Anthony Martial scored his first hat-trick for Manchester United as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side recorded a victory that was as routine as could be hoped for in circumstances that had Manchester feeling more like the Maracana.

After a confident start by the visitors, Solskjaer’s team burst into life – Marcus Rashford did well to take control of a bouncing ball and he fired it across the box. Martial did well to instinctively convert. 

It was that sort of conviction which was missing from the following passages of United’s play. Martial and Pogba both provided chances for Rashford, who will surely blame ring-rust for his failure to score on both occasions. On the first, Martial might share the blame for a little indecision, but Pogba presented the currently very popular forward with a chance he ought to have done much better with.

Nonetheless, and despite the occasional tendency to overplay, United looked brilliant at times. The club may have boasted talent at various times in the post-Sir Alex era but rarely have they possessed a threat in this way; there exists a genuine feeling that when Pogba, Fernandes, Rashford and Martial get into a groove, they can be irresistible. The early signs are promising indeed.

The Blades staged a fair comeback and had some corners, but Martial grabbed a crucial second just before the break. One concern repeated on Friday night was the thought that United’s full-backs don’t offer enough going forward. Pogba did well to find Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and his movement was great, as was his final ball. Martial was as clinical as Rashford hadn’t been. 2-0 half-time.

There were two choices in the second half – go for the kill, or take the sting out of the game. Never before has a game been played at Old Trafford in this temperature – in the 80s throughout – so, knowing Sheffield would have to raise their own tempo to get back into the game, Solskjaer instructed his players to make their opponents work. 

Inevitably, they tired, and United found joy again – Fernandes, Rashford and Martial combined with thrilling effect for the latter to score his first hat-trick for the club. His flicked finish over the goalkeeper was outstanding.

With a little over ten minutes left, and the result well and truly secured, Solskjaer made five changes. His team kept Wilder’s penned in to see out the game.

Tactics

A clear win here for Solskjaer. There was nothing clever about fielding all your best players, and no ingenious approach to defeating a team low on form or confidence, but it was still a game to be won or lost. Nobody could question the manager here.

Selection

…or on the selection either. Mason Greenwood was in for James as many wanted. Anthony Martial wasn’t great against Spurs so the question was asked – a big performance was needed and it came. Solskjaer kept calm with his decision to pick Matic in the midfield and he was rewarded by a sensible screening performance.

Posers

Much has been made of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial and questions are again being asked because of all the creativity they now stand to benefit from.

So we return to the question – can they make the step up that many said they could when it was suggested Romelu Lukaku and Zlatan Ibrahimovic stunted their development, and also that Alexis Sanchez was signed at the worst possible time when it came to how they were coming on?

Well, Martial and Rashford have outlasted them all, which is one answer, but one that is on potential rather than contribution if we are talking up to this season. 

Rashford’s development has been outstanding. Martial needs performances like tonight but he should be praised when he delivers. This is a critical few weeks when it comes to assessing what United will need coming forward, and if this pair can be trusted to produce the goals on a more prolific basis. Today was a very promising sign.

Other questions being asked included the lack of crossing from full-back – United seemed a little flat in this area on Friday. It was enough to forget all the positive strides Aaron Wan-Bissaka was making in this regard just before the enforced break, but his assist before half-time was a timely reminder.

For Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and David De Gea, it was as uneventful an evening as could have been hoped, but things being the way they are, they’re only one mistake away from more unwanted spotlights.

Ratings

De Gea 6

Wan-Bissaka 7

Lindelof 6

Maguire 7

Shaw 6

Matic 7

Fernandes 8

Pogba 8

Greenwood 6

Martial 9

Rashford 7

Subs :

Mata

Pereira

Ighalo

James

McTominay