Magnificent United blew Sunderland away (Match Report)

Magnificent United blew Sunderland away

Manchester United moved to the summit of the EPL following Manchester City's epic loss at White Hart Lane and they did it the best way possible.

Two weird minutes on either side of halftime broke the black cats to pieces. Their spirited fight, resilient defending and high line pressing came to nothing when a spectacular Daley Blind pass found Juan Mata, who knocked the ball down beautifully to Memphis Depay for United's opener on the stroke of halftime.

Before then, Pantilimon had saved brilliantly from Depay, Mata and Rooney, while David DeGea stretched out his right leg to deny Jeremin Lens. Sunderland had a lot of defending to do as United passes stuck swiftly. John Oshea headed goal ward early on but DeGea was up to it. It was looking like a goalless first half until Blind's moment of brilliance set up Mata who found Memphis.

38 seconds into the second half, Anthony Martial danced his way to the by line and cut back to the middle where Wayne Rooney was lurking and his knee guided the ball into the net past Pantilimon to bring to a relieving end Wayne Rooney's longest ever goal drought. Sunderland tried hard to fight their way back into the game by hauling off Adam Johnson for Steven Fletcher, they had a fine spell but United stood firm.

Anthony Martial may not have scored, but his movements on and off the ball were superb, his timely run and sleek passes kept United in shape alongside the fine movements of Mata. Ashley Young was introduced for Memphis and he played his part, including the direct pass that found Mata for United's third. Unmarked Juan Mata fired into the open net to round off scoring on a perfect evening that sent Manchester United to the top of the EPL for the first time in three seasons.