Rashford Scores Brace As Man United Hold Off Liverpool Fightback

A first-half double from Marcus Rashford helped Manchester United to a hard-fought 2-1 success over Liverpool at Old Trafford.

Paul Pogba missed Manchester United’s crunch clash with Liverpool as Eric Bailly and Marcus Rashford made long-awaited returns to the starting line-up.

Club-record signing Pogba is reported to have pulled up injured in training on the eve of the game, but Marouane Fellaini was fit to return to the squad after surgery on his knee.

The Belgium midfielder was on the bench for a match that saw Bailly return to the starting line-up for the first time since November and Rashford start a Premier League match for the first time since Boxing Day.

Jurgen Klopp made five changes to the Liverpool side, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Andrew Robertson, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk coming in.

United manager Jose Mourinho confirmed Pogba’s injury in a pre-match television interview.

“He’s injured,” the Portuguese said on Sky Sports. “Yesterday in training… it’s an unlucky situation and he’s out.”

Asked how long the 24-year-old would be out for, Mourinho replied: “I don’t know, I really don’t know.”

Marcus Rashford’s early double lifted Manchester United to a 2-1 Premier League victory over Liverpool.

The England striker’s two neat finishes within the first 25 minutes – on his first start since Boxing Day – put Jose Mourinho’s side in control at Old Trafford.

Eric Bailly’s own goal midway through the second period gave Jurgen Klopp’s visitors hope, but there was no way back as United pulled five points clear of their north-west rivals in the battle for second place.