Man Utd 3-1 SunderlandHome team scorersDaley Blind 39
Zlatan Ibrahimovic 82
Henrikh Mkhitaryan 86
Away team scorersFabio Borini 90 +0:02
This was a fine fourth consecutive Premier League victory for Manchester United and a muted return to Old Trafford for David Moyes. Given the 13-point gap to Chelsea, who beat Bournemouth, all José Mourinho’s team can do is keep winning, which they did today admirably.
They dominated the second half and though Moyes would have loved a victory following his sacking by United two years ago he could have no complaints.
United’s crowning moment came on 81 minutes when a composed Zlatan Ibrahimovic registered his 17th goal of outstanding campaign. This caused Mourinho to stand and offer a fixed salute to fans behind his seat in a signal the manager was particularly content.
Better was to come in the finishing stakes as an Ibrahimovic cross was met with a back-flip of a volley from Henrikh Mkhitaryan that send the home crowd into ecstasy.
Mourinho made two changes from the victorious XI at West Bromwich Albion, with Wayne Rooney and Matteo Darmian making way for Juan Mata and Daley Blind. Rooney missed out due to a minor problem he reported during Christmas Day training, Mourinho said before the game. There was also a return for Mkhitaryan, following a foot problem, the Armenian named among the seven replacements.
For Sunderland Donald Love dropped to the bench, with Sebastian Larsson and Billy Jones making the starting lineup.
Moyes’s afternoon began with a hug from United mascot, Fred the Red, before he stood in the technical area. From there he saw his former side put together an early move as Marcos Rojo found Ibrahimovic, but his pass to Jesse Lingard was too heavy.
This suggestion that United were early into their groove proved correct. More smooth passing ensued when Carrick drove the ball to Lingard who laid it off and when possession returned to the former England midfielder his shot was deflected away.
Sunderland’s riposte consisted of a corner from the right that caused a moment’s disarray and a Jermain Defoe break that caused deeper consternation. This came after a Phil Jones header toward Jordan Pickford’s goal had been cleared upfield, the striker bringing the ball down and then bearing down on David De Gea. It came to nothing but Mourinho was still exercised enough to yell at his players for the manner of the move.
Next Victor Anchibe charged at Blind who bundled the forward over. Martin Atkinson, the referee, booked the left-back. From the free-kick Patrick Van Aanholt’s effort dipped to De Gea’s right and the goalkeeper tipped away.
This was now a riveting first half. Mourinho previously said his side do not play in a defensive fashion and the first-half’s open nature illustrated the point.
Antonio Valencia heaved the ball skywards at Mata, who ran into the area. As it dropped to him Lamine Koné barged him aside for what appeared a fair shout for a penalty but Atkinson waved this away. This drove Mourinho to distraction but he would have felt deeper dismay if later one of Anchibe or Fabio Borini had managed to beat De Gea from close range. In between Paul Pogba’s curving 20-yarder deflected on to a post and went for a corner.
The closing 10 minutes featured some rapid passing moves fro but the chances were being created by United. Pogba should have notched his sixth goal but after chesting down, he sent his volley over.
Blind proved the surprise candidate to show Pogba how to finish. A slick sequence that involved Rojo and Ibrahimovic ended with the Dutchman drilling home his first goal of the season. United ended on a high as Ander Herrera, Mata and Ibrahimovic combined for Pogba to go close.
The second half started similarly for Mourinho’s men. Valencia drove along the right and found Ibrahimovic but he misdirected his effort.
A couple of minutes later Lingard threaded a pass to Herrera and Sunderland scrambled the ball out for a corner. Then Pogba headed over.
United pressed and pressed for a second. Mata’s cleverly put Ibrahimovic through but the Swede blasted over, causing Mourinho to hang his head.
After 62 minutes United’s manager introduced Mkhitaryan for Lingard and there was nearly an instant reward. Mata floated the ball over on a right-left diagonal and the forward dropped a shoulder and let fly a right-footed attempt that was narrowly wide. Next in a seemingly endless chain of United chances, Mkhitaryan slipped in Ibrahimovic but he could only manage to hit Pickford’s legs.
As the contest entered its final stages Mourinho had made a second substitution – Anthony Martial for Mata. It was a surprise Moyes had made none until the 83rd minute. There might have been some consolation for him when Fabio Borini struck right at the end, but it would have been negligible.
Guardian
