Football
2018/2019 English Premier League
MAN 
4
FT
 BOU
1
ESPN 5y

Paul Pogba strikes twice as Manchester United see off Bournemouth

Paul Pogba scored twice as Manchester United brushed aside Bournemouth 4-1 at Old Trafford to make it three wins from three for interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Marcus Rashford and substitute Romelu Lukaku were also on target for a United side that wasted little time in seizing the initiative against their out-of-form opponents to move three points behind fifth-placed Arsenal.

Ashley Young narrowly failed to find Nemanja Matic with an early cross, but Solskjaer's side were in front after only five minutes when Pogba struck, touching home from inside the six-yard box after brilliant work from Rashford, who twisted away from Nathan Ake and Diego Rico to cross.

Asmir Begovic then had to race to the edge of his box as Anthony Martial chased a through pass, hacking clear with Eddie Howe's Bournemouth under increasing pressure.

Jesse Lingard was a whisker away from finding Pogba after United had broken down the left at speed, and Pogba then headed down for Rashford, whose strike ricocheted wide off defender Steve Cook.

The visitors were offering little in attack, but that almost changed after 20 minutes when Jordon Ibe's low cross eluded teammates deep inside the United area.

They came even closer six minutes later, Ake meeting a Brooks corner and De Gea keeping out his header, before Pogba's 25-yard drive was gathered by Begovic.

But Pogba didn't have to wait long to strike again, doubling the home side's lead after 33 minutes as he rose to power home Ander Herrera's flighted cross.

Josh King saw an angled volley stopped by De Gea as Bournemouth tried to find a way back, but just before the break United seemed to have wrapped up the points with a third, Martial crossing for Rashford to steer home.

Within seconds, however, the visitors had a lifeline, David Brooks crossing from the left for Ake to power a header home.

Herrera had a shot blocked early in the second half after getting away from Ake, but the midfielder soon found himself in the book when he pulled back Junior Stanislas.

Pogba slid a pass to Rashford, whose shot was blocked by Begovic, before Bournemouth made a double change, Brooks coming off to be replaced by Lys Mousset and Ryan Fraser on for Wilson.

Bournemouth almost got another back, Eric Bailly blocking from King before United made a change, introducing Romelu Lukaku in place of Rashford.

After 72 minutes, Lukaku made it 4-1, steering the ball beyond Begovic after Pogba's pass with visiting defenders appealing in vain for offside, and Pogba was a whisker away from a hat trick when his strike from the edge of the area was brilliantly touched onto the post by Begovic.

Andreas Pereira replaced Herrera for United, but the home side were reduced to 10 men when Bailly saw red for a heavy challenge on Fraser.

Phil Jones then came on for Martial as United -- who have another home game against Newcastle on Wednesday -- saw out the remaining minutes easily, an Andrew Surman shot wide the best Bournemouth could muster.

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