Hull City 0 United 1

It was almost as if United's last four turbulent years were crammed into one match.  For more than ninety minutes the horrifying presence of a 0-0 draw hung over this match, reminding us all too vividly of the Van Gaal period while the threatening breaks the home side occasionally put together carried a distinct whiff of the hapless essence of Moyes.  

Thankfully the Mourinho-esque defensive organisation ensured that none of the breaks came to anything while the new boss's reputation for well-timed substitutions was certainly borne out when he brought on Rashford and Mkhitaryan to crank up the pressure that ultimately bring the winner that, well into stoppage time, was pure Fergie.   

Hull certainly did enough in the first half to suggest that the team's good start under Mike Phelan is no fluke.  They were well-organised in defence and carried a real threat going forward.  Snodgrass placed a free kick just wide and was denied at the far post by a fine defensive header from Shaw, while Hernandez also looked a potential goal threat and Huddlestone constantly impressed in midfield

Although Ibrahimovic showed quality every time he touched the ball, he was well marshalled by the excellent Curtis Davies at the back and the closest he came to registering a goal was with an impudent back heel, while Mata's glancing header straight at the keeper was United's only other first half effort of note. With Pogba having a quiet game in midfield and Fellaini's presence somewhat neutralised by an early yellow card, the Reds were struggling to exercise control over the game.

They remedied this as the game went on and, by the middle of the second half, were largely camped in enemy territory, though with little sense of a breakthrough until those crucial two changes came.  As the rain thrashed down, Mkhitaryan picked up the ball from deep and surged through the Hull midfield.  Ultimately the run only brought a free kick but notice of the cavalry charge to come had been given.

Then Rashford came on and within minutes was producing one of his trademark runs into the box, only for Jakupovic to deflect the ball wide of his far post.  Before that, Huddlestone had almost scored via a deflection off Bailly and Myler would thrash a shot over the bar as the game moved into its final stages.

But other than those moments it was all United.  Hull continued to defensive gamely, however, getting bodies in the way of everything the Reds could throw at them.  Then, just as the game appeared to be drifting to a goalless draw, Rooney managed to lose his marker wide on the left and drilled a cross across goal.  Inevitably, it was Rashford who was there to steer the ball home, set loose mad celebrations in the away end and add yet another remarkable chapter to his young United career.

Fergie, you suspect, would have been nodding approvingly.  For perhaps the first time in more than three years.

city 0 United 1

The Reds produced a performance full of guts and determination to revive their hopes of Champions League qualification at city.  In the end Rashford's first half goal was enough to bring the Reds the points, but that was only half the story: a determined second half defensive display kept the home side at bay to bring victory in this crucial derby encounter.

United started the game looking edgy but the best way of curing that is always to score a goal and the Reds did that with their first meaningful attack. Marcus Rashford capitalised on a half-hearted challenge from Demechelis to go through and beat Hart with a calm finish.

United immediately looked more composed and coped easily with city's fitful response to going behind, with only a couple of efforts from Toure that went wide posing any danger.  As the half went on there were a series of skirmishes between Aguero and Blind but potentially the most significant coming-together occurred when a blatant foul by Demechelis on Rashford in the area went unpunished in the closing moments of the half.

The hapless Argentine defender continued in the same vein in the second half, a hospital ball back to Joe Hart result in the city keeper's rushed clearance against the oncoming Anthony Martial leading to an injury that forced him out of the game.  Soon afterwards, Demechelis followed him off the pitch, city changing their formation and introducing Bony to the attack.

From there it was largely a story of the home side attacking and United defending, but such was the quality of the Reds' rearguard action, superbly marshalled by Chris Smalling, that few open chances were carved out.  Aguero hit the post and, late on, really should have done better when he took the ball inside only to screw his shot wide of De Gea's post.

United hung on, however, for a win that puts them only a point behind their rivals in what now looks set to be a hotly contested battle for fourth place.

United 3 Arsenal 2

Only the most optimistic of Reds fans looked at this game and expected a victory.  Against an Arsenal side going for the league, with aching limbs left over from Thursday night and nine home grown players in the matchday eighteen, many would have settled for a draw.  United's players didn't though and, in a thrilling match, they produced probably the best result of the season.  Once again, it was a game in which the name of Marcus Rashford took a starring role.

United's makeshift defence had looked a little vulnerable in the early stages, with Varela and Carrick both picking up yellow cards and De Gea forced to make a point-blank stop to deny Monreal.  Then the Marcus Rashford show picked up from where it left on Thursday.  The kind of United passing move in the last third of the field we've seen all too seldom this season saw the youngster open the scoring when he pounced on a defensive error from Monreal, before his neatly placed header beyond Cech made it two only three minutes later.

