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Reuters
Reuters
Sport

Rashford double helps Man United to 4-0 rout of Norwich

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Norwich City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 11, 2020 Manchester United's Marcus Rashford scores their second goal from the penalty spot REUTERS/Jon Super

Manchester United kept alive their hopes of finishing in the Premier League's top four, with two goals from Marcus Rashford and one each from Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood giving them a 4-0 home win over Norwich City on Saturday.

The result left United fifth in the standings on 34 points from 22 games, five behind fourth-placed Chelsea, while Norwich stayed rooted to the bottom with 14 points.

It also took some pressure off manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following Tuesday's 3-1 home defeat by Manchester City in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final, and ahead of their visit next Sunday to runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Norwich City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 11, 2020 Manchester United's Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring their first goal with Juan Mata REUTERS/Jon Super

Solskjaer was pleased with the performance and singled out Rashford after the striker took his season's tally to 19 goals in all competitions in his 200th game for United.

"Very happy," the Norwegian told BBC Sport. "I am sure the opposition are talking about Man Utd as a very hard working team. That is what I want from my team.

"We reacted today. We can bounce back, and we are taking more than two or three steps forward before one back, because behind the scenes we know we are doing good work."

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Norwich City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 11, 2020 Manchester United's Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates REUTERS/Jon Super

"Fantastic effort by Marcus getting to 200 games so quickly. He got through most of the game. He is struggling a little bit so we took him off. He kept his cool."

Midfielder Juan Mata enjoyed a rare league start for United and made the most of it as he contributed with two assists, the first when Rashford met the Spaniard's inswinging cross at the far post and side-footed it home in the 27th minute.

Rashford made it 2-0 with a 52nd-minute penalty as he drove his spot-kick low past goalkeeper Tim Krul, who had needlessly hauled down United's left back Brandon Williams with a mistimed tackle.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Norwich City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 11, 2020 Norwich City's Todd Cantwell looks dejected after the match REUTERS/Jon Super

The lively Mata was at it again two minutes later when he delivered an inch-perfect cross from the right for Martial to head home emphatically into the bottom corner from close range.

United continued to press, and Williams missed a gilt-edged chance in the 57th minute, blazing his shot high into the stands at the Stretford End after a flowing move down the right flank.

The home side got their reward, however, as second-half substitute Greenwood put the icing on the cake with a crisp low shot from 18 metres shortly after he came on for playmaker Andreas Pereira.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Norwich City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 11, 2020 Norwich City manager Daniel Farke looks dejected after the match REUTERS/Jon Super

Mata acknowledged United needed to be more consistent if they are to earn a Champions League berth.

"It was a very good response to our last defeat, and today is a good example of how I believe we should play on a more consistent basis," he said.

"There are more teams that will fight to get that (Champions League) position. Chelsea is going to earn points so we must focus on our results."

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Norwich City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 11, 2020 Norwich City's Todd Cantwell looks dejected after the match REUTERS/Jon Super

(Writing by Zoran Milosavljevic; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Tilly Kenyon)

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Norwich City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 11, 2020 Manchester United's Aaron Wan-Bissaka in action with Norwich City's Ibrahim Amadou REUTERS/Jon Super
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Norwich City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 11, 2020 Manchester United's Mason Greenwood scores their fourth goal REUTERS/Jon Super
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Norwich City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 11, 2020 Manchester United's Andreas Pereira in action with Norwich City's Sam Byram REUTERS/Jon Super
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Norwich City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 11, 2020 Manchester United's Anthony Martial scores their third goal REUTERS/Jon Super
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Norwich City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 11, 2020 Manchester United's Andreas Pereira in action with Norwich City's Todd Cantwell REUTERS/Jon Super
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