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Marcus Rashford comes off the bench to score hat-trick as Manchester United demolish RB Leipzig

Jason Burt
·24 min read
Manchester United vs RB Leipzig, Champions League: live score and latest updates - SHUTTERSTOCK
Manchester United vs RB Leipzig, Champions League: live score and latest updates - SHUTTERSTOCK

Maybe it is karma for his kindness because, right now, there is no stopping Marcus Rashford on or off the pitch. The 22-year-old only faced RB Leipzig for half an hour, coming off the bench to replace Mason Greenwood who had opened the scoring, but it was enough time to complete his first Champions League hat-trick. It was a well-deserved reward.

Having scored the winning goal against Paris Saint-Germain eight days ago it has been another big week for Rashford dominated by the way he has played and the way he has acted in continuing to drive his remarkably important and impressive campaign to extend free school meals. Rashford has emphatically ended any concern – not that there was any from those who know him - that he might become distracted.

In the second-half this was United’s most impressive performance in this competition since Sir Alex Ferguson was the manager and Rashford’s goals meant he became the first player at the club to score a hat-trick having come on as a substitute since a certain Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did in the Premier League against Nottingham Forest in 1999.

For Solskjaer the manager this was a tactical triumph – with outstanding performances from Fred and Paul Pogba in a new-look midfield diamond - made all the more satisfying because he was up against the wonderkid of European football, the in-demand Julian Nagelsmann who wore a loud chequered jacket, arrived with a fanfare but was left slumped in silence by the end as his team were over-run and comprehensively defeated.

It was also not a good night for the highly-rated young French centre-half Dayot Upamecano who is also being looked at by a number of leading clubs but was naïve as he attempted to do too much and was at fault for at least two of Rashford’s goals. The emphatic result meant the Bundesliga leaders conceded more goals in one game than they have done – three – in their previous seven matches this season.

In Group H, where United were expected to struggle, they have now beaten a Champions League finalist and a semi-finalist from last season and have back-to-back games to come against the Turkish champions, Istanbul Basaksehir, who have lost their first two fixtures. Four points from those games for United may be enough to seal qualification for the last-16 which would be a fine achievement and would be a significant boost with such a hectic schedule to come.

It was, without being too sentimental, heart-warming to see Rashford come and play so wonderfully. He could have even had four goals had Anthony Martial not asked to take the penalty that he earned after being crunched into by substitute Marcel Sabitzer. Rashford spotted the ball but stepped aside with a smile to allow Martial to score.

Maybe it was also karma when, in injury-time, Martial worked his way into the Leipzig area and squared the ball to catch out Upamecano one last time allowing Rashford the chance to collect possession and smartly drill a low shot that goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi could not stop. Rashford would be taking the match-ball home after all.

It was a surprise to see him and Bruno Fernandes among the substitutes but Solskjaer’s game-plan worked with Donny van de Beek afforded his first start at the tip of the diamond and also doing well. The truth is that Solskjaer does have an incredibly strong squad and, in fairness to him, he utilised it here to great effect. The question is can he now translate this into the Premier League.

It was with a glorious, intuitive finish that United took the lead and how Solskjaer will have delighted in its construction as Fred won possession back inside the Leipzig half, beating Dani Olmo to a loose ball, before finding Pogba who strode forward and slipped a pass which was met by Greenwood. Played onside by Upamecano’s shoulder – it was a close call – Greenwood found himself clear on goal. Even though the angle was tight the striker wrapped his left foot around the ball and his low shot left Gulacsi stranded as it found the far corner.

Greenwood did not even look up before he shot and, with that, and still aged just 19, he became United’s third youngest scorer in the European Cup/ Champions League after Brian Kidd and Wayne Rooney. Greenwood’s time-keeping may not be the greatest but his timing is.

For all their possession and intent Leipzig only drew two saves from David De Gea and both were comfortable enough as, in the first-half, he turned over Christopher Nkunku’s shot and then, in the second, he reacted sharply to tip away a close-range header from Ibrahima Konate.

