Academy graduate Rashford did brilliantly to cut inside from the left wing and assist Mata's opening goal just after the hour-mark, giving the Reds a welcomed lead in what was a hard-fought game. Zlatan Ibrahimovic's strike added further polish late on, but the breakthrough was unquestionably vital.
"It was looking like one of those tough games where you get chances but just cannot score," Mata told Sky Sports at the London Stadium. "But thankfully I was able to get on the end of Marcus’s pass and then we added another goal [from Ibrahimovic] so we are happy to get the three points."
United looked a changed outfit after the introductions of Mata and Rashford, with the latter capping off a superb solo run to assist the opening goal. So exactly what had he been instructed to do? "The manager just told me to stay wide and do my best to isolate the full-back," Marcus said. "As soon as I lifted up my head I could see Juan in acres of space on the edge of the box and thankfully he finished it off really well."
Monday night's win for United made it seven on the bounce in all competitions and it has also put the Reds to within a point of the Premier League's top four, ahead of Tuesday night's fixtures at least.
"It’s very tight at the top," Rashford stated, looking forward. "There’s not much space between second and sixth place now. We feel confident and we know we just need to keep going game by game to keep up the pressure on the teams above us."
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