Ole Gunnar Solskjaer satisfied as Man United ease past Real Sociedad challenge
Manchester United's Mason Greenwood (right) in action during the UEFA Europa League match
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saw Manchester United edge ever closer yet another cup semi-final although the question as to whether his side have actually improved enough to win one went unanswered last night.
The United manager, leading 4-0 from last week’s Europa League first leg tie, eased into the last 16 of the competition and it would hardly be a surprise were they to reach the semis, as they have done in the last three cup competitions under Solskjaer over this season and last.
On a night that will not live long in the memory — apart from for the two teenage substitutes Solskjaer threw on — the United boss gave a half each to Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford, despite his team’s busy schedule, and would have been pleased to have, seemingly, avoided any injury problems.
For all the tie eventually became the tepid procession that had been expected, it might have been a different story had the visitors not been guilty of a penalty miss that bordered on the comical.
The spot kick was awarded quickly, and correctly, after Dan James clumsily ran into Gorosabel from behind and the Belgian referee pointed to the spot.
Who knows what might have happened if the Spanish side had scored that penalty and, maybe, added a second before half-time.
But such conjecture would be completely hypothetical, as events transpired. Skipper Mikel Oyarzabal strode up, performed a Bruno-style stutter-step run up and promptly sliced the ball yards wide of the top left-hand corner of the goal for which he was aiming.
And, thus, any prospective drama was effectively removed from the tie, almost before it had begun, and United’s four-goal cushion was always likely to be three more than they needed to advance.
Solskjaer had been bold in naming his strong line-up for the return leg, although the selection of Anthony Martial certainly made sense, with the Frenchman still desperately scrabbling for confidence and form in front of goal and his shot on the turn, midway through the first half, forced Alex Remiro into a block.
Moments later, United deserved to be in front when Mason Greenwood’s fabulous ball sent Fred chasing into the area where the Brazilian rounded the keeper, selflessly pulled the ball back and Fernandes’s drive struck the cross-bar.
Fernandes also floated in a perfect cross for James who rose well to meet the ball and produce a header from eight yards which was well saved by the keeper.
At least the visitors were a far better proposition on the night, if not over the tie with former United winger Adnan Januzaj looking determined to show why he had once been considered such an exciting Old Trafford prospect.
It was a sign of the condition of the contest that six substitutes — three each side — were made at the interval although it was the introduction of Rashford that was the most surprising, even if it did come in place of Fernandes.
Still, despite concerns about a busy fixture schedule, Rashford managed to set the second half off at a good tempo with a long-range free-kick, which he clipped just beyond the far post, before the visitors responded with Modibo Sagnan heading against the bar.
Another United sub, Brandon Williams went into the book early in the half, and could have been shown red moments later for a foul on Mikel Merino, and a stern-looking Solskjaer was denied the chance to smile finally when Greenwood’s curling 20-yard shot was well smothered by the keeper.
The in-form James was soon forced off, with what looked a minor injury, although that, at least, gave Solskjaer the chance to bring on teenage winger Amad Diallo as his replacement.
Yet another United replacement, Axel Tuanzebe, was soon denied a first ever professional goal by VAR, from a header from a corner, for a foul by Victor Lindelof as the Reds toiled for a win which Martial almost clinched with a spectacular 20-yard shot that was tipped over by the keeper.
Yet this was not a complete waste of time for the United manager who was able to bring on Shola Shoretire, a barely 17-year-old forward, who became United’s youngest ever player in Europe in the process, as the evening wound down.
Henderson 6; Wan-Bissaka 6 (Williams 45, 5), Bailly 7, Lindelof 7, Telles 6; Fred 6 (Tuanzebe 45, 5), Matic 5; Greenwood 6 (Shoretire 76, 6), Fernandes 8 (Rashford 45, 6), James 7 (Diallo 59, 6).
Remiro 7; Gorosabel 6 (Bautista 45, 6), Zubeldia 6, Sagnan 7, Munoz 6; Zubimendi 5, Guevara 5 (Guridi 71, 5), Merino 7; Januzaj 8 (Merquelanz 65, 6), Isak 6 (Portu 45, 5), Oyarzabal 6 (Barrenetxea 45, 6).
L Visser (Belgium) 7
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