Soccer-Red-hot Rashford nets double as Man United outclass Leicester
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MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) -Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford’s superb run of form continued as he netted a goal in each half of his side’s 3-0 Premier League win over Leicester City on Sunday to extend his scoring streak to five games.
It was exactly what his side needed as they weathered an early storm from the visitors, with keeper David De Gea pulling off a superb save to deny Harvey Barnes in the eighth minute and topping that with an even better effort to keep out a Kelechi Iheanacho header.
Leicester were left to rue those near misses when Rashford latched onto a pass down the right from Bruno Fernandes and rifled the ball across keeper Danny Ward and into the net after 25 minutes at Old Trafford.
United midfielder Marcel Sabitzer was lucky to remain on the pitch after a dangerous challenge left Leicester’s Wout Faes needing treatment, with the Austrian, who is on loan from Bayern Munich, escaping punishment altogether.
United were a different side after the break, Lisandro Martinez hitting the crossbar in the 49th minute with a header and Rashford going close after another run and shot as Leicester lost their composure.
England international Rashford bagged his second in the 56th minute, cutting in from the left and tearing into the box before guiding the ball home to register his 14th league goal of the season and his 25th in all competitions.
Substitute Jadon Sancho added a brilliant third five minutes later when Martinez won the ball in midfield to allow Rashford to feed Sancho, who played a quick exchange of passes with Fernandes before drilling home.
Leicester rang the changes in an effort to get back into the game but United continued to have the better chances, with Sancho and Wout Weghorst spurning good opportunities to add a fourth.
United moved on to 49 points, three behind second-placed Manchester City after 24 games and five adrift of leaders Arsenal, who have played a game less. Fourth-placed Newcastle United trail Manchester United by eight points.
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor, editing by Ed Osmond)