Man United’s Rashford dents Arsenal’s title hopes

Teenage sensation, Marcus Rashford, scored two goals on his Premier League debut to help fire Manchester United to a 3-2 win over Arsenal.

The 18-year-old was thrust into the starting XI for Thursday’s Europa League last-32 second-leg clash with Midtjylland when Anthony Martial pulled up injured in the warm-up.

Two goals in that 5-1 win helped United into the next round and Rashford showed no signs of slowing down against the title-chasing Gunners.

He scored twice in the space of three first-half minutes – netting his first Premier League brace at exactly the same age as club captain Wayne Rooney when he registered his (18 years, 120 days).

Former United man, Danny Welbeck pulled one back for Arsenal before the interval but Ander Herrera made it three in the 65th minute with Rashford providing the assist.

Ozil once again reduced the deficit four minutes later, but Arsenal left empty-handed and now sit five points behind leaders Leicester City, while United climb back to fifth.

Welbeck, who was deemed surplus to requirements by Louis van Gaal at United, came into the Arsenal starting line-up, while the Dutch manager – who is desperately short of attacking options due to an injury crisis – was once again forced to deploy Rashford.

The first chance of the match came courtesy of an unlikely source, though, as Nacho Monreal fired straight at the returning David de Gea after being played in by Ozil.

Rashford threatened the Arsenal defence with an early surge into the box. He won a free-kick on the edge of the area after being brought down by Gabriel Paulista, but Memphis Depay could only fire the set-piece straight at goalkeeper Petr Cech.

United had conceded three goals by the 19th minute in the reverse fixture but Arsenal, who positioned Welbeck out wide with Theo Walcott down the middle, did little to suggest they could carve open the home defence with the same lethal touch this time around.

And Rashford’s dream week continued when Arsenal failed to clear a Guillermo Varela cross from the right, with the young striker placing a shot beyond Cech from the centre of the box.

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