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Mason Greenwood scores as Manchester United cruise to victory over Partizan Belgrade
This was a convincing win secured with a sprinkling of class from Manchester United and there have not been enough performances like this under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to turn your nose up at the fact it came in the Europa League.
It was a night to focus on the positives, to cherish them and let the confidence flow in a team that has spluttered and coughed its way through so much of the season. For the first time in weeks, United look in a healthy condition again.
The fact it came against a Partizan Belgrade team who sit fourth in the Serbian League does not matter for now. Having decided to pick a side that looked close to full strength for the first time in Europe, Solskjaer was rewarded with an impressive victory and, perhaps more importantly, an attacking display that led to almost total domination of their opponents.
It was as free flowing as United have played, as an offensive force, for months.
“We needed a win, but we needed a performance in which the boys wanted to play forward, to run forward, to score more than one goal,” Solskjaer said.
“We could have had loads more tonight. We expect to win at home against teams like Partizan, and we should have buried it in the first 10 minutes, but we were comfortable at 2-0 and it was a good performance.”
This was a team selected to get the job done; to secure the victory that would make sure of qualification for the knockout stage with two games to spare and ensure senior players can be rested against Astana – few will be keen to make the nine-hour journey to Kazakhstan – and for the final home fixture against AZ Alkmaar.
This was a chance to make a statement, to put on a display that showed United, at full strength, are good enough to win this competition. That is what they delivered, even if it did not start well.
Partizan very nearly took the lead, Harry Maguire’s awful pass playing in Seydouba Soumah, who moved possession on to Umar Sadiq. The Nigerian, on loan from Roma, had strayed marginally offside before the ball looped over the head of goalkeeper Sergio Romero.
United were comfortably the better side after that and should have taken an early lead, Marcus Rashford missing two simple chances. The first was a shocker. Picked out by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, unmarked, 10 yards out, he put a first-time shot wide. The second was little better, found by Juan Mata’s pass, an unconvincing finish that was easily saved.
Solskjaer had urged his strikers to “fill their boots” against the Serbians. Rashford looked as though he was playing with them on the wrong feet, putting another volley, when unmarked inside the area, into the stand.
The best strikers might fail to take one, possibly even two, of those chances, but they would have buried at least one of them. Rashford’s upturn in form cannot mask the fact he is still not clinical enough.
At least he was involved in the opening goal. A surge of pace took him past three Partizan players, before he poked the ball in behind for Mason Greenwood to finish superbly with the sort of composure Rashford had lacked.
United needed the second goal and got it when Anthony Martial scored a stunning solo effort, dancing his way into the area, evading two desperate challenges and then poking the ball into the bottom corner. Skill, balance and composure. It was a touch of class.
United were enjoying themselves and Martial might have scored another immediately, lifting the ball over the goalkeeper and crossbar when one-on-one. Rashford then missed another, similar chance, a heavy final touch making things easy for the goalkeeper.
But this was so much better from Solskjaer’s side, albeit against opponents they were expected to beat. They looked a threat every time they went forward and finally Rashford got his goal, smashing his hardest chance of the evening into the top corner. It was a stunning finish at the fifth time of asking.
There were other notable contributions. This was arguably Martial’s brightest game of the season, Scott McTominay – who picked up a knock late on – and Fred played well in the centre of midfield, while Greenwood has become the youngest United player to score and assist a goal in a European tie. The hype around this young man is starting to look very real.
FULL TIME
Eeeeeeeeasy.
90 mins - Man Utd 3 Partizan 0
I'm not sure the referee will even bother win extra time. Three minutes have been added but why.
87 mins - Man Utd 3 Partizan 0
Partizan keep trying to run into the United half with the ball but don't get near the box. United pass their way out then play keep ball.
84 mins - Man Utd 3 Partizan 0
United win a corner, Young takes it on the edge of the box and hits a cross straight to the goalkeeper. The game is dead.
81 mins - Man Utd 3 Partizan 0
If I were OGS I'd really be looking at getting Greenwood into the first XI for league games. Rashford left, Martial middle, Greenwood right. He's superb.
78 mins - Man Utd 3 Partizan 0
McTominay goes straight down the tunnel, not walking entirely comfortably by the looks of things.
And here they are...
Owen thinks long-term Wan-Bissaka plays in a 3 & United need a RB who offers more in attack.
Scholesy questions Tuanzebe & the fact United need a new number 10...
Agree/disagree???
Join us after the game for the conversation. pic.twitter.com/AgoK14GIwN— Jake Humphrey (@mrjakehumphrey) November 7, 2019
76 mins - Man Utd 3 Partizan 0
McTominay has gone down off the ball and might need to go off. He's injured himself either stretching to reach the ball or after a collision with a Partizan player. Lingard comes on to replace him.
