Manchester United picked up their fourth successive Premier League victory by beating struggling Sunderland 3-1 at Old Trafford on Boxing Day.

Jose Mourinho’s men had to wait until the 39th minute to grab the lead, when Daley Blind fired home from just inside the box, but it took them until the last ten minutes to seal the win, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s 11th goal in ten games and Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s spectacular finish securing the three points for the Red Devils.

It meant that David Moyes endured a miserable return to Manchester for the first time since he was sacked as United boss back in 2014.

Nonetheless, it was another decent display from United, who are starting to put a run together which could see them break into the top four, given that they are just four points behind Arsenal in fourth.

The Red Devils have won nine of their 18 Premier League matches thus far, but six draws had somewhat stunted their progress back in October and November and all but ended their hopes of regaining the Premier League title.

In what has been a testing year for United, who saw Louis van Gaal sacked just days after winning the FA Cup but also missing out on a top four place, we thought we’d take a look back at their year, and have selected their top THREE games of 2016…

Manchester United 3-2 Arsenal (February 28)

There hasn’t been loads to cheer for Manchester United fans over the last few years, but one game in particular helped one youngster start to make a name for himself back in February.

Teenager Marcus Rashford had three days earlier scored a brace on his Red Devils debut in the Europa League, and was given a chance to replicate that fairytale evening against Arsenal at Old Trafford.

And it was an opportunity he seized with both hands, as his two goals in the space of three minutes appeared to sap the life out of Arsene Wenger’s side.

Danny Welbeck got one back for the visitors just before half time, but Ander Herrera made it 3-1 after 65 minutes, although Mesut Ozil once again reduced Arsenal’s arrears by scoring just four minutes later.

However, Louis van Gaal’s side held on for a famous win over their rivals, and it announced Rashford on the big stage and set him up for a stunning few months which were to follow.

Manchester City 0-1 Manchester United (March 20)

United had just been knocked out of the Europa League by Liverpool when they travelled across Manchester to face neighbours City, but they soon put that defeat behind them by clinching all three points at the Etihad Stadium.

And it was Rashford who once again was the man for the big occasion.

The 18-year-old brilliantly left Martin Demichelis for dead before calmly slotting past the onrushing Joe Hart to give van Gaal’s men a 16th minute lead.

City were far from their best but United defended resolutely when needed, and in Rashford they always carried a goal-threat, and perhaps should have had a penalty when the Englishman was brought down by the hopeless Demichelis.

It was a great and significant win for United, who at the time closed the gap on the top four to just one point after another fine away victory.

Manchester United 4-1 Leicester (September 24)

United have struggled to piece together results this season under new boss Mourinho, but one of their standout days was against champions Leicester back in September.

The Red Devils simply blew away the Foxes in the first half at Old Trafford, with goals from Chris Smalling, Juan Mata, Marcus Rashford, and Paul Pogba giving Mourinho’s men a 4-0 half time lead.

It was arguably Pogba’s best game in a United shirt up until that point, while Rashford and Mata linked up well with forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

United have begun to pick up more victories in recent weeks, yet this was certainly one of their best of the campaign thus far.