Under-pressure Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim marked his 50th game in charge with a crucial victory over Sunderland at Old Trafford.
Mason Mount gave the hosts a perfect start with a well-taken goal after just eight minutes.
It was the earliest United had scored in the Premier League since Marcus Rashford’s second-minute effort at Ipswich in Amorim’s first game last November.
Benjamin Sesko doubled the home side’s lead with a close-range finish for his second goal in as many games while United’s first clean sheet of the season was Amorim’s reward for handing a debut to £18.1m goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
Sunderland were awarded a penalty just before half-time, but it was overturned after a video assistant refereee (VAR) check confirmed Sesko did not catch Trai Hume in the face with a high boot, as initially thought.
In a tenure littered with negative statistics, Amorim finally has some positive ones to look back on as United recorded a third-straight home win for the first time in over two years.
They have lost just once at home to Sunderland in 31 meetings and Amorim becomes the first United boss since Sir Alex Ferguson to win his 50th game at the helm.
It was enough for the home fans to go through a rendition of their catchy ‘Ruben Amorim’ tribute song which, amid such intense scrutiny over his longevity at Old Trafford, must at least have been some comfort for the Portuguese coach.