The goal advantage helped United, as did their substitutions and Leipzig’s desperation to pour forward, but they needed some respite and it came when Fernandes played a perceptive first-time pass to release Rashford who ran half the length of the pitch to calmly beat Gulacsi. Even though Rashford had taken the ball in his own half the assistant referee flagged for offside but fortunately the VAR intervened and the goal stood.

Rashford struck again when Fred once more won possession, ahead of Sabitzer, and found the substitute who beat the hesitant Upamecano with the ball bouncing for him before confidently drilling his shot past Gulacsi from just inside the area.

There was time for the penalty and, even after that, for Rashford to complete his 18-minute hat-trick. Once more he is making headlines and deservedly so.

 

10:32 PM

Breaking: Alex Telles has coronavirus

Manchester United's new signing wasn't involved tonight because he has tested positive for coronavirus.

10:22 PM

James Ducker's briefing

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10:15 PM

More reaction

Rashford will get all the plaudits here tonight and well he should - I'd follow that guy into battle - but we shouldn't forget the absolute master job that OGS and his coaching staff did preparing for this team. They had the edge tactically in the first half, then brought on the star players one by one in the second half after the hard work had been done to gain control of the match and finish them off.

That means OGS has now defeated Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmaan, who are both praised for their outstanding managerial skills. I'm not exactly sure what else Solskjaer is meant to do other than keep United on an upward trajectory. 

09:56 PM

Reaction

 

09:55 PM

United top of the table

There's a long way to go of course but United are top, PSG second, Leipzg third and the other team fourth. Not bad.

09:52 PM

FULL TIME

There you go. Rashford gets a hat-trick as United demolish one of the best teams in Europe. Outstanding.

09:51 PM

90 mins+4 - Man Utd 5 Leipzig 0

I don't think anyone anywhere would have predicted this as a 5-0 game. What a performance. The tactical setup was perfect and the players looked revved up and ready to go. Brilliant.

09:50 PM

GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!

THAT'S THE HAT-TRICK! 

Wow. Rashford has been unbelievable tonight. Martial creates it with a run but Rashford's first touch sets up the shot and he absolutely buries it past the goalkeeper. 

09:47 PM

88 mins - Man Utd 4 Leipzig 0

Leipzig are falling apart here... Cavani is clean through! Upamecano has been easily robbed - not making himself look good here - but Fernandes threads the striker through while he's offside. Cavani scores but he's well off. 

09:45 PM

GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!

MARTIAL SCORES! Not Rashford, who passes up a hat-trick to give Martial a confidence boosting goal. I, as a 34 year old man, am basically in awe of that 22-year-old. Rashford, I mean.

09:44 PM

PENALTY!

Martial runs through on goal! He must score! But Sabitzer hacks him down! Leipzig are all over the place now, leaving holes all over the place. United have just had a four v two to win that penalty - how on earth does that even happen?

09:43 PM

84 mins - Man Utd 3 Leipzig 0

United are playing some absolutely brilliant football now and Rashford has almost just scored his greatest ever goal. He gets the ball on the corner of the area, lines up a shot and then drags the fake past two defenders, faking another shot on his left to win more space... then shooting. A block denies him an excellent Champions League hat-trick.

09:40 PM

81 mins - Man Utd 3 Leipzig 0

Julian Nagelsmaan is seen slumped in his chair wearing his lovely suit. Cavani and Tuanzebe are subbed on for United.

09:35 PM

GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!

RASHFORD SCORES AGAIN!

Absolutely brilliant from the King of Our Hearts, single-handedly saving children from the UK's evil government, destroying Upamecano with a turn of pace to then place a powerful drive in the bottom corner. 

09:35 PM

78 mins - Man Utd 2 Leipzig 0

Justin Kluivert is on for Leipzig, and I can confirm from having seen him score a hat-trick in real life, that he is really good. However, his first involvement in the match is to foul Pogba and concede a free-kick. 

09:34 PM

VAR decision

GOAL! The goal counts! And that's why VAR is a good idea. Had Rashford played to the whistle, or more specifically, the flag that wouldn't have happened. 

09:33 PM

GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLL - oh it's offside

Rashford runs clean through of the defence after an outstanding, next level pass from Fernandes, and the linesman puts his flag up. Rashford runs through anyway and slots it past the goalkeeper, looking up with surprise to discover that the flag is up. VAR are having a look now... 

