Highlights: Granada 0-2 Manchester United, Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes secure first-leg lead
Manchester United expected control of their Europa League quarter-last against Granada as objectives from Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes got a 2-0 first-leg triumph at Estadio Los Carmenes.
Rashford indented his eighth European objective of the period on 31 minutes with a flawless control and finish from Victor Lindelof’s pinpoint inclining, before Fernandes got a two-objective pad with a late punishment after he was struck in the face by protector Yan Brice.
The roads were fixed with allies as the groups showed up at the arena for what was seemingly the greatest night in Granada’s set of experiences as they took part in an European quarter-last for the absolute first time – however in spite of drawing the returning David de Gea into various routine recoveries – the La Liga club once in a while compromised United.
The triumph leaves United in post situation to advance into the Europa League semi-finals in next Thursday’s return at Old Trafford, however Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side should complete the work without commander Harry Maguire, Scott McTominay and Luke Shaw, who are totally suspended in the wake of getting yellow cards.
Player Ratings
Granada: Silva (6), Diaz (6), Duarte (5), Neva (5), Vallejo (6), Gonalons (6), Montoro (5), Puertas (6), Herrera (6), Kenedy (7), Soldado (5).
Subs: Foulquier (5), Sanchez (5), Machis (5), Suarez (5), Eteki (n/a).
Man Utd: De Gea (7), Wan-Bissaka (6), Lindelof (7), Maguire (6), Shaw (5), McTominay (5), Pogba (6), James (6), Greenwood (6), Fernandes (7), Rashford (7).
Subs: Telles (6), Matic (5), Van de Beek (n/a).
Man of the Match: Marcus Rashford
Granada flew out of the snares however United’s fundamental worry after the hosts’ rankling start had died down was the wellness of Rashford, who having been passed fit enough to begin appeared to be in some uneasiness and nursing a physical issue in the initial quarter of 60 minutes.
Joined immediately accepted control of the challenge, limiting Granada to the odd sight of objective. On-advance Chelsea forward Kenedy bursted a volley over from tight point and previous Spurs striker Roberto Soldado lashed a shot into the side-netting, yet from the following entry of play the guests moved that critical away objective.
Team news
- Jesus Vallejo and Carlos Neva returned as Granada rolled out two improvements to the side beaten by Villarreal in La Liga. Previous Spurs striker Roberto Soldado, on-advance Man City midfielder Yangle Herrera, and on-credit Chelsea forward Kenedy began for Granada.
- David de Gea, Scott McTominay and Daniel James returned as Man Utd rolled out three improvements from the end of the week Premier League triumph over Brighton.
Lindelof’s luxurious 70-yard askew was locked onto by Rashford, who delivered a faultless first touch prior to easing any waiting wellness worry with a made completion past the on-surging goalkeeper into the corner.
Joined turned off from a free-kick and almost addressed the cost five minutes before the break, however the woodwork acted the hero as on-credit Manchester City midfielder Yangel Herrera’s cross-shot cannoned off the post.
McTominay and Shaw got appointments one after another which will manage them out of the following week’s return leg at Old Trafford for fouls on Antonio Puertas, however that was the lone blow Granada could put on United before the break, with Kenedy’s volleying a fresh exertion into the arms of De Gea.
De Gea was called upon right off the bat in the subsequent half to keep another exertion from Kenedy from turning into the base corner before Maguire bubbled a shot wide in the wake of shimmying his way into space in midfield.
Edinson Cavani swapped Rashford for the last 25 minutes as Solskjaer hoped to get a more attractive first-leg advantage. Fernandes practically conveyed a second away objective a short ways from time, just to be denied by the outstretched arm of Granada goalkeeper Rui Silva.
With the seconds ticking down Granada would have agreed to a one-objective shortage – however the size of their assignment expanded in the last moment when Brice was decreed to have struck Fernandes off the ball nearby – and the Portuguese crushed the punishment past Silva to leave United in the driving seat.
Rashford rises in Europe – Match stats
- Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford turned into the fourth Premier League player to arrive at 20 objectives in all rivalries this prepare after Harry Kane (29), Mo Salah (27) and Bruno Fernandes (24).
- Marcus Rashford is the principal English player to score eight objectives for Manchester United in European rivalry in a solitary season (barring qualifiers) since Bobby Charlton in 1964-65.
- Manchester have dominated back to back away matches in Europe against Spanish resistance out of the blue, additionally beating Real Sociedad 4-0 out and about in February 2021.
- Manchester United have enlisted four clean sheets in their last five games in Europe (1 objective surrendered), in the wake of overseeing only one shutout in their past seven (12 objectives yielded).
- Granada have lost sequential games without precedent for their lady European mission, in the wake of losing only two of their past 12 (W8 D2 – including qualifiers).