Mason Greenwood’s brace helped Manchester United overcome Burnley 3-1, and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was full of praise for his teenage striker's recent improvements.
Both the 19-year-old's goals came in the second half, either side of a James Tarkowski header, before a stoppage-time goal from Edinson Cavani meant United narrowed the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester City to eight points with six games to play.
"Mason is mixing up his game. He goes inside and outside, he's maturing all the time," said Solskjaer. "It's lovely to see. He's put the work in on the training ground and reaps the rewards.
"I've seen how mature he is on the training ground and he plays with maturity and understanding."
England forwards for the Euros (odds via Sky Bet)
- Harry Kane - 1/25
- Raheem Sterling - 1/25
- Marcus Rashford - 1/16
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin - 1/8
- Jadon Sancho - 1/2
- Mason Greenwood - 9/2
Odds correct at 20:45 (18/04/21)
Greenwood hitting form at right time
Greenwood was a bright spark on an afternoon during which Solskjaer’s side were far from fluent.
They needed some luck in the opening seconds as Burnley striker Chris Wood saw his header ruled out for a marginal offside call - much to the relief of another England hopeful Dean Henderson, who hared off his line and misjudged a floated cross - but thanks to their teenage striker this was a fifth successive league win.
Marcus Rashford, doubtful beforehand because of a foot injury he has been managing in recent weeks, was influential too, but after a difficult, stop-start season, it is Greenwood taking the plaudits.
⏱ FT: #PremierLeague
— Infogol (@InfogolApp) April 18, 2021
🔴 #MUFC 3 (2.92 xG)
🍷 #BurnleyFC 1 (1.07 xG)
💥💥 Mason Greenwood the match-winner.
😬 Man City’s lead now eight points.
🙄 Surely not...#MUNBUR shot map ➡️ https://t.co/VwtnJpQh8G pic.twitter.com/ZJudmEAnSr
Impressive off the bench in United's comeback win over Tottenham last weekend, creating the winner for Cavani with a superb cross before adding a late third to guarantee victory, he continued in a similar vein on Sunday.
Greenwood often looked the Red Devils' most likely threat in a game that struggled to catch fire in the opening 45 minutes, his closest chance coming when Rashford's cross-shot narrowly evaded him in the six-yard box early on.
United brought on Cavani at the start of the second half, necessitating a switch in flanks for Rashford, who had an immediate impact down United’s left with an assist for Greenwood.
After collecting the ball from Luke Shaw, Rashford ghosted past Lowton and dribbled into the box before squaring for Fernandes, who allowed the ball to drift through his legs for an unmarked Greenwood to side foot in first time with a trademark poacher's finish.
That lead lasted just 114 seconds, though, as Tarkowski headed home Ashley Westwood’s corner, but it was Greenwood again who struck for his fourth goal in three league games.
He had scored just once in his previous 24.
This goal had more than a tinge of fortune about it.
With time running out, and little impending danger, Greenwood had a speculative shot from the right side of the area but the ball took a cruel deflection off Jack Cork, wrong-footing Bailey Peacock-Farrell, before sailing into the net.
Donny van de Beek, who had replaced Rashford moments before Greenwood’s second of the afternoon, then unselfishly teed up Cavani in the third minute of added-on time for a tap-in that ensured United would not be caught.
Can Greenwood make England's Euro 2020 squad?
Greenwood faces a battle to fight his way back into Gareth Southgate's England reckoning after losing his place following a breach of Covid-19 protocol back in September.
But Phil Foden's return to the international fold, having also been dropped for the same reason, has proven that Southgate is willing to let bygones be bygones.
The issue for Greenwood is the emergence of other players in the attacking positions during his absence from the senior squad - Foden included.
Foden (1/8), Jack Grealish and Bukayo Saka are just three players who Southgate considers as attackers in England's front three, rather than players to make up the midfield trio, all of whom are now odds-on to make the final squad.
This is without us even getting to Mason Mount (1/12) and Jesse Lingard (1/6), players seemingly certain to make the cut as midfielders, but with the capacity to play from out wide too - especially Mount.
So what about as a proper forward.
Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling (both 1/25), Rashford (1/16), Jadon Sancho (1/2) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (1/8) all look set for a spot, so how do you squeeze Greenwood in? If the teenager keeps up his current run of form, it may well be more a case of how do you leave him out.
And at 9/2 to make the cut, that price seems like the outstanding piece of value in the England squad market right now.
He was 7/1 before the trip to Spurs on April 11...
Odds correct at 20:45 (18/04/21)
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