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It’s been a long, long time since Manchester United ‘closed’ a game in the first half. It’s been even longer since the Red Devils won three consecutive matches on the trot.
However, in the space of four days, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side managed to ‘close’ a game in the first half and also made it three wins from their last three games in all competitions after beating Istanbul Basaksehir 4-1 on Tuesday in the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League.
Manchester United took a huge step towards reaching the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League this season after blitzing the Turkish side at Old Trafford. Their first-half performance was particularly impressive, as they romped to a 3-0 lead.
Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring with a bullet of a shot after just seven minutes before doubling his side’s lead in the 19th minute following a blunder by Istanbul Basaksehir goalkeeper Mert Gunok.
A first-half masterclass from Manchester United
The Red Devils went into half-time with a healthy three-goal lead after Marcus Rashford won and converted a penalty in the 35th minute. The first half-hour of the game was actually Manchester United’s best performance this season.
They played with urgency and were quick to win back possession. Add that to the fact that the team was clinical, and it summed up a perfect night at Old Trafford.
While their performance may have waned in the second half after Solskjaer opted to sub off Fernandes, Victor Lindelof, and Rashford, Daniel James came on to wrap up an emphatic 4-1 win.
Nevertheless, Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was understandably pleased with his side's performance when he told BT Sport:
"I felt that in the first half, we saw the intent straight away. They wanted to play, and they enjoyed it. It's a Champions League night at Old Trafford; you'd expect them to enjoy themselves. We scored some very nice goals. I'm pleased."
The win takes Manchester United atop Group H and three points clear of the duo of PSG and RB Leipzig. The Red Devils now need only a draw to qualify for the knockout stage of the 2020-21 Champions League.
