Manchester United beat Arsenal 3-2 at Old Trafford on Sunday in what was a monumental occasion for one Red Devils debutant.
18-year-old Marcus Rashford made his Premier League debut for United and marked his bow with a match-winning brace and assist as Arsenal's title hopes took a massive dip.
Rashford, who scored a double in his first United start in the Europa League on Thursday, opened the scoring on 29 minutes when Guillermo Varela's cross from the right fell kindly for him to fire home beyond Petr Cech, sparking wild scenes.
Moments later, Rashford doubled the advantage when he got on the end of Jesse Lingard's clever lofted ball to head home to make to four goals in his first two appearances.
Five minutes before the break, Arsenal got back into the contest when former Red Devils striker Danny Welbeck scored with a glancing header from Mesut Ozil's free-kick.
Louis van Gaal's men were able to make it 3-1 when Rashford teed up Ander Herrera whose 65th-minute effort deflected in off Laurent Koscielny before Ozil fired home less than five minutes later but the damager had already been done.
The win lifts fifth-placed United to within three points of Manchester City but they remain 12 points off league leaders Leicester City who are five ahead of Arsene Wenger's Gunners who missed a golden opportunity to assert their authority on their title pursuit.
MATCH OVERVIEW
Manchester United: 3 (Marcus Rashford 29'/32', Ander Herrera 65')
Arsenal: 2 (Danny Welbeck 40', Mesut Ozil 69')
Old Trafford, Manchester - 75,329
TALKING POINTS
- Is Rashford's debut one of the best we have seen in the Premier League?
- Will a loss like this see Arsenal drop right off the title race? Or can Wenger lift the mood in North London?
WHAT'S NEXT?
Man Utd host 10th-placed Watford on Wednesday when Arsenal look to get back to winning ways when 16th-place Swansea come to London.
TWITTER INSIGHT
Fantastic result! Absolutely buzzing for this guy #MarcusRashford. What a week he's had! @ManUtdpic.twitter.com/v4IX1Sn0Re
— Phil Jones (@PhilJones4) February 28, 2016
3 victories from 3 games, what a brilliant week!
Thank U to the fans who lifted us through the week #MUFCpic.twitter.com/vgReyN677z
— Morgan Schneiderlin (@SchneiderlinMo4) February 28, 2016
QUOTES CORNER
Man Utd's van Gaal on Rashford:
"I could imagine what he did in the first game because he is a striker so he is coming into the situation to score goals. I think his performance was better than the first match.
“Normally the first matches a debutant plays are good, but it is the consistency - he has to show it in the third, fourth, fifth match. But what he showed in his second match is special, I think."
Arsenal boss Wenger on the result:
"We dropped three important points today but we have to show we are up for the fight and bounce back on Wednesday night.
"We have to not feel sorry for ourselves. Mathematically, what it means, we will only know at the end of the season."
STATS SPECIALS
*Thanks to Opta
18y 120d - Marcus Rashford is exactly the same age that Wayne Rooney was (18y 120d) when he scored his first Premier League brace. Quirk.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 28, 2016
18 - Mesut Özil now has 18 PL assists this season - the only player with more in a PL campaign is Thierry Henry (20) in 2002-03. Chase.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 28, 2016
2 - Manchester United have now won back-to-back Premier League home games for the first time since September. Improvement.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 28, 2016
