Key events
Jamie Jackson was at Old Trafford this evening. Here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night.
Philippe Clement talks to TNT Sports. “Mixed feelings … gutted that we lose … the team wanted to do something special … they were really close … but I’m also very proud … the mentality … they way they stuck to the plan … followed the tactics … they were brave on the ball and created chances … a lot of positives … but we are disappointed about the result … we missed eight players who can be starting XI … then two changes at half-time … players out of position … I cannot ask more … we had chances we didn’t convert … really great experiences for several young players … it is good the players are gutted in the dressing room because that’s the mentality I want to see.”
Ruben Amorim speaks to TNT. “We did well … we played better with the ball … more connections … more speed … we started well but lost control for seven minutes … small, bad decisions … the lads did well … even when we suffered the goal from Rangers, they recovered … we are not playing our best … we are far from that … we improved from the last game … we need to be more clinical … that would help us a lot … it is important [to qualify automatically for the Round of 16] because it is two weeks free to prepare for the Premier League … it was not a perfect performance but good.”
He also reports that Matthijs de Ligt “felt something in his leg … also Leny [Yoro].” As for potential ins and outs: “We don’t know. Until the window is closed, anything can happen.”
Manchester United’s win, combined with all tonight’s other results, means the Europa League group stage now looks like this. United rise to fourth, while Rangers slip to 13th. They travel to Steaua București for their final game next week, now hopeful of qualifying directly for the Round of 16 and skipping the play-offs. Rangers host Union Saint-Gilloise, with their automatic qualification hopes a longer shot but not yet fully extinguished.
Bruno Fernandes talks to TNT Sports. “We know how much it means for the fans … it means the same to us … we are frustrated because we started the year well against Liverpool and Arsenal … the game against Brighton everything went wrong for us … today was important to get the win … we want to go to the final … we want to win every game … we have to prove our character in 90 minutes … at this club you need to win every game … if you don’t it’s going to be difficult … I hope our fans never get used to losing … even if they believe or not in the players, this team has to win every game.”
Bruno Fernandes is at the centre of some intense celebrations. A huge smile plays across the Manchester United captain’s face. His team were the better side on balance, their win deserved, but they squandered chances and were nearly made to pay when Cyriel Dessers capitalised stylishly on Harry Maguire’s sloppiness. Fernandes dug his men out of a hole; now that’s leadership. Some precious breathing space for Ruben Amorim. Meanwhile the less said about Jack Butland’s miserable fate the better. But when the dust settles and the pain of defeat subsides, injury-depleted Rangers can take some plus points from their dogged performance, and coming so close to another big away result in the Europa League. Qualification for the next stage still very much in their hands.
FULL TIME: Manchester United 2-1 Rangers
United win the Battle of Britain! Their reward: a precious three points which put them closer to body-swerving the play-off round.
90 min +6: Rangers launch a couple of desperate long balls, but lightning isn’t going to strike twice.
90 min +4: Dessers looks a pained man. Hero status denied him by the brilliance of Martinez and Fernandes, plus Jefte switching off.
90 min +3: Shades of the Southampton match. Now it’s bedlam everywhere but the away end. Old Trafford doesn’t half love a last-gasp winner!
GOAL! Manchester United 2-1 Rangers (Fernandes 90+2)
What a response! Martinez curls a long cross in from the left. Fernandes, ghosting in from the right behind Jefte, meets the dropping ball and sweeps an unstoppable shot into the net! Old Trafford bouncing again, and now it’s Philippe Clement’s turn to look stunned!
90 min +1: On the touchline, Ruben Amorim claps furiously in encouragement. He can’t believe what’s just happened to his team, who were completely on top. But …
90 min: King comes on for Yimlaz. There will be five additional minutes. Old Trafford stunned. The away fans making bedlam.
89 min: That was an awful misjudgement under the high ball by Maguire. But how he was punished! Dessers took a delicate touch to bring the ball under control, and the subsequent spin and finish was incredible.
GOAL! Manchester United 1-1 Rangers (Dessers 88)
Out of nothing, Rangers equalise! A long ball down the middle. Maguire misjudges the flight, allowing Dessers to take a touch, spin and arrow an unstoppable finish across Bayindir and into the bottom right!
