MAN UNITED 3, SUNDERLAND 0
Manchester United moved to the top of the Barclays Premier League as they capitalised on a surprise slip by their neighbours.
The Reds comfortably disposed of Sunderland hours after Manchester City were beaten 4-1 at Tottenham as they surrendered top spot.
Goals from Memphis Depay, Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata helped United overcome the Premier League’s bottom club as they posed little trouble in what was a far-from memorable game.
It was still great for United to top the table for the first time since August 2013 after the opening game of the season when their win at Swansea saw them in first place, albeit for little over 24 hours.
In reply to a question that United may be able to win the league, manager Louis van Gaal he would be in a better position in May to answer more precisely.
But he conceded his team is better placed than last season explaining: “You can say it is better being on top of the league rather than last year when we had 13 points out of 10 or 11 games.
“Then we had to chase and chase and at the end fourth. Also last year we had a feeling we could win the league.”
It goes without saying United, with 18 points from seven league games, are well ahead of the comparable period last season.
And van Gaal pointed out that next Sunday they have one of the season’s most difficult games at Arsenal.
“We won there last year, and I think Manchester United can win against every team, but we need luck.
“We were lucky today to score in the last minute. It was a wonderful goal, but it was punishment for Sunderland wasting so much time in the first half.”
Van Gaal was delighted to see Depay score his first league goal for United, Rooney hit his first in the league this season and for Mata to also find the net.
He was also pleased with Martial’s performance but said he and others have the potential to do even better.
United gave starts to Martial, Depay, Michael Carrick, Morgan Schneiderlin and Matteo Darmian who were all rested to the bench for the midweek win against Ipswich Town in the Capital One Cup.
Mata had a shot deflected just wide by Lee Cattermole in the 14th minute as United made a tentative start.
Sunderland keeper Costel Pantilimon then handled outside the penalty area after a bizarre defensive mix up – he was not booked by referee Mike Jones presumably because it was unintentional.
Mata fired the resulting free kick into the defensive wall as Sunderland’s defence held firm.
The game briefly exploded to life mid-half as Sunderland’s Jeremain Lens forced a diving save from David de Gea with an angled shot from the right.
And that was quickly followed by Depay’s drive being tipped over by keeper Pantilimon as United looked to make a breakthrough.
It was pretty lack-lustre, though, as neither side was able to get into any or rhythm.
The deadlock was finally broken in the third of four minutes of stoppage time, and came through a long-ball move.
Daley Blind’s long ball forward found Mata whose ball from the right of the six-yard box was touched home at the far post by Depay, his fourth goal of the season and first in the league.
And little over half a minute following the restart it was 2-0 to the Reds as Rooney ended a run of 11 Premier League games and exactly 1,000 minutes without a goal, though he had scored four goals for the Reds this season in the Champions League and Capital One Cup.
Martial provided the assist with an terrific run to the by line before he squared the ball which flew into the net off the knee of Rooney who was standing a couple of yards from goal at the near post.
It was Rooney 171st league goal as he equalled the total of Reds’ legend Denis Law and his first strike at Old Trafford since April 4th.
Sunderland almost got a foothold back into the game on two occasions, but United keeper David De Gea made two important blocks to deny Ola Toivonen and Patrick van Aanholt.
United ought to have added a third goal midway through the second period when Martial’s trickery set up Depay, who clean through, was denied by a super stop from Pantilimon.
Martial, looking to become the first player to score in his first three Premier League games, went close when his header from Antonio Valancia’s cross dipped just over the crossbar.
Pantilimon pulled off a fine save to turn Mata’s drive from the edge of the box round the post for a corner.
United finally added a third goal in the 90th minute when substitute Ashley Young’s deflected cross from the left found Mata at the far post and he rifled a shot into the roof of the net from six yards for his third goal of the season.