YEOVIL TOWN 0, MANCHESTER UNITED 4
Jose Mourinho had even more to celebrate this week with an FA Cup victory over Yeovil Town in a week in which he turned 55, signed a new contract extension with Manchester United, snatched Alexis Sanchez from rivals Manchester City, and watched the Chilean lay on the ball that saw Marcus Rashford score after hesitation in the Yeovil defence shortly before the break.
Ander Herrera fired home the second just after the hour and although Juan Mata had a late effort disallowed for offside, Jesse Lingard hit a third a minute from time before Romelu Lukaku’s injury time tap-in completed the rout against their exhausted hosts.
Mata was the only United player to keep his place in United’s team at Huish Park as United made ten changes from their 1-0 win at Burnley last weekend.
Michael Carrick made only his second appearance this season for the Reds – with the captain’s armband – but all eyes were on debutant Alexis Sanchez.
It was Sergio Romero with the first save of the match though, as Jordan Green burst free down the left channel and shot against the legs of United’s Argentine keeper within eight minutes.
Romero also saved from Tom Green and denied Omar Sowunmi’s tame header after Gray’s free kick as the home side fought for every break they could get.
New signing Sanchez started on the left and despite getting an early clattering from Nathan Smith he proved to be a cut above when running at the Yeovil defenders proving to be dangerous every time he got close to the Yeovil goal.
Scott McTominay finally forced a save from Artur Krysiak, who pushed the ball away after Sanchez had threaded him through in the 24th minute.
Krysiak also pulled off a great save from a curling Sanchez free kick on the half hour while Tom James stepped up with his own set piece seven minutes later only to see it parried by Romero.
Sanchez sent a shot wide from the edge of the box and Marcus Rashford then put the Reds into a 41st minute lead by outpacing James in the box as he tried to shepherd the ball back to the keeper only to be taken by surprise by the pacy England man who whole the ball away and thrashed it past Krysiak.
It was only his tenth goal of the season and he took full advantage of Sanchez’ through ball even though it looked a lost cause.
Luke Shaw had two shots blocked in the second period as Yeovil look for an equaliser.
It was United who instead pulled away as Ander Herrera drilled in United’s second on the night on the break – his second goal at Huish Park as he scored in United’s last visit there three years earlier. Juan Mata fed Sanchez who in turn put the Spaniard through and he made no mistake in the 61st minute.
Three minutes later Juan Mata was offside after Matteo Darmian had found him for a tap-in before he was replaced by Romelu Lukaku.
The reshuffle that followed saw Rashford switch to the left flank as the big Belgian went up front with Sanchez swapping flanks to the right side – a possible sign of United’s future.
Sanchez went off soon after that, replaced on 71 minutes by Jesse Lingard, as United visibly relaxed with their hosts tiring.
Romero still had to pull off a save from Lewis Wing from the edge of the area – almost their last attacking effort – before United finished with a flourish.
England Under 17 World Cup winner Angel Gomes made only his second appearance off the bench for United as Rashford made way with three minutes to go and he almost had a dream goal, turning his defender before shooting into the side netting.
United did get the last word, with Lingard dribbling his way through a crowd and firing past Krysiak a minute from time for his 12th strike of the season before Lukaku hit his 18th goal of the season after calmly tapping in Marcos Rojo’s square ball from six yards deep into injury time.