Controversial!

09:32 PM

74 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

Big chance! Rashford finds Fernandes with a brilliant flick up the line and he runs through to the box, spots Pogba making the run and fires a cross low towards him, but without enough curl to give his teammate much hope of scoring. 

09:29 PM

72 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

Rashford wins a free-kick in Beckham Territory and Fernandes will take it. He steps up to shoot... but it's a trick! He chips the ball over the wall and Martial attacks it, lifting a high foot to try and guide the ball past the goalkeeper. He can't quite reach the ball in the end but I think he's pulled it out of it for fear of murdering the goalie, which is probably wise.

09:27 PM

69 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

Fernandes is going to come on for United now. I think that's a tactical move because Leipzig are suddenly in control of possession and squeezing the game. Van De Beek comes off after an impressive performance. I'm not sure exactly what the shape is now but it seems to be a 4-4-2 out of possession. Leipzig firing passes like a quick game of pong and United having to work and concentrate really hard to avoid being taken apart. 

09:24 PM

66 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

Leipzig's pressing is working really well. They're setting up a block just ahead of the United defence so that the ball has to go long or wide, and as soon as it goes wide they're triggered into closing it down. It's causing a few errors from the likes of Wan-Bissaka.

De Gea has just saved superbly at his near post to push a header over the bar from about four yards out from Konate. 

09:21 PM

64 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

Henrichs off, Sabitzer on. Rashford and McTominay on, Matic and Greenwood off. That should just be like for like. 

09:21 PM

63 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

Sabitzer getting ready to come on for Leipzig, just as soon as he's managed to find his hairband, which is hidden somewhere within the depths of his hair. 

Martial controls a pass and takes it past a defender with his second touch, then lays off Van De Beek for a shot inside the six yard area, but the Dutchman slide tackles Halstenberg while trying to get on the end of the pass.

09:18 PM

60 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

Henrichs is losing the battle with Pogba at the moment, kicking through the back of him and conceding a free-kick.

Kampl goes down after getting a shoulder in the face (but did he?) and stays down as United play on. The referee doesn't care... so get up mate. Get up. Kampl moans about it to the referee after the move breaks down. United starting to play very well here, keeping Leipzig pinned back.

Rashford is being given some tactical instructions... and McTominay too. Pogba appears to realise this and attempts a volley from 45 yards which - shockingly - does not go in the goal.

09:14 PM

57 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

Pogba does really well to control while surrounded and get a pass fired into Van De Beek, who flicks it on with one touch and almost puts Martial in on goal. Such a clever player. Leipzig intercept though and boot it clear, but Lindelof's first touch gifts possession back. 

Poulsen has just tried his nonsense tricks with Maguire, falling over at the lightest of touches inside the area. "He goes down for fun - they have to watch him!" says Martin Keown on co-comms.

09:11 PM

54 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

Oooooohhhhh Matic has gone for a header with high elbows and catches Poulsen in the head. He's on a yellow card and has been told by the referee (and I'm just guessing looking at their conversation) that this is the very last mistake that will be allowed. 

09:10 PM

51 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

Pogba doing a lot of defensive work on that left wing tonight, 'putting in a shift' to ensure Shaw is left vulnerable at the back. Fred is zipping around the midfield too, trying to link everything with one and two touches.

Upamecano goes on another run with the ball, beating Shaw and another while carrying it but he loses possession and doesn't immediately sprint back into position! Martial breaks behind and has space, cuts it to the edge of the box... and it's the wrong pass. Konate is there and gets his body in the way, surviving a handball call for brushing the ball while falling to the floor in the rammy.

09:05 PM

48 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

Owen Hargreaves agrees with me, by the way, that United have done really well against a very strong team so far. Scholes just wants them to score more, which is a good thing. 

Shaw hits a bad free-kick to Van De Beek, who rescues it with a pass back to Maguire, who hits a dreadful pass and loses the ball. Leipzig have possession and Upamecano dribbles with the ball all the way to the final third. He's some player. 

09:03 PM

KICK OFF 2

We're back!

