Marcus Rashford admits that were not at their best despite beating 1-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Rashford scored the only goal of the match in the first half, with United hanging on after a strong defensive display and David de Gea making some key saves.
The result moves Erik ten Hag’s side up to fifth and they can leapfrog fourth-placed Newcastle if they win their game in hand.
It is now eight hours since United last conceded a goal at Old Trafford and after losing four consecutive games between May and August, the Red Devils have now won 11 of their last 15 games in all competitions.
‘I don’t think we played at our best today but if we want to reach our ambitions for the season, we’re going to have to win games like that,’ Rashford told .
‘We want to perform better but it’s nice to win in that way as well. David [de Gea] was excellent today. I don’t know how he saved Zouma’s header.’
Rashford became the 22nd player to score 100 goals for United in all competitions and the first to reach that total since Wayne Rooney in 2009.
‘It’s been on my mind for the past couple of games but we’ve been winning games so I’ve been happy and just been waiting for it to come,’ Rashford added.
The 24-year-old England international also opened up about his struggles with form last season.
‘It’s a complete different energy around the club and the training ground [this season],’ Rashford said.
‘That puts me in a better headspace and I just feel really motivated now. That’s the area I was struggling in.
‘I was struggling at times with more mental things. It wasn’t really my own performance but other things off the pitch. That’s the biggest difference from last season.
‘I get that it’s your job to speak about what happens on the pitch but for the players we have to get into the right headspace for every game.
‘Too often last season, I wasn’t in the right headspace for games. I wasn’t surprised by some of the stuff that was happening.’
United are back in action on Thursday when they travel to face Real Sociedad in the Europa League.
Their next Premier League game comes on Sunday with a trip to Unai Emery’s Aston Villa.
, .
, and .
