MANCHESTER: With Alexis Sanchez potentially on his way to Manchester United, two members of the current forward line issued reminders of their goal-scoring talents on Monday.

Anthony Martial and Romelu Lukaku, whose places in the team would be threatened by the arrival of Sanchez, both netted in United’s 3-0 win over relegation-threatened Stoke City in the English Premier League.

Martial’s goal, in particular, stood out. The winger curled a first-time shot into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area to make it 2-0 in the 38th minute.

Antonio Valencia had put United ahead in the ninth with a fierce left-footed shot into the top corner and Lukaku made sure of the win midway through the second half with a low drive.

United capitalised on Manchester City’s first loss in the league at Liverpool on Sunday to reduce the gap to the leader to 12 points with 15 games remaining. Reeling in City is highly improbable at this stage but United, who are alone in second place, are in the best position to do so.

Especially having jumped above City in the race to sign Sanchez.

City ended their interest in the Chile forward on Monday, leaving United as the favourites to sign a player who appears keen to move from Arsenal in the January transfer window.

“If he moves, I think we have a chance,” Mourinho said. “Most probably, a player like him, he probably has other big clubs who are interested.”

Mourinho omitted winger Henrikh Mkhitaryan from the squad amid reports that Arsenal were interested in him as part of a swap deal for the 35 million-rated Sanchez, who is out of contract with Arsenal at the end of the season.

Former Norwich and Aston Villa coach Paul Lambert was hired as Stoke manager hours before kickoff, as a replacement for the fired Mark Hughes, and was in the stands at Old Trafford to see the size of the task awaiting him.

United goalkeeper David De Gea was needed to pull off good saves from Xherdan Shaqiri and Mame Biram Diouf, but it was comfortable for United on an evening of occasional hailstorms in northwest England.

Stoke, who have been in the top flight since 2008, are in third-to-last place after 23 games.

Valencia, back from nearly a month out with a hamstring injury, collected Paul Pogba’s pass, cut inside, and blasted a shot into the top corner with his weaker foot to give United the lead.

That goal was eclipsed by Martial, who was also picked out by an astute pass from Pogba. The France forward didn’t hesitate in meeting it with a first-time shot that bent beyond the grasp of Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland.

It was not until the 72nd minute though that the home side got the third goal — Lukaku wriggling to find enough space for a shot into the bottom corner after good work from Martial.

“Stoke bought players to play football, they were not afraid to play and they created us problems in the first half,” said Mourinho.

United moved three points clear of Chelsea and Liverpool in the race for qualification for the Champions League.

“Obviously we see Manchester City in front of us and they lost,” Pogba told Sky Sports. “They are first so we always want to catch them, so it was good that they lost, so for us we have to think about ourselves. It’s good that they lose points but we have to go back to winning because we want to catch them again.”

He added: “We’re not looking to the past. We’re just looking to the future and the next games. We just want to catch City. We just have to focus on ourselves, keep winning and I think we will be OK.”

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2018