Rashford hat-trick seals big win for Manchester United against Leipzig

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A terrific performance from Manchester United saw them take control of Group H, their goals coming from Marcus Rashford, who scored a 30-minute hat-trick on as sub, Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial. Two wins in the double-header against Istanbul Basaksehir, and United are into the last 16.

United started the game well, first to the ball and using it well, so the lead they took on 21 minutes was well earned. And it was well constructed too, Fred winning the ball and finding Paul Pogba, who slid Greenwood through to administer yet another sensational finish.

Roused, Leipzig improved thereafter but created little in the period either side of half-time – David de Gea made two decent but routine saves – and then on 60 and 68 minutes respectively, United sent on Rashford and Bruno Fernandes,and the effect was devastating. On 74 minutes, Fernandes sent Rashford through and though Leipzig played for offside, his run had started inside his own half, and he finished superbly.

Four minutes later, Rashford scored again then, with three minutes remaining, Martial won and converted a penalty, allowed by Fernandes and Rashford, both of whom had better claims on the ball, to open his account for the season. As Rashford knows, kindness is its own reward but the cosmos rewarded him nonetheless, Martial returning the favour with the pass that allowed him to hammer home his third.

In the end, Leipzig did well to get away with 5-0, and United are almost in the knockouts. Not one team in Europe will fancy encountering them there.