Manchester United have maximum points from their two Champions League outings and return home from Moscow in buoyant mood. From the first to last whistle they coasted to a win that means José Mourinho’s side have now scored 28 goals in nine outings this season.
United owed this victory to the superb Anthony Martial, who created both of Romelu Lukaku’s goals, scored a penalty and generally terrorised CSKA Moscowwhenever he took possession.
Mourinho called this the “strongest” display from teams he has managed against CSKA, having done so with Chelsea, Internazionale and Real Madrid. “That was my best team. It is true,” Mourinho said. “I came here and faced very good teams but I think this was the strongest performance. Today we were really strong and it was my strongest performance here.”
Mourinho had made five changes from the 1-0 win at Southampton on Saturday. Marouane Fellaini, Phil Jones and Antonio Valencia did not travel because of injury and Marcus Rashford and Juan Mata were dropped to the bench. In came Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof to a three‑man defence. Mourinho also drafted in Daley Blind as left wing-back, Ander Herrera into midfield, and Martial to attack.
United’s opening goal arrived on four minutes and was started and finished by Lukaku. The No9 spun a pass out to the left that was perfectly weighted into Martial’s path. The Frenchman cut inside and dropped the ball on to the head of Lukaku, who beat Igor Akinfeev to his left from a few yards out.
David de Gea ensured the lead was not conceded within a few seconds. CSKA attacked and an Aleksandr Golovin miskick became a pass that rolled to Alan Dzagoev. The No10 pulled the trigger but De Gea dived to his right to steer the ball out for a corner. CSKA gained nothing from this and soon United were 2-0 up. Henrikh Mkhitaryan was upended by Georgi Schennikov in the area and Jonas Eriksson pointed to the spot. The referee was booed and so was Martial but the Frenchman coolly rolled the ball to Akinfeev’s left as he dived right.
Advertisement
The home crowd continued to roar their team on though they were quietened by United’s third. Again, CSKA succumbed to the Martial-Lukaku combination. The No11 bounced a cross in, Vasili Berezutski air-kicked and there was Lukaku for a 14th goal in 11 appearances this season, his 10th in nine for United. He was close to a first United hat-trick when later taking aim from 25 yards, Akinfeev scrambling to his left to beat the ball out.
Of Lukaku, Mourinho said: “It is a great achievement but it is only possible with a good team. Without a good team it is not possible and the team is playing well. They are amazing numbers for Romelu. He is humble and wants to learn and improve all the time. I think ambition is there and I don’t think he is going to be very impressed with your great words because I think he knows when things aren’t going well your [media] words are also strong in a negative way. I trust he can keep performing for us.”
De Gea’s class is such that when called upon after United’s flurry of goals he could still react expertly to keep out a Fedor Chalov effort and at the interval it remained 3-0, with the contest surely over. CSKA’s sole hope appeared to be to try to get one back early in the second half and see where this might take them.
They swept forward in a move that ended with Golovin firing over De Gea’s bar from outside United’s area. Yet this was a brief respite as the Martial‑Lukaku axis came close to breaching CSKA once more when some razor‑sharp play ended with the former snapping a pass to the latter right in front of Akinfeev and the Belgian should have hit the net rather than the goalkeeper.
Next up Ashley Young, the right wing-back and United’s captain for the night, swung a rare cross in from his side and Blind rose, though he failed to direct his header. When Mkhitaryan smashed home United’s fourth after Martial’s attempt was repelled by Akinfeev the match became the proverbial stroll for United.
This proved the Armenian’s last act as Jesse Lingard replaced him. From here United toyed with Russia’s second-placed side of last year, though Konstantin Kuchaev scored with a low shot from a narrow angle near the close.
A stroll for Manchester United in Moscow. CSKA Moscow were wretched, but the visitors were very impressive. Romelu Lukau scored twice, the sparkling Anthony Martial converted a penalty and Henrikh Mkhitaryan completed the rout. United are in control of Group A after starting with two convincing wins. Thanks for reading and emailing. Night.
