As it happened: Man United vs Swansea, Premier League
Man United aimed to maintain their grip on second spot at Old Trafford, while Carlos Carvalhal’s Swansea continued to battle against potential relegation.
Manchester United have an early lead and it’s that man Romelu Lukaku who has it. Alexis Sanchez tees the ball up for his team-mate and the Belgian’s shot takes a deflection to beat Lukasz Fabianski. A perfect start and a 100th Premier League goal for the striker.
31 Mar 2018
3:12PM
CHANCE! Lukaku looked certain to add his second within the space of 10 minutes here. He was played clean through following some lapse defending from Federico Fernandez, however a right-footed strike aimed low into the bottom corner was well saved by Fabianski.
31 Mar 2018
3:13PM
Romelu Lukaku has scored his 100th PL goal and is the 5th youngest player to reach that milestone
Youngest players to 100 PL goals Michael Owen (23y 134d) Robbie Fowler (23y 283d) Wayne Rooney (24y 100d) Harry Kane (24y 191d) Romelu Lukaku (24y 322d)#MUFC#PLpic.twitter.com/5cP7IsqIhk
A lot of urgency about United’s attack so early in this game, with Swansea sitting very deep and inviting pressure.
Jesse Lingard is the latest to have a go at goal — Antonio Valencia picks the forward out unmarked on the edge of the box, but the 25-year-old drags his shot well wide of the target.
Alexis Sanchez has his second Premier League goal for Manchester United and his team also have their second of the afternoon.
With only 20 minutes on the clock this game looks done and dusted. Jesse Lingard plays a neat through ball behind enemy lines which Sanchez latches onto.
He bears down on goal before rifling an excellent, pinpoint strike into the bottom corner. A superb finish.
31 Mar 2018
3:25PM
Jose Mourinho’s side have dominated proceedings so far with five shots on goal compared to zero from their opponents. Carlos Carvalhal’s side look completely out of their depth at the moment and are really buckling under the constant, persistent pressure applied to their backline.
31 Mar 2018
3:30PM
11 - Alexis Sanchez has both scored and assisted in 11 different Premier League games - only Romelu Lukaku and Roberto Firmino (12 each) have done so in more matches since the Chilean's debut. Busy.
Chance! Almost a third for United and a first for Lingard. Ashley Young fed the ball to Lukaku, who cleverly flicked possession into the path of the England forward bursting through.
Lingard dribbled across goal but could only navigate his shot well wide of the post. A free-flowing move, but the finish didn’t quite match up.
31 Mar 2018
3:32PM
Lingard finding space off the front key to both United goals. Getting to be very good in that No.10 role.
Play pauses for a few moments following a prolonged lull, as Andre Ayew goes down holding his leg. The Ghana international clashed with Chris Smalling competing for possession but he seems to be okay to continue.
31 Mar 2018
3:42PM
United have the ball in the back of Fabianski’s goal for a third time, but it won’t count. Lukaku crosses low into the danger zone and Lingard slips it into an empty net, however the Belgian had been previously flagged for offside.
31 Mar 2018
3:45PM
There will be two minutes of stoppage time to come at the end of the first half.
A productive first half from Jose Mourinho’s men as they look to regain second spot following Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Selhurst Park earlier today.
Dave Howarth
Dave Howarth
31 Mar 2018
4:13PM
An early injury setback for the visitors after the break as Sam Clucas is forced off. The midfielder is replaced by Wayne Routledge , as Carlos Carvalhal uses his third and final substitution. It goes from bad to worse for the Portuguese.
31 Mar 2018
4:14PM
A chance for a third for United just before that switch. A succession of headers inside the box sees the ball fly over the bar following a brilliant delivery into the box from Juan Mata. Lukaku headed the ball back over to Sanchez from the cross, but the Chilean’s effort flew well over.
31 Mar 2018
4:16PM
CHANCE! Mata has his own shot at goal and this time it very nearly went in. An exceptional ball dropped into the danger zone from Paul Pogba picks out the Spaniard.
