Manchester United put their midweek mauling at the hands of Liverpool behind them with a 3-1 win over Real Betis at Old Trafford. Bruno Fernandes scored twice and Marcus Rashford added a third as United bounced back from their 4-1 defeat at Anfield.
The hosts started brightly and were rewarded for their early pressure when Fernandes opened the scoring in the 15th minute. The Portuguese midfielder was on hand to tap in from close range after Rashford had seen his effort blocked.
United continued to dominate and doubled their lead in the 33rd minute. Rashford was the scorer this time, firing home from the edge of the box after being set up by Daniel James.
The Red Devils were in complete control and made it 3-0 just before the break. Fernandes was the man again, this time curling a superb effort into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Real Betis pulled a goal back in the second half through Loren Moron, but it was too little too late for the visitors. United held on for the win, with Fernandes’ double proving to be the difference.
The result sees United move up to fifth in the Premier League table, just two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea. It was a much-needed win for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, who will be hoping to build on this result in the coming weeks.
For Real Betis, the defeat leaves them in 11th place in La Liga. They will be hoping to bounce back when they take on Villarreal next weekend.
It was a night to remember for United and their fans, with Fernandes’ double sending Old Trafford wild. The Portuguese midfielder has been a revelation since joining the club in January, and his performance against Real Betis was further proof of his quality.
United will now turn their attention to their next game, a trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday. They will be hoping to build on this result and continue their push for a top-four finish.