martial’s first hat-trick for Manchester United ensured the hosts cruised to a comfortable 3-0 win over Sheffield United.

It was a dominant Old Trafford performance that was reminiscent of the Sir Alex Ferguson era.

The game started at an understandably slow tempo in 30-degree Manchester heat, but the home side pounced to take the lead out of nowhere in the seventh minute.

Marcus Rashford picked up Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s advanced throw-in after a hesitant Oliver Norwood took a swing at thin air, ghosted between two defenders with a single touch to hit the byline, and smashed a cross into the six-yard box.

His delivery, which had the power and technique of a long-range shot, was instinctively redirected into the net by Anthony Martial.

The Red Devils should’ve then double their lead five minutes later, when David De Gea fed the ball to Rashford on the counter.

The England striker played Martial in one on one with The Blades’ stand in keeper Simon Moore and continued his run for a return pass.

But the pair failed to combine for another goal as Rashford scuffed his finish into the turf and wide of the post, with an empty goal to aim at.

Harry Maguire then correctly had a header from a corner disallowed for his pushing, whilst Bruno Fernandes had also seen a free-kick well parried by Moore, as Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s men penned the Yorkshire side back in their defensive third up to the first drinks break.

Chris Wilder’s side finally managed to get their foot on the ball a bit after play restarted, but Manchester United finally doubled their lead two minutes before half time.

Wan-Bissaka got past Enda Stevens down the side of the penalty area and whipped a pacy ball across the face of goal, which was again turned in by Martial.

The squeeze continued after the interval, with the hosts continuing to dominate possession, territory and chances thanks to the swaggering Fernandes linking up seamlessly with Paul Pogba on the pair’s first start together.

Paul Pogba was one of many Manchester United players to enjoy their evening’s work (credit: Manchester United)

It took them until the 75^th minute to create another meaningful chance and the third goal though.

Pogba played the ball into Fernandes on the half-turn, allowing the Portuguese midfielder to back heel the ball into the path of Martial.

The French striker then played a neat one-two with Rashford into the box, before dinking over the Blades’ keeper to complete his first senior hat-trick. It was the first treble for any Manchester United player since Robin van Persie in the 2012/13 season under Sir Alex Ferguson.

At the other end, it was an extremely quiet evening for under-fire United stopper David De Gea; his most notable achievement of the match was to work on his sun tan, as Sheffield were denied the chance to ever get close to his goal.

The Blades were restricted to a few hopeful efforts by their commanding hosts (credit: Sheffield United)

Solskjær took the momentum out of a performance that Sir Alex Ferguson would’ve been proud of in the 80^thminute by making a quintuple substitution.

Odion Ighalo, Scott McTominay, Andreas Pereira, Daniel James and Juan Mata replaced Martial, Fernandes, Pogba, Rashford and Mason Greenwood, in a move that gave the latter stages of the game the feeling of an England friendly under Sven-Göran Eriksson.

The victory moves Manchester United within two points of fourth place Chelsea, who face Manchester City tomorrow night, and keeps them ahead of sixth place Wolves on goal difference, in what could be a Champions League spot.

Sheffield United, meanwhile, remain in contention for a European place, despite just a single point and no goals scored since returning from the Premier League’s coronavirus suspension.