United boss Jose Mourinho shakes hands with keeper David De Gea. Photograph: Dan Mullan/Getty Images
90 min+1: CSKA are finishing strongly, for what it’s worth. Kuchaev has another shot deflected wide, then Schennikov sees a low piledriver held by De Gea.
GOAL! CSKA Moscow 1-4 Manchester United (Kuchaev, 90 min)
This is no more than a consolation, but it’s a nice goal nonetheless, and one fashioned by two youngsters. Golovin, who’s been bright, scoops a ball over the top of the United defence and Kuchaev, the young substitute, takes it on his chest before slamming a low shot past De Gea. The home fans enjoyed it. Mourinho looks displeased.
CSKA Moscow’s Konstantin Kuchaev embraces Aleksandr Golovin, right, as he celebrates after scoring their consolation goal. Photograph: Maxim Shemetov/Reuters
Since you’re here … we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading the Guardian than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. And unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can. So you can see why we need to ask for your help. The Guardian’s independent, investigative journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we believe our perspective matters – because it might well be your perspective, too.
If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps to support it, our future would be much more secure. You can give to the Guardian by becoming a monthly supporter or by making a one-off contribution. - Guardian HQ
87 min: “Watching the game as a United fan, I’m not too sure whether we’re playing all that well, or CSKA are just awful!” says Luke Madden. “What do you think?”
72 min: Marcus Rashford replaces the outstanding Anthony Martial, while Georgi Milanov replaces Alan Dzagoev, who’s a bit underwhelming to be perfectly blunt with you.
62 min: “As another long-suffering Liverpool fan, I agree with Matthew Turner how frustrating this is to watch,” says Mike Richardson. “But at times, I think Liverpool is playing against ManU, like the absurd defending on the last two goals. Maybe Klopp can sign Ignashevich as a new center back to partner with Lovren and Klaven?”
60 min: Jesse Lingard replaces Henrikh Mkhitaryan. And the substitute almost scores straight away! The superb Martial scoots past the hapless CSKA defenders and sets up Lingard, who’s denied by the sprawling Akinfeev!
Viktor Vasin of CSKA Moscow attempts to stop Anthony Martial of Manchester United by fair means or foul. Photograph: Dan Mullan/Getty Images
GOAL! CSKA Moscow 0-4 Manchester United (Mkhitaryan, 57 min)
Lukaku momentarily looks like he’s in the clear, Ignashevich playing a hopeless offside trap, but he takes a heavy touch and Berezutsky steps in. Ignashevich, though, is having a horrific evening. He plays an awful pass out of defence and Herrera wins back possession before knocking a pass through to Martial. His shot’s saved by the despairing Aknifeev, but Mkhitaryan strokes home the rebound.
Manchester United’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan makes it four. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images via Reuters
54 min: Wernbloom picks up a booking for a forearm smash into Mkhitaryan’s jaw. He could have been sent off. Mkhitaryan groggily gets back to his feet. That was a disgraceful challenge from the CSKA midfielder.
49 min: Martial threads a pass through the eye of the needle for Lukaku, who takes one touch before ramming a volleyed shot goalwards from close range. Akinfeev makes a superb stop and the ball’s scrambled away from Lukaku before he can complete his hat-trick.
46 min:CSKA Moscow get the ball rolling again. They make a positive start, Golovin turning this way and that on the edge of the area before sending a powerful shot over the bar. De Gea didn’t look too concerned. “The reason Macca is so upset is because of the juxtaposition with yesterday’s Moscow match,” says Matthew Turner. “It hurts us Liverpool supporters very much to see United play opponents who simply don’t show up, who don’t even try. It hurts us almost as much as the knowledge that our own team would still manage to not beat those same opponents. Liverpool can lower their game to any level.”
43 min: Anthony Martial goes on a daring dribble inside from the left, winding into the area, briefly looking like he might run all the way through and score a fantastic solo goal. He’s crowded out in the end, but it’s another example of his glittering talent. He is so very good at football, Mourinho must find a way to extract those flashes from him on a more consistent basis.
3 comments:
up Man united
that how we roll
always the winner
Post a Comment