Paul Pogba shone again for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United by scoring twice in a 4-1 victory over Bournemouth on Sunday.
Pogba had scored just one goal from open play in the Premier League this season under Jose Mourinho, but continues to flourish since the Portuguese’s departure with his second double in four days.
The Frenchman’s opener on five minutes owed much to the brilliant skill of Marcus Rashford who dribbled beyond two Bournemouth defenders before crossing for Pogba to tap into an empty net.
Pogba then powered home a header from Ander Herrera’s inviting cross before Rashford’s outside of the boot finish put United 3-0 up.
Nathan Ake reduced Bournemouth’s deficit before half-time, but Pogba turned provider for substitute Romelu Lukaku to make it 4-1 and only the post denied Pogba a first ever hat-trick.
Despite Solskjaer’s 100 % record, United remains eight points off the top four.
Juventus sets record
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as voracious Italian champion Juventus finished 2018 on a high with a 2-1 win over Sampdoria in Serie A to set a new record of 53 points before the winter break.
Ronaldo curled in the opener after just two minutes in Turin adding a second from the penalty spot after 66 minutes, putting the Portuguese top of scoring charts on 14 goals.
Fabio Quagliarella pulled the Genoa outfit level with a penalty after 33 minutes, with the visitor having a late Riccardo Saponara goal ruled offside after consultation with the video assistant referee.
The results : Premier League : Manchester United 4 (Pogba 5, 33, Rashford 45, Lukaku 72) bt Bournemouth 1 (Ake 45+2).
Serie A : On Saturday : Juventus 2 (Ronaldo 2, 65-pen) bt Sampdoria 1 (Quagliarella 33-pen); Genoa 0 drew with Fiorentina 0; Chievo 1 (Giaccherini 76) bt Frosinone 0.
Sassuolo 2 (Duncan 51, 57) lost to Atalanta 6 (Zapata 19, Gomez 42, Mancini 54, Ilicic 74, 86, 90+2); Udinese 2 (Pussetto 39, Behrami 57) bt Cagliari 0; Empoli 0 lost to Inter Milan 1 (Balde 72).
Lazio 1 (Milinkovic-Savic 62) drew with Torino 1 (Belotti 45+3-pen); Parma 0 lost to AS Roma 2 (Cristante 58), Under 75).
