Josh Hazlewood took three late wickets for Australia, after an afternoon of defiant batting by England, to tighten the tourists' grip on the urn.
England - 200-5 / 497-8 dec - Australia
England face a tough job to battle back in this Test to keep the Ashes alive, after Josh Hazlewood's three late wickets see Australia in a good position at Old Trafford.
Removing Rory Burns, Joe Root and Jason Roy left the home side at 200-5 in pursuit of the tourist's 497-8 declared.
Burns and Root had earlier made 141 for the third wicket and making steady progress.
But Hazlewood followed team-mate Pat Cummins in producing a superb spell with the ball, having the Surrey left-hander fending to second slip for 81 before trapping Root lbw for 71.
When Roy's middle stump was sent cartwheeling, England had lost three wickets for 30 runs.
Bad light ended play about 45 minutes early with Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow at the crease, and England will know that only batting for most of Saturday and Sunday will avoid defeat.
If they fail in that task, Australia will retain the urn and take an insurmountable 2-1 lead to the Oval Test.
The weather looks clear for the weekend, so England will be unlikely to be helped by rain that delayed play until 13:30 today.
With the huge Australia total making any result in this match hugely unlikely, England knew that any sort of batting slump would guarantee the Ashes being retained.
It was looking very good for Burns and Root, who survived some hostile pace by Hazelwood and Cummins, while off-spinner Nathan Lyon also examined England's batsmen.
The home crowd were still layered up at a cold Old Trafford, but every run was celebrated and Lyon was 'cheered' every time he caught the ball after his fumbled run out at the end of the Headingley Test that would have seen the Ashes retained.
Just as England's bowlers were battling the conditions on days one and two, it was Australia's turn to face the wind and the placid pitch.
It is a credit to them that they were able to Test England, with the deserved breakthrough coming from Hazlewood.
While Australia's position is commanding, England could yet see the series decided at The Oval if the rest can replicate Burns and Root's defiance.
There were signs of frustration for the tourists when it looked like some brilliant bowling would go without reward.
Cummins bowled a brilliant 10-over spell either side of tea, with in which Root edged between keeper Tim Paine and first slip David Warner on 54, and in the next over Australia wasted a review for a wishful lbw appeal against England's captain.
Cummins' replacement Hazlewood was much more fortunate.
First he got Burns to edge to Steve Smith at second slip, then pinned Root leg-before who didn't bother reviewing.
Roy had been moved down the order after poor displays opening in the first three Tests, but had no chance with a nip-backer that he pushed at on the walk.
Hazlewood has figures of 4-48 having removed nightwatchman Craig Overton in the second over of the day.
With Australia's momentum, they will feel like they could have made another breakthrough but for poor light.
Overton added only two to his overnight three from 23-1, so the pressure was well and truly on England when Root joined Burns at the crease.
Burns was brave in his repelling of the pacemen, while Root and Lyon engaged a battle of wits before the Yorkshireman had his box broken by Mitchell Starc.
Runs were accumulated when Starc went wayward and Lyon bowled short, scoring square on the wicket both sides.
Root has now made successive half-centuries, while Burns' total in the series is nearing 100 more than all of the other openers combined.
England should make the 98 required to avoid the follow-on, despite the Surrey left-hander's dismissal sparking the late slump.
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| Photo from ABC |
England face a tough job to battle back in this Test to keep the Ashes alive, after Josh Hazlewood's three late wickets see Australia in a good position at Old Trafford.
Removing Rory Burns, Joe Root and Jason Roy left the home side at 200-5 in pursuit of the tourist's 497-8 declared.
Burns and Root had earlier made 141 for the third wicket and making steady progress.
But Hazlewood followed team-mate Pat Cummins in producing a superb spell with the ball, having the Surrey left-hander fending to second slip for 81 before trapping Root lbw for 71.
When Roy's middle stump was sent cartwheeling, England had lost three wickets for 30 runs.
Bad light ended play about 45 minutes early with Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow at the crease, and England will know that only batting for most of Saturday and Sunday will avoid defeat.
If they fail in that task, Australia will retain the urn and take an insurmountable 2-1 lead to the Oval Test.
The weather looks clear for the weekend, so England will be unlikely to be helped by rain that delayed play until 13:30 today.
With the huge Australia total making any result in this match hugely unlikely, England knew that any sort of batting slump would guarantee the Ashes being retained.
It was looking very good for Burns and Root, who survived some hostile pace by Hazelwood and Cummins, while off-spinner Nathan Lyon also examined England's batsmen.
The home crowd were still layered up at a cold Old Trafford, but every run was celebrated and Lyon was 'cheered' every time he caught the ball after his fumbled run out at the end of the Headingley Test that would have seen the Ashes retained.
Just as England's bowlers were battling the conditions on days one and two, it was Australia's turn to face the wind and the placid pitch.
It is a credit to them that they were able to Test England, with the deserved breakthrough coming from Hazlewood.
While Australia's position is commanding, England could yet see the series decided at The Oval if the rest can replicate Burns and Root's defiance.
There were signs of frustration for the tourists when it looked like some brilliant bowling would go without reward.
Cummins bowled a brilliant 10-over spell either side of tea, with in which Root edged between keeper Tim Paine and first slip David Warner on 54, and in the next over Australia wasted a review for a wishful lbw appeal against England's captain.
Cummins' replacement Hazlewood was much more fortunate.
First he got Burns to edge to Steve Smith at second slip, then pinned Root leg-before who didn't bother reviewing.
Roy had been moved down the order after poor displays opening in the first three Tests, but had no chance with a nip-backer that he pushed at on the walk.
Hazlewood has figures of 4-48 having removed nightwatchman Craig Overton in the second over of the day.
With Australia's momentum, they will feel like they could have made another breakthrough but for poor light.
Overton added only two to his overnight three from 23-1, so the pressure was well and truly on England when Root joined Burns at the crease.
Burns was brave in his repelling of the pacemen, while Root and Lyon engaged a battle of wits before the Yorkshireman had his box broken by Mitchell Starc.
Runs were accumulated when Starc went wayward and Lyon bowled short, scoring square on the wicket both sides.
Root has now made successive half-centuries, while Burns' total in the series is nearing 100 more than all of the other openers combined.
England should make the 98 required to avoid the follow-on, despite the Surrey left-hander's dismissal sparking the late slump.
The Ashes Fixtures and Results
1-5 August
First Test, Edgbaston
Australia won by 251 runs (England 0-1 Australia)
14-18 August
Second Test, Lord's
Match drawn (England 0-1 Australia)
22-26 August
Third Test, Headingley
England won by one wicket (England 1-1 Australia)
4-8 September
Fourth Test, Old Trafford
12-16 September
Fifth Test, The Oval
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