He twists his body and rifles a powerful shot on goal, however the effort had just too much elevation and spin on it — and it, too, flew over the crossbar. It seems like target practice for the hosts at the moment.
31 Mar 2018
4:19PM
SAVE! What an exceptional save from David de Gea! A rare, brilliant passage of football from Swansea sees substitute Tammy Abraham on the end of a dangerous cross into the box.
The 20-year-old twisted and turned inside with a smart flick, and even though his effort took most inside Old Trafford by surprise, it couldn’t fool De Gea who batted the ball clear with a precise dive into his bottom corner. Magnificent.
59' - Wow, wow, wow! @D_DeGea pulls off two unbelievable saves in quick succession to deny the visitors. The world's best! #DaveSaves#MUFC#MUNSWA
Are we watching the best goalkeeper in the world on display this afternoon?
Poll Results:
Yes (232)
No (20)
Nigel French
Nigel French
31 Mar 2018
4:29PM
Swansea have been significantly better in this second half, but they are yet to make a breakthrough. The sheepishness which dogged them right from tip-off has slowly worn away, as they find some success down that left flank.
Tammy Abraham’s introduction has been felt in the final third and certainly a goal with 20 minutes to go would throw a spanner in the works.
SAVE! At the other end Lukasz Fabianski proves his credentials between the sticks with a superb stop from point blank range.
Romelu Lukaku looked certain to grab his 101st Premier League goal. He took the ball down 5 yards out from goal, before transferring possession onto his weaker left foot.
With a limited target to shoot towards he blasted an effort right at the Polish goalkeeper, who did brilliantly to parry and collect. An excellent save keeps the damage at 2-0 with 10 minutes remaining.
31 Mar 2018
4:46PM
The game slowly petering towards it’s conclusion now. Swansea put up a good fight in the second half, however those two goals inside the opening 45 minutes meant their efforts were in vain. United will once again sit second, ahead of their meeting with Man City next weekend where Pep Guardiola’s side can officially seal the title.
31 Mar 2018
4:49PM
Substitution for Man United: Scott McTominay replaces Juan Mata.
31 Mar 2018
4:49PM
There will be two minutes of stoppage time to come at the end of the second half.
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As it happened: Man United vs Swansea, Premier League
Hello, and welcome to today’s liveblog.
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Kick-off for this afternoon’s game at Old Trafford is at 3.00pm.
Let’s get started with the team news…
So, today’s teams are:
Man United: de Gea, Valencia, Lindelof, Smalling, Young, Matic, Pogba, Mata, Lingard, Sanchez, Lukaku.
Subs: Bailly, Martial, Rashford, Ander Herrera, Shaw, McTominay, Joel Pereira.
Swansea: Fabianski, van der Hoorn, Fernandez, Mawson, Naughton, King, Ki, Clucas, Olsson, Dyer, Andre Ayew.
Subs: Abraham, Narsingh, Nordfeldt, Carroll, Routledge, Bartley, Roberts.
A little under half an hour to go before kick-off, as fans continue to make their way into Old Trafford.
Right, where do we see this one going then?
Poll Results:
Paul Pogba returns.
KICK-OFF: We’re underway at Old Trafford!
GOAL! MAN UNITED 1-0 SWANSEA (LUKAKU 5)
Manchester United have an early lead and it’s that man Romelu Lukaku who has it. Alexis Sanchez tees the ball up for his team-mate and the Belgian’s shot takes a deflection to beat Lukasz Fabianski. A perfect start and a 100th Premier League goal for the striker.
CHANCE! Lukaku looked certain to add his second within the space of 10 minutes here. He was played clean through following some lapse defending from Federico Fernandez, however a right-footed strike aimed low into the bottom corner was well saved by Fabianski.
A lot of urgency about United’s attack so early in this game, with Swansea sitting very deep and inviting pressure.
Jesse Lingard is the latest to have a go at goal — Antonio Valencia picks the forward out unmarked on the edge of the box, but the 25-year-old drags his shot well wide of the target.
