Manchester United returned to second position in the Premier League table courtesy of a 2-0 win over Swansea City at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.
Liverpool had moved above United by beating Crystal Palace earlier in the day, but a routine home success has seen the Red Devils return to the spot immediately behind runaway leaders Manchester City.
Below are four talking points from the clash at Old Trafford.
Lukaku reaches century of Premier League goals
Lukaku’s fifth-minute strike moved the forward onto 100 Premier League goals – becoming the first Belgian, and indeed the youngest ever foreign player, to reach the famous century. The 24-year-old has had his fair share of criticism this season, but the goal was his 26th of what has been a very productive first campaign at the Theatre of Dreams.
It took Lukaku 216 matches to reach 100 Premier League goals, and when considering that the bulk of those came for a team not challenging at the top end of the table, the record is even more impressive.
Alexis Sanchez’s low pass found his teammate inside the opposition’s box, and the forward’s effort deflected past Lukasz Fabianski. Lukaku might have scored a second in the 11th minute after being released by Jesse Lingard, but the Swansea goalkeeper was on hand to make a smart save.
Lukaku’s overall game has improved dramatically over the last few months, and the £75m striker would have registered an assist late in the first period had Lingard’s effort not been ruled offside. It was another strong performance from the former Anderlecht youngster, who is now in the 100 club.
Sanchez enjoys his best game in a United shirt
By his own admission, Sanchez has struggled since arriving at Old Trafford during the January transfer window. The Chilean’s talent has never been in doubt, but his form has been very inconsistent over the last couple of months.
This was much more like it from the 29-year-old, however, who started with a real purpose – setting up Lukaku for the game’s opener, before sending United 2-0 ahead in the 20th minute with a brilliant low finish into the bottom corner.
Operating down the left, Swansea just could not live with the attacker as he continued to link with Lukaku, Lingard and Juan Mata in the final third of the field. Anthony Martial would not have been watching on with glee, but this was the Sanchez that used to strike fear into defences during his time at Arsenal.
Sanchez came close to scoring a scoring a second in the 55th minute when he met a cross from Lukaku, but the ball dropped just over the crossbar. The attacker was ultimately replaced by Marcus Rashford in the 75th minute, and he was well worth the standing ovation that he received from the Old Trafford crowd.
United in pole position to secure second spot in Premier League
The fact that United are not in the race for the Premier League title entering April says more about runaway leaders City than it does about the Red Devils, who have now collected 68 points from 31 matches this season.
City have been almost perfect in their charge towards the title, but there is no question that United have made steps forward under Jose Mourinho, despite the disappointment and indeed shock of their Champions League last-16 exit.
Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have both been widely praised this season, but it is United that currently sit second in the Premier League table, and securing the runners-up spot, in addition to landing the FA Cup, would have to go down as successful season for the 20-time English champions.
Mourinho’s side were two goals ahead inside the first 20 minutes, but it could have been three or four approaching the 30-minute mark with Lingard unlucky not to find the back of the net with a couple of attempts. Sanchez and Mata then passed up two brilliant chances in the early stages of the second period.
The threat from Swansea was just not there for an extended period, however, and it proved to be an extremely comfortable afternoon for the home side.
Next up for United is a the small matter of the Manchester derby on April 7, and a positive result at the Etihad Stadium would certainly send out a message ahead of the 2018-19 campaign, where Mourinho will hope to launch a title challenge.
Swansea far from safe despite recent upturn in form
Swansea entered the match having lost just one of their last eight league matches – recording four wins in the process. They had also been beaten in just one of their eight away games since Carlos Carvalhal took charge of the Welsh outfit ahead of the clash at Old Trafford.
There is no question that the Swans have improved since Carvalhal replaced Paul Clement, but it is absolutely vital that the team do not take their eye off the prize entering their final seven Premier League games of the season.
Indeed, the gap from 16th-placed Swansea to 18th-placed Southampton is just three points, and they have a huge game away to basement side West Bromwich Albion next weekend, before facing Everton and Man City in their next two.
Swansea just could not deal with the hosts in the early stages as goals from Lukaku and Sanchez all but decided the affair with 20 minutes on the clock. Nathan Dyer was the player tasked with playing alongside Andre Ayew in the final third, but neither had a sniff in the first 45 minutes.
Tammy Abraham and Tom Carroll both came off the Swansea bench at the interval, and the former certainly made a difference as he tested United goalkeeper David de Gea with two quick-fire efforts just before the hour.
Swansea were much better in the second half with Abraham and fellow substitute Wayne Routledge making an impact, but it was nowhere near enough to claim anything from the match as the Welsh club suffered their 16th Premier League defeat of the season.
