Manchester United keep cool in St Étienne cauldron to seal their place in Europa League last-16

Sir Alex Ferguson was in the foyer an hour before the game and briefly, as he joked about the British writers consuming all the French food, it seemed like those old times before he put the barricades up. He disappeared into the lift to discover more about the extent to which his team are climbing back on their feet.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s 24th minute departure, wincing under the pain of what looked like a pulled right hamstring, is a worry and the two yellow cards in three minutes which saw Eric Bailly dismissed a sign of an unwelcome indiscipline, yet there were certainly grounds for encouragement.

This venture into the Massif Central has been dominated by the discussion of players – Wayne Rooney and Luke Shaw - who seem destined to be by-products of Jose Mourinho’s renewal and though Rooney’s representatives are privately disappointed with the manager’s comments in his pre-match press conference, the captain was certainly not needed.

Juan Mata, the evening’s stand-out player, delivered the touches and creativity Rooney would once have brought while Zlatan Ibrahimovic was once more a haunting demonstration to Rooney of what can be achieved at 35 by an individual who is obsessive about fitness. The Swede was tangential to much of United’s work, but employing mental rather than physical energy. His lay-offs and exchanged passes were at the axis of United’s attacking thrusts.

Saint-Etienne, whose club shop is packed with books commemorating ‘Glasgow 1976’ – when they won the European Cup in their greatest era – were far more modest opposition in this cauldron of support than had been expected after their promising moments in Manchester.

Their fans saw to it that a grim reaper put in a first appearance a Manchester United match since David Moyes took the team back to Everton and was haunted by one three years ago. This one took the form of a banner on the north terrace, where the threat of Uefa sanctions did not prevent the partisan ‘verts’ unpacking green flares.

But Mourinho’s players did not blink in the face of the carnival. Assured and untroubled with Michael Carrick marshalling the game from deep where Paul Pogba was not at his best, they were able to erase the remotest element of doubt about the tie when Mkhitaryan sent them ahead on 16 minutes.

Mata bent a cross left -footed behind the defence where the Armenian anticipation was immaculate, as he stepped comfortably ahead of home captain Loic Perrin to help the ball on into the net. The same attacking flank was a problem for the French side, who allowed Mata into the same territory minutes later. A panicked clearance from Perrin was cracked into the feet of Vincent Pajot, rebounding back towards goal and forcing goalkeeper Stephan Ruffier’s agility to leap right and palm away.

Mkhitaryan’s departure on 24 minutes is a concern for the days ahead but was no immediate impediment, with Marcus Rashford’s arrival adding to the attacking intent. He brought his usual surprise component and could have scored, had Ashley Young’s drilled cross from the right on the half hour not been sent two yards in front of him in the six-yard box. Rashford did not intuit the ball as Mkhitaryan had from the opposite flank and the French escaped the first knockings of an embarrassment.

Aside from a low early shot from advancing right back Kevin Malcuit and Perrin’s advance to head Jordan Veretout’s swung free-kick at a comfortable level for Sergio Romero, the French could not puncture the United midfield with the counter-attacking play which had made them worth more than the 3-0 defeat in Manchester.

Christophe Galtier’s succession of changes around the hour made as little difference to the outcome as Bailly’s departure for two poor challenges on Romain Hamouma – first sliding through the player then bundling him over. Mourinho protested bitterly but there could be no complaints. Mata - removed as Marco Rojo was introduced to the reorganised defence - suffered the collateral damage.

United should have scored again. Blind crossed inaccurately on 69 minutes when Ibrahimovic lurked unmarked to seize a chance and Rashford rolled a shot wide after he ran through on the goalkeeper. The impressive cacophony of French sound was maintained to the very end but it is United who look like they could make some serious noises in Europe this season.

Saint-Etienne (4-2-3-1): Ruffier; Malcuit, Theophile-Catherine, Perrin, Pogba; Veretout (Lemoine 67), Pajot; Hamouma, Saivet (Intima 54), Monnet-Paquet; Beric (Roux 58).

Subs not used: Moulin, Lacroix, , Selnaes, Pierre-Gabriel.

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Romero; Young, Bailly, Smalling, Blind; Pogba, Carrick (Schweinsteiger 61); Mkhitaryan (Rashford 25), Mata (Rojo 64), Fellaini; Ibrahimovic.

Subs not used: De Gea, Martial, Lingard, Valencia.

Referee: Deniz Aytekin