- Rashford 2-0 LFC at half
- Bailly own goal gives Reds life
- 200th meeting of the clubs
Marcus Rashford’s first half brace gave Manchester United a 2-1 win over rivals Liverpool in a nasty tilt at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Liverpool is winless in five matches against Man Utd -- the previous four were draws -- and has only one win in 10 versus the Red Devils since the start of 2014-15 season.
An Eric Bailly own goal was the only way through for Liverpool, as the Reds dropped five points back of second place United. The victorious Red Devils are 13 points behind leaders Man City, but now 12 points clear of fourth place Chelsea.
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Rashford’s bullet opener followed a Romelu Lukaku flick of David De Gea’s massive goal kick in the 14th minute.
Virgil van Dijk missed a free header off a corner kick when his effort went off his shoulder and wide of the goal, and the other end of the pitch soon saw Rashford back in business.
Lukaku won a long ball and turned his effort to Juan Mata. The Spaniard was tackled, but the ball came clean to Rashford for another smashing finish beyond Loris Karius.
Roberto Firmino worked himself clear for a long hard rip in the 31st minute that fired right into the arms of De Gea.
It was close to a 3-0 when Mata hit a shot wide of the far post.
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1984 - Manchester United have not lost a league game at Old Trafford that they have been leading at half-time since May 7th 1984 (1-2 vs Ipswich Town). Dominant. #MUNLIV pic.twitter.com/6aniDqx1ne
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 10, 2018
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Liverpool looked better after the break, and Salah was defied by his touch and Chris Smalling off a Firmino chipped feed in the 50th minute.
Sadio Mane led a break and couldn’t find Salah. Ashley Young did well to cut out the danger, but Liverpool was just a hair off.
Liverpool got one back in the 66th minute when Mane’s hopeful cross was directed into the United goal by an almost impossibly positioned Bailly.