08:59 PM

Paul Scholes not pleased

This may surprise you, but Paul Scholes thinks Man Utd should have been more adventurous and created more chances in that half against one of the best attacking sides on the continent. United are winning, Leipzig haven't created - this is how Sir Alex Ferguson teams used to win games. Does nobody else remember? Is it just me? I don't recall Fergie's United being stunning to watch every week - occasionally yes. They were just really good at winning!

08:49 PM

HALF TIME

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer The Fraud has once again adjusted his tactical setup to great effect against one of the best managers in European football, controlling the game out of possession and taking a well deserved 1-0 lead against a highly talented, motivated opponent into the dressing room. When will people realise he's just no good as a coach? 

(I'm going to have to include this sentence below to point out that this is sarcasm. If you're not sure why I need to do this, I will know you've never been on Twitter before)

08:46 PM

45 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

Wan-Bissaka times his tackle superbly to take the ball off Angelino, reading the wing back's twisting, turning run into the box perfectly.

Leipzig try a set piece off the training ground but Angelino's chipped ball to the back post rolls out for a goal kick as the player who was supposed to be in position to receive has gone missing. Angelino looks really disappointed about it too. It was a clever little corner.

08:44 PM

43 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

United slowing the game down, trying to slowly kill the attacking intent of Leipzig and disrupt their momentum. Martial wins a free-kick wide left and they take their time over it... but there's a foul at the back post as Shaw hooks it in. 

08:41 PM

40 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

Leipzig working the ball around the final third, showing good movement and patience as they look for a way in. Angelino tries a shot (I think) which puts so much spin on the ball it ends up bouncing into De Gea's gloves at the near post. Was that a cross? No idea. 

08:38 PM

37 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

Shaw is playing really well at left-back, which is not something I think or say often. He's just managed to keep up with Nkunku on the right wing and win a foul by stealing just ahead of the winger in a race, using his body to draw the collision. 

08:36 PM

34 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

I have just discovered that Greenwood's goal was from his FIRST EVER shot in the Champions League. Ridiculous.

Matic has been booked for putting his arm out while trying to shield the ball, catching a player in the face. If he hadn't lost control of the ball first that wouldn't have happened.

08:33 PM

31 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

Leipzig have a free-kick wide on the right as Pogba is ruled to have fouled Olmo (he has) and Upamecano jumps at the back post to turn it towards goal... but there's a foul committed somewhere and United have possession.

08:29 PM

28 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

I absolutely love Mason Greenwood by the way. He's a proper top level forward and that United didn't sign Sancho in the summer might work out really well for everyone. 

08:27 PM

25 mins - Man Utd 1 Leipzig 0

I agree with this:

That's what I was trying to say. Leipzig have responded well though and forced De Gea into making a save, winning a corner, but Matic does really well to intercept a 50/50 at the back post and prevent a certain goal! 

08:24 PM

VAR CHECK

The goal stands! Thank the heavens. Not because I want Man Utd to score but because that is how that decision should have gone for everyone's sanity.

08:22 PM

GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!

GREENWOOD SCORES!

This is such a good goal. Pogba drives through the midfield, threads a ball behind the defence for Greenwood to run onto, and he slots the shot low into the far corner. Had to be so accurate with that finish to get it in.

And arhgrhgrghghrhgrg it looks slightly offside. VAR is checking it now.

08:19 PM

19 mins - Man Utd 0 Leipzig 0

Wan-Bissaka is so, so, so lucky that the referee thinks he's been fouled there. After intercepting a pass across the backline, he takes a little too long in possession and loses it, but as he turns to run and rescue the situation - a one v one with the goalkeeper - he bounces into the Leipzig forward and goes down. It's a not a free-kick for me, Wan-Bissaka has been caught wrong side and bundled into him. How can he foul him with his back to the player?

08:18 PM

17 mins - Man Utd 0 Leipzig 0

Pogba has looked good out on the left of the midfield three and is battling to win the ball in every 50/50, shielding it well and, of course, finding teammates with clever passes. Always seems to make the right decision with the ball, it's just off it that he sometimes lets himself down. Not tonight though. So far, anyway. Who could have thought a key player in a World Cup winning team could function so well in a Man Utd midfield?