73 mins - Man Utd 3 Partizan 0
In other news, Rangers have just taken the lead against Porto. That's a big goal. United absolutely breezing through this game. Young's not having a great time though.
And Rangers are 2-0 up! Meanwhile, nothing much is happening at Old Trafford.
71 mins - Man Utd 3 Partizan 0
Pereira picks up a pass from Greenwood but runs the ball out for a goal kick. The difference in quality between those two is already obvious - Greenwood is absolutely class, Pereira is missing a certain something.
Young is booked for something that looks like a foul but probably isn't. Free-kick to Partizan wide right of the box.
68 mins - Man Utd 3 Partizan 0
Rashford off, Pereira on.
66 mins - Man Utd 3 Partizan 0
Partizan are enjoying a rare spell of possession and for just a moment it looks like they might create a chance to score. United get players behind the ball and a slide tackle block stops a shot getting beyond the 18 yard line.
Andreas Pereira is about to come on.
63 mins - Man Utd 3 Partizan 0
Fred, who has been below medium tonight, is substituted for James Garner. What a way to spend £50million.
60 mins - Man Utd 3 Partizan 0
Fred takes a free-kick this time! A 25 yarder is pushed over the bar by the goalkeeper.
Natcho is replaced by Tosic, who actually used to play for United.
58 mins - Man Utd 3 Partizan 0
Maguire has taken a knock from Sadiq and might be slightly injured. Not sure what the damage is but he's hobbling a big. OGS might swap him out to be safe.
Robbie Savage is tearing into Fred for missing another easy pass. That's Robbie Savage. So if you were wandering how well Fred was doing, that might help you.
55 mins - Man Utd 3 Partizan 0
Partizan are in a bit of trouble here. United's high press is working nearly every time and McTominay bursts away in a 5 v 4 but Rashford is shown wide by the goalkeeper and can't get the ball past him.
53 mins - Man Utd 3 Partizan 0
Zdjelar lunges into a challenge he will never win and gives away a free-kick 25 yards out. Rashford fancies it.
But it's Young! He curls a whipped effort just wide of the near post.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!
OOCHA! Rashford buries one at the near post for 3-0!
Man Utd 3 Partizan 0
A switched pass from Mata to Young, Young's cushioned pass is sooooo nice - a first touch that takes all the weight out of the high ball from Mata and tees up Rashford to launch an effort at goal. This time he finishes it.
49 mins - Man Utd 2 Partizan 0
Fred holds his hands up in apology to the entire of Old Trafford as he almost plays Sadiq in on goal. You will have realised by now that Sadiq plays for the opposite team.
48 mins - Man Utd 2 Partizan 0
Here's the Martial goal for you to enjoy:
Anthony Martial that is special ��
You need to see the replays to appreciate how good that footwork is...
Great goal �� pic.twitter.com/0By8oricsp— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 7, 2019
This half has started exactly as the first ended.
KICK OFF 2
United get the ball forward from kick off.
We're back
United should win this by a few goals. I can see a Greenwood hat-trick if they get the ball to him.
HALF TIME
This is really easy for United but they should be 3 or 4 up here. They need to be more clinical. Ashley Young isn't particularly disciplined defensively either and has been caught out twice now.
45 mins - Man Utd 2 Partizan 0
Martial is played behind the defence but there's not enough pace on the ball and the defender catches up with him. United keep it around the final third, Young has a try at goal but gets his angles, power and technique entirely wrong.
43 mins - Man Utd 2 Partizan 0
5 - Anthony Martial has scored five goals in his last seven starts for Manchester United in all competitions, as many as he had in his previous 17 starts for the club. Crafty. pic.twitter.com/WIseuatAtl
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 7, 2019
40 mins - Man Utd 2 Partizan 0
Some lovely stuff being played by @ManUtd here. Are we allowed to say that these days?
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) November 7, 2019
There's a lot of this sort of thing on Twitter right now but I will hasten to add the reason they look so good is that Partizan are fairly rubbish in comparison. It's probably a bit of both to be fair, but United won't ever get as many chances to score so early in the Premier League.
38 mins - Man Utd 2 Partizan 0
Some of United's movement in the final third is really impressive and Partizan look like skittles in front of a bowling ball at times. The strikers shouldn't be able to run through a defence so often or easily.
35 mins - Man Utd 2 Partizan 0
And it should be 3-0. United so wasteful and it's Martial this time goes through one v one with the goalkeeper and launches a careful dink miles over the bar.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!
