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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Getty Images)
United manchester mounted another rescue mission on Thursday, overcoming Sheffield United 3-2 to maintain their perfect away record in the Premier League this season.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Jekyll-and-Hyde team now have 18 points from six games on the road, coming from behind to win each one.
Two goals from Marcus Rashford and a goal from Anthony Martial lifted United to sixth in the table, five points behind leaders Liverpool with one game down.
But Sheffield United is staring into the abyss: With just one point to its name, Chris Wilder’s team has fewer points after its first 13 games of a league season than any other team in top flight history in England.
The visitors outperformed Sheffield United for long stretches at Bramall Lane, but faced a nervous final a few minutes before celebrating their 10th straight league win away.
“It was not at all comfortable towards the end,” Solskjaer told the BBC.
“We made it difficult again after a slow start, but then we played something brilliant. When they get that second goal it’s not comfortable at all.”
“We need to improve at home,” added the Norwegian, whose team has won just one of their six games at Old Trafford this season.
“Sunday (Leeds at home) will be a huge test for us. It’s a great derby. We have been waiting for years to start this match.”
Sheffield United started brilliantly as Manchester United struggled to find their rhythm and it came as no surprise when they scored their sixth league goal of the season in the fifth minute.
Dean Henderson, chosen in United’s goal in place of David de Gea, was caught in possession by Oliver Burke, who passed the ball to David McGoldrick for touch.
It was a head-to-head moment for Henderson, who excelled on loan at Bramall Lane last season.
The hosts had a golden opportunity to double their lead, but John Fleck finished off with his left foot off Henderson’s right post.
Manchester United began to find their rhythm as the half progressed, with Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba pulling the strings from midfield.
They were tied in the 26th minute when Rashford doubled his run perfectly to stay in play, instantly controlling Victor Lindelof’s long ball with his right foot before scoring.
Seven minutes later, United went ahead. The impressive Pogba took Martial out of the penalty area on the right.
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale could not control the ball, which rebounded kindly for the Frenchman, who finished on goal.
The visitors, who also bragged Mason Greenwood in a multi-front attack, looked dangerous every time they advanced, but Sheffield United had their own attempts through Burke and McGoldrick.
Manchester United extended their lead early in the second half.
Pogba cut an offside serve, turned smartly and performed a beautiful pirouette to initiate a break from deep in the United half.
Referee Michael Oliver allowed play to continue when Greenwood was fouled in the middle of a good team play that ended with Rashford shooting under a Ramsdale plummeting, which should have done better.
United appeared to be in cruise control, but McGoldrick headed home from a corner in the 87th minute to make life more uncomfortable and Henderson had to lunge to his right to avoid a powerful shot from substitute Lys Mousset. But the visitors clung to victory.
Previously, Aston Villa and Burnley played a 0-0 draw. Villa is 11th, while the point knocked Sean Dyche’s men out of the bottom three.