GOAL! MAN UNITED 2-0 SWANSEA (SANCHEZ 20)
Alexis Sanchez has his second Premier League goal for Manchester United and his team also have their second of the afternoon.
With only 20 minutes on the clock this game looks done and dusted. Jesse Lingard plays a neat through ball behind enemy lines which Sanchez latches onto.
He bears down on goal before rifling an excellent, pinpoint strike into the bottom corner. A superb finish.
Jose Mourinho’s side have dominated proceedings so far with five shots on goal compared to zero from their opponents. Carlos Carvalhal’s side look completely out of their depth at the moment and are really buckling under the constant, persistent pressure applied to their backline.
Chance! Almost a third for United and a first for Lingard. Ashley Young fed the ball to Lukaku, who cleverly flicked possession into the path of the England forward bursting through.
Lingard dribbled across goal but could only navigate his shot well wide of the post. A free-flowing move, but the finish didn’t quite match up.
Play pauses for a few moments following a prolonged lull, as Andre Ayew goes down holding his leg. The Ghana international clashed with Chris Smalling competing for possession but he seems to be okay to continue.
United have the ball in the back of Fabianski’s goal for a third time, but it won’t count. Lukaku crosses low into the danger zone and Lingard slips it into an empty net, however the Belgian had been previously flagged for offside.
There will be two minutes of stoppage time to come at the end of the first half.
HALF-TIME: MAN UNITED 2-0 SWANSEA
SECOND-HALF: We’re back underway for another 45 minutes.
Two substitutions for Swansea at the break:
A productive first half from Jose Mourinho’s men as they look to regain second spot following Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Selhurst Park earlier today.
An early injury setback for the visitors after the break as Sam Clucas is forced off. The midfielder is replaced by Wayne Routledge , as Carlos Carvalhal uses his third and final substitution. It goes from bad to worse for the Portuguese.
A chance for a third for United just before that switch. A succession of headers inside the box sees the ball fly over the bar following a brilliant delivery into the box from Juan Mata. Lukaku headed the ball back over to Sanchez from the cross, but the Chilean’s effort flew well over.
CHANCE! Mata has his own shot at goal and this time it very nearly went in. An exceptional ball dropped into the danger zone from Paul Pogba picks out the Spaniard.
He twists his body and rifles a powerful shot on goal, however the effort had just too much elevation and spin on it — and it, too, flew over the crossbar. It seems like target practice for the hosts at the moment.
SAVE! What an exceptional save from David de Gea! A rare, brilliant passage of football from Swansea sees substitute Tammy Abraham on the end of a dangerous cross into the box.
The 20-year-old twisted and turned inside with a smart flick, and even though his effort took most inside Old Trafford by surprise, it couldn’t fool De Gea who batted the ball clear with a precise dive into his bottom corner. Magnificent.
Are we watching the best goalkeeper in the world on display this afternoon?
Poll Results:
Swansea have been significantly better in this second half, but they are yet to make a breakthrough. The sheepishness which dogged them right from tip-off has slowly worn away, as they find some success down that left flank.
Tammy Abraham’s introduction has been felt in the final third and certainly a goal with 20 minutes to go would throw a spanner in the works.
Two substitutions for Manchester United:
SAVE! At the other end Lukasz Fabianski proves his credentials between the sticks with a superb stop from point blank range.
Romelu Lukaku looked certain to grab his 101st Premier League goal. He took the ball down 5 yards out from goal, before transferring possession onto his weaker left foot.
With a limited target to shoot towards he blasted an effort right at the Polish goalkeeper, who did brilliantly to parry and collect. An excellent save keeps the damage at 2-0 with 10 minutes remaining.
The game slowly petering towards it’s conclusion now. Swansea put up a good fight in the second half, however those two goals inside the opening 45 minutes meant their efforts were in vain. United will once again sit second, ahead of their meeting with Man City next weekend where Pep Guardiola’s side can officially seal the title.
Substitution for Man United: Scott McTominay replaces Juan Mata.
There will be two minutes of stoppage time to come at the end of the second half.
FULL-TIME: MAN UNITED 2-0 SWANSEA
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