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Griezmann lifts P23 Atletico SPORTS 2424 Monday, March 20, 2017 United on the up as Fellaini

strikes Manchester United’s Marouane Fellaini (L) celebrates with teammates Replays showed there was no they took a deserved 30th minute lead cut in from the left contest with a stunning double save arouane Fellaini scored his contact as the pair engaged in an through Fellaini. to send over a searching cross to the to keep out a point-blank Marcus first goal for angry clinch, but punches appeared The Belgian international far post, and as Valdes and former Rashford effort from ’s M15 months as Manchester United to be thrown afterwards in the players had scored his previous league goal Manchester United defender Fabio cross, before recovering to block the extended their unbeaten Premier tunnel a both sides left the pitch. in a 2-1 defeat at Bournemouth in hesitated, Fellaini was left with the follow-up from Valencia. League run to 18 games to move up to United were last beaten in the December 2015, but had few problems simple task of heading the ball into an fifth with a 3-1 victory at relegation- league at the end of October, a record in ending that barren run with his unguarded net from close range. Astute threatened Middlesbrough yesterday. which rarely looked under threat once third goal of the season. Valdes had kept his side in the The former Barcelona keeper had added a stunning already denied Rashford with a fine second and block after the forward out-paced his a stoppage-time third after an marker Bernardo to Valencia’s astute embarrassing mistake by former through-ball. United keeper Victor Valdes as Jose was called into action Mourinho’s side ended a 19-week stay just once before the break, saving well in sixth by climbing a place. from Gaston Ramirez, who along with Their latest victory as they became Stewart Downing and Alvaro Negredo the first club to record 600 Premier was restored to the starting line-up League wins puts them a distant 17 by Agnew, the trio having previously points behind leaders Chelsea but two fallen out of favour with Karanka. points ahead of their nearest rivals The injured was Arsenal and Everton in seventh, again unavailable for the visitors as boosting their hopes of a top-four Mourinho made seven changes from finish in the race to qualify for a place the midweek Europa League victory in next season’s Champions League. over Rostov. With Zlatan Ibrahimovic Middlesbrough pulled a late goal suspended and ruled out back through substitute Rudy Gestede, by a hamstring problem, it was only but they remain second-bottom, the third time this season neither had five points adrift of safety after an featured on the team-sheet. 11th league game without victory as United made light of their absence as caretaker manager Steve Agnew tasted Lingard doubled the lead in spectacular defeat in his first match following the style in the 62nd minute. departure of Aitor Karanka. The England international picked up Gestede initially appeared to bite possession just inside the Middlesbrough defender in a stoppage time half, and as Bernardo stood off inviting melee on the edge of the visitors’ area the midfielder to advance, he did just in an altercation missed by referee Jon Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia walks in their third goal that to send an unstoppable shot into Moss and his assistants. the top corner from 20 yards. (AFP)

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