08:14 PM

14 mins - Man Utd 0 Leipzig 0

Lindelof steps in to make a clever tactical foul high up the pitch just as Leipzig looked like they could break. That's exactly what United need to do tonight to avoid being caught in transition.

08:13 PM

11 mins - Man Utd 0 Leipzig 0

Big chance for United! Well, ish. They work the ball forward quickly through the Leipzig midfield and a cross is cut across the box from the right but is cut out just before a lurking forward at the back post can get a touch. United look half decent here.

08:08 PM

8 mins - Man Utd 0 Leipzig 0

Another corner, it's swung in, Van De Beek slides in to win a 50/50 and the ball bounces to Shaw, who launches a shot towards the top corner! It deflects onto Poulsen's head so hard that his hairband galls off. 

08:07 PM

6 mins - Man Utd 0 Leipzig 0

United are being allowed to play on the counter-attack here, which is exactly what OGS wants them to do. Greenwood and Martial up top will split into wide areas, leaving space behind for Van De Beek to attack from deep. 

Shaw lines up a free-kick wide of the box about 35 yards out. Maguire leaps over a body to head it back inside... it's intercepted but the ball lands with Fred and he shoots at the near post! Saved!

08:04 PM

3 mins - Man Utd 0 Leipzig 0

Leipzig look dangerous from the off, starting on the attack and taking the game to United. The wing-backs are getting high up the pitch and forcing clearances, getting men over wherever possible. 

08:01 PM

KICK OFF

Here we go! Leipzig are in a 3-1-4-2 tonight as far as I can tell. Expect both managers to tweak things throughout the match.

08:00 PM

It's time

The Champions League theme tune is greeted with a passionate silence (actually a small round of applause) and the players get ready to take each other on. It looks like United will be in a 4-4-2 diamond but the BT Sport graphics have them as a 4-2-3-1. I think Van De Beek plays as a 10 with Pogba, Fred and Matic behind him.

07:58 PM

No fans :-(

I've just finished liveblogging the Chelsea game which had real life human people in the stadium, and what a difference it made. It was in Russia, so the audio wasn't exactly the same as what we have in the UK (the singing and chanting are all different) but it's going to make seeing no fans at Old Trafford again frustrating to watch.

Anyway, here come the players.

07:01 PM

RB Leipzig team: Upamecano starts at Old Trafford

 

07:00 PM

Manchester United team and subs: Looks like a diamond

 

06:28 PM

Another testing night on the way for United

After a chastening first few weeks of the season, Manchester United enjoyed a broadly positive week with a convincing victory at Newcastle, another famous night in Paris and a solid performance against Chelsea. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is still searching for the ideal balance though, especially in central midfield, with Paul Pogba and summer signing Donny van de Beek benched and a more workmanlike pairing of Fred and Scott McTominay preferred. 

They face a stringent test against last season's Champions League finalists RB Leipzig, who lost Timo Werner to Chelsea but remain one of the best coached teams in Europe under Julian Nagelsmann. 

Outstanding defender Dayot Upamecano is a United transfer target, and speaking before the game Solskjaer defended the club's decision to spend £ 40m on Van de Beek. 

He said: "It's nice for some players and commentators to have a little go. I know you're short on time on television and have to put your point across quickly, but you have to know you don't have to start the first three games to know you're an important part of the squad.

"I'd be disappointed if some of my team-mates said I wasn't important at Manchester United but I didn't start many games. Donny will be very, very important for us. Don't worry about that."

Anthony Martial is available in Europe while he serves his domestic suspension, while it remains to be seen if Mason Greenwood will be brought back in from the cold after rumours of ill-discipline. 

Boyhood Bayern Munich fan Nagelsmann has extra motivation tonight, revealing he was heartbroken by Solskjaer's late winner in the 1999 Champions League final. 

"As soon as I see Solskjaer, I’m going to dive in for a sliding tackle,” Nagelsmann said.

“My dad was a Borussia Monchengladbach fan and he teased me a bit. He was happy Bayern didn’t win.

“I was not that happy.”

Team news on the way shortly.