United had then looked comfortable against a clearly shellshocked Arsenal, but another United youth product intervened six minutes before half-time, Danny Welbeck getting his head to Ozil's free kick to halve the Reds' lead.  If we assumed this would lead to a turnaround after half time, we were wrong.  In the second half Rashford found himself on the right and, seeing Ander Herrara advancing through the middle, set him up for the Basque to send a deflected shot behind Cech.

Arsenal came back again reduced the lead when Ozil followed up to score after De Gea had again done well to deny Welbeck.  From there it was a matter of soaking up Arsenal pressure and seeing the game out.  With Fosu-Mensah and Weir both making their debuts from the bench, it was an even less experienced United side that saw the game out. but see it out they did. 

It was understandable that some would raise questions about a potential turning point in United's season following those FA Cup and Europa League games against unconvincing opposition.  Here, however, the Reds were up against genuine title contenders and a mix of character, spirit and youthful endeavour saw them send the Old Trafford crowd home happier, surely, than they've been all season. 

Marcus Rashford: Living the Dream

Many were surprised at how confidently Marcus Rashford seized his first team opportunity in the Europa League game against Midjytlland. They shouldn't have been.  Rashford is familiar with unexpected baptisms, having made his debut for United's youth team when he was still at school, called up due to a rash of injuries at academy level.  Before that, he'd featured in the AEGON Cup for the Reds when still only fourteen.

He grabbed his opportunities then in the way he's just grabbed his first stab at a place in United's first team: confidently and with both hands.  He's a player with explosive pace who, at the age of eighteen, has already shed some of his earlier rawness to show impressive technique and the kind of balance and poise that all fast strikers need.

A genuine Mancunian, Rashford only made his debut for the Under 21s earlier this season so to say his elevation to the first team was premature is an understatement.  Had Will Keane not picked up an injury at Shrewsbury on Monday, he would surely have been playing at Blackpool in the Lancashire Senior Cup rather than scoring twice for United in front of the Stretford End.

There are, of course, many more conditionals attached.  Had Anthony Martial not declared himself unfit, had James Wilson and Ashley Fletcher not been out on loan...

But then football, like life, is all about taking your chances when they come along.  Now comes the next stage for Rashford: dealing with the inevitable over-the-top media reaction while keeping your feet on the ground.  Adnan Januzaj, of course, received pretty much the same heightened response from a press that built him up then couldn't wait to knock him back down.  For now, though, no one would surely begrudge Marcus Rashford a few moments to bask in the sheer pleasure that comes from having lived out the dream of so many United supporters.

Europa League: United 5 FC Midtjylland 1 (Aggregate 6-3)

A spirited performance from a patched-up United team overcame Midtjylland's early goal to progress to the last sixteen in the Europa League.  It was a nervy match for much of the night but the Reds finished comfortable winners after a superb performance from Memphis Depay and two goals from unexpected debutant Marcus Rashford.

Rashford was only playing following another pre-match setback for United as Martial was withdrawn with a hamstring injury.  Despite this United looked by far the better side from the start, although things looked bleak when Midtjylland added to their first leg lead when the excellent Sisto scored following a teasing run into the box after 27 minutes.

It was a wake-up call that the already adventurous Reds didn't really need on this occasion.  Memphis looked a particular threat on the left and it was no surprise when excellent work from the Dutchman brought United level five minutes later, his cross being turned into his own net from Bodurov.

Bodurov wasn't the only defender looking nervous for the Danish champions and, after Schneiderlin's header had hit the post, United had another chance to draw level on aggregate when Romer's rash challenge brought down Herrera in the area.  Sadly, Mata's penalty was turned about the post by keeper Anderson.

There will have been concerns around Old Trafford that this penalty miss might see heads drop among United's players.  They needn't have worried as United took the game by the scruff of the neck in the second half and drew level when Mata's cutback from the by-line found Rashford in the area and the youngster capped his debut with a goal in front of the Stretford End.

It doesn't get much better than that for a United debutant, unless of course you score two, which is exactly what Rashford did, turning home Varela's cross to put the Reds in front with fifteen minutes to go.  From there it was easy as Midtjylland saw their dreams of a famous victory picked apart before their eyes, Hansen's handball in the area giving United a second penalty.  This time Herrera took it and made no mistake.

It was left to Memphis to round off his finest performance yet in a United shirt when he drilled a shot from the edge of the area into the bottom corner.  It was true that the later stages of this game illustrated how the Reds had made this tie more difficult than it had to be by losing that first leg: for all their spirit, Midtjylland were clearly ordinary opponents.  Nonetheless, a five goal win will do no harm to the Reds' confidence and certainly not to Marcus Rashford's, who may well have found himself playing in the Lancashire Senior Cup yesterday, but instead played an enormous part in saving United's season.