Man Utd 2 Partizan 0
Ignore me - they're cruising to a win anyway. Martial has just scored a brilliant individual goal, dribbling through about four defenders to score past the goalkeeper. The quick feet to go past challenges and keep the ball under control in this run are superb, he's such a talented player.
33 mins - Man Utd 1 Partizan Belgrade 0
Yellow card for Natcho, who goes through the back of McTominay. United could do with stepping it up a bit, they're coasting through this.
31 mins - Man Utd 1 Partizan Belgrade 0
United just passing around the Partizan half. The away fans have been singing all game long, home fans not so much.
28 mins - Man Utd 1 Partizan Belgrade 0
Martial ends a lovely little move by shooting high and wide of the top corner from 20 yards.
27 mins - Man Utd 1 Partizan Belgrade 0
McTominay's accidentally knocked Zdjelar in the face with a stray elbow. He's absolutely fine but has a lie down until his face has recovered.
Soumah runs into space behind Young, who is always high and wide left, and decides to take a shot from distance and curl it round/over Romero. He shoots wide but it looked good, and that's the most important thing.
24 mins - Man Utd 1 Partizan Belgrade 0
Greenwood is the only player to score for United in open play in their Europa League group. Rashford should have had at least one tonight already.
And he's just pulled off a roulette turn, going into a 50/50 and dragging the ball away from his opponent.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!
Brilliant finish by Greenwood!
Man Utd 1 Partizan Belgrade 0
Greenwood shows Rashford how it's done, controlling a ball sent across the area, putting it on his left foot and fooling the goalkeeper and defender by shooting back across them both.
19 mins - Man Utd 0 Partizan Belgrade 0
Some of the passing in midfield has been not only sloppy but also very bad. Under no pressure at all, several players have played passes a good yard away from their intended recipient, handing possession and throw-ins to their visitors.
16 mins - Man Utd 0 Partizan Belgrade 0
Wan-Bissaka sets up Rashford for another volley inside the area but again he smashes it wide. And high. This time he has seconds to let it drop for having a ping but still gets his connection wrong.
14 mins - Man Utd 0 Partizan Belgrade 0
I am genuinely shocked at how much better Sadiq is in the first 10 minutes of this game than he was for an entire half season at Rangers. United need to keep the early intensity up.
11 mins - Man Utd 0 Partizan Belgrade 0
Wan-Bissaka is a winger today, providing all the width on the right so far. Fred has a shot from 25 yards which is going miles wide but takes a deflection for a corner, which the goalkeeper catches.
9 mins - Man Utd 0 Partizan Belgrade 0
It should be 1-0. Again. Rashford is denied by the goalkeeper after a great run in behind from Mata. He turns inside the box, sets up Rashford inside six yards but the goalie is out to smother and block.
7 mins - Man Utd 0 Partizan Belgrade 0
United attacking quickly, passing well and pulling the defence apart. Wan-Bissaka races up the right, whips in an early cross and RASHFORD MUST SCORE! He batters the volley wide of the far corner.
GOOOOOAAAAAA - offside!
Wow. That would have been fun! Partizan score as Maguire gives a horrible pass away, Partizan attack, the ball is threaded to Sadiq and a slide tackle sends the ball flying up in the air and over Romero's head! It's a goal but the linesman had his flag up again.
3 mins - Man Utd 0 Partizan Belgrade 0
Maguire has some work to do early on as Umar Sadiq, who was awful at Rangers, almost steals the ball near the United box to get in at goal.
Martial has the ball in the net but he's clearly offside as Rashford threads the pass through. End to end start!
KICK OFF
After all the drama of music and lights and the rest, we're ready to play. Partizan get us started.
Do United need a director of football?
The answer is yes. We can discuss it over many articles, thousands of words and on endless television bits but the answer is yes. Here's my take on it from five years ago, done in cartoon form.
Paul Scholes on Scott McTominay
It does my head in a little bit, you don't have to sit or attack, you have a little bit of everything as a central midfielder, especially at Manchester United.
The Europa League theme tune
Is it growing on me? Or am I just accepting it? The consensus seems to be that this is a decent tune but it lacks the majesty and melody of the Champions League theme for me.
The not quite Chaaaaaaampions
Hello and welcome to our liveblog for another Thursday night adventure in Europe for Manchester United. Ole Solskjaer seems to think his side can give Partizan a battering here tonight, it would be nice if that were to unfold and we see some goals. The teams are in and United have named a strong side - OGS might be looking to build some momentum again after that defeat to Bournemouth. Four changes with Mata, Greenwood, Wan-Bissaka and Romero in.
The game kicks off at 8pm so just chill and follow along with us here.