87 min: Garnacho dances in from the left and creams a shot towards the bottom right. Butland parries with a strong arm and continues to make up for that fiasco. Probably just as well the save was made, because earlier in the move, Malacia cleaned out Igamane with a mistimed lunge but somehow a free kick wasn’t awarded.
85 min: Fernandes dribbles his way into the Rangers box from the right. He looks for Hojlund with his cutback, but Raskin has read the danger and clears his lines.
83 min: Rangers are inches away from equalising! Rice wedges a glorious pass down the inside-right to find Dessers into the box. Dessers floats a chip over Bayindir and off the base of the right-hand post! The whistle then goes because Dessers was a smidgen offside.
82 min: Hojlund comes on for Zirkzee.
81 min: Fernandes whips the free kick towards the near post. Ugarte flashes a header towards the bottom right. It’s surely heading in, but Butland makes a reaction stop that’s as magnificent as his earlier faux pas was egregious. Nothing comes of the resulting corner. That’s a small moment of redemption for the Rangers keeper.
80 min: Diallo drops a shoulder to get past Jefte on the right. Jefte cynically brings him down, and that’s the first booking of the evening. On 80 minutes! So much for this so-called Battle of Britain. But it’s a free kick in a dangerous position, just to the right of the box.
78 min: Ugarte allows himself to be closed down by Raskin, and is fortunate the ball doesn’t break to the nearby Dessers. United go up the other end, Diallo slashing hysterically wide when presented with a shooting chance just inside the box.
76 min: Dessers fights with Maguire down the inside-left channel. They reach the box and start pulling at each other’s kit. Dessers wants a penalty but he’s not getting one. Maguire shepherds the ball out for a goal kick.
75 min: Igamane works hard again, this time down the inside-left. He forces the ball infield for Curtis, whose shot is only effective as a backpass. Easy for the keeper.
74 min: Igamane does well to bustle his way past Zirkzee on the right. He cuts back for Jefte, on the edge of the D in a pocket of space. He takes a touch and pearls a shot goalwards … but straight at Bayindir. Either side and the keeper would have had a job on.
73 min: A double change by United, who replace Eriksen and Collyer with Mainoo and Ugarte.
72 min: A half-chance for Raskin, who gets on the end of a looping Tavernier cross from the left, but can’t steer a header goalwards. It wasn’t much of an opportunity, but it’s the best Rangers have managed in this second half. Those big early chances for Raskin and Yilmaz seem an awfully long time ago now.
71 min: … so with that in mind, Dessers comes on for Bajrami.
70 min: Curtis holds the ball up on the right flank, before passing back for Tavernier, who crosses long towards McCausland. A weak header drops to Bayindir. Easy for the keeper. Rangers have little or no presence up front in the wake of Cerny’s departure.
68 min: United are completely on top now. Their fans in good voice, sending a signal to their board by serenading Napoli and Chelsea transfer target Garnacho.
66 min: Maguire misses an absolute sitter. Eriksen swings a free kick in from the right. Maguire meets it, unmarked, six yards out, Butland frozen to the spot, only to send his header down and wide right. That should have been game over.
65 min: Now then, that Butland mistake reminded me of something. But what is it? “John Lukic,” writes Shaun Tooze. “Leeds at Rangers.” Ah yes.
64 min: Garnacho wins a free kick out on the left. It’s right by the corner flag. Eriksen sends it in. Butland punches in the correct direction this time. Twice. That’ll give the poor guy a little succour.
62 min: Rangers were already under-strength coming into the match. Three injuries later, the kids are on, and this could be a long second half for the Light Blues.
61 min: Diallo jinks down the right, reaching the byline and pulling back for Garnacho, who takes a touch and should score from ten yards. He sits Butland down and aims for the top right … where Propper heads clear off the line. It should be 2-0.
59 min: Another huge injury blow for Rangers, as Cerny limps off. On comes Curtis. Rangers have now sent on two 18-year-olds in Curtis and Rice, and a 21-year-old in McCausland.
