10-man Manchester United ease past St Etienne, suffer injury blows
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
ByEurosport
Updated 22/02/2017 at 20:19 GMT
Europa League, Last 32, second leg, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard - St Etienne 0 Manchester United 1 (Mkhitaryan 16')
Manchester's United's Armenian forward Henrikh Mkhitaryan celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Europa League football match between AS Saint-Etienne and Manchester United on February 22, 2017, at the Geoffroy Guichard stadium in
Image credit: AFP
Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored the only goal of the game but then limped off with a suspected hamstring injury, as Manchester United beat St Etienne 1-0 at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on Wednesday to complete a 4-0 aggregate win.
The Armenian still seemed in discomfort at the final whistle after getting up from the substitutes' bench, while Michael Carrick left the field with a calf injury in the second half and both are doubts for the EFL Cup final against Southampton on Sunday.
United were rarely threatened by an off-colour St Etienne side, fifth in Ligue 1 but with just one win from four matches going into tonight's game, even after Eric Bailly was sent off for two bookable offences with 27 minutes of the game to go.
The Ivorian, who was already one yellow away from suspension, will be suspended for the first leg of the Round of 16 and could be banned again later in the competition if he gets another caution .
MAN OF THE MATCH
Ashley Young (Manchester United)
Young is likely to leave Old Trafford at the end of the season after being reduced to a bit-part role under Jose Mourinho, but, playing tonight at right-back, the former England international looked a threat going forward and dealt well with his defensive duties, snuffing out the threat of Kevin Monnet-Paquet down Saint-Etienne's left flank. Young's positioning needs work, but Sir Alex Ferguson turned another winger, Antonio Valencia, into an effective full-back. Could Jose do the same for Young?
TALKING POINT
Could the injury to Henrikh Mkhitaryan scupper United's chances of a cup treble?
The Armenian limped off at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard just nine minutes after opening the scoring with his sixth goal of the season, and must now be a doubt for the EFL Cup final against Southampton at Wembley, indeed Mourinho indicated afterwards that it is unlikely that the midfielder will play on Sunday.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2017/02/22/2030116-42597807-2560-1440.jpg)
Manchester United's Henrikh Mkhitaryan goes off injured
Image credit: Reuters
United, playing their 42nd match of the season, have the squad to deal with injuries but Mkhitaryan's fine form is a big factor in why United have only lost once in their last 25 games.
The Red Devils will end up playing 66 matches this season if they make the FA Cup and Europa League finals, and a spell without their most technically talented player will test United's quest for a treble.
PLAYER RATINGS
Manchester United: Romero 7, Young 8, Smalling 7, Bailly 7, Blind 7, Carrick 7, Pogba 7, Fellaini 6, Mata 7, Mkhitaryan 7, Ibrahimovic 7. Subs: Rashford 7, Schweinsteiger 7, Rojo 7.
Saint Etienne: Ruffier 6, Malcuit 6, Theophile-Catherine 7, Perrin 7, Pogba 6,Veretout 7, Pajot 7, Beric 5, Monnet-Paquet 6, Saivet 6, Hamouma 7. Subs: Jorginho '6, Roux 6, Lemoine 6.
KEY MOMENTS
16' – GOAL! Saint Etienne 0-1 Manchester United. Agg 0-4. Mkhitaryan gets in front of Perrin to poke home Mata's cross to thenear post. That is game over, almost certainly.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2017/02/22/2030164-42598767-2560-1440.jpg)
Manchester United's Henrikh Mkhitaryan celebrates scoring their first goal with team mates
Image credit: Reuters
25' INJURY UPDATE! Marcus Rashford is coming on for Mkhitaryan, who is holding his hamstring and may now be a doubt for Sunday's EFL Cup final against Southampton.
39'- CHANCE! Perrin heads a free header straight at Romero from Veretout's angled free-kick into the box, following Young's foul on Beric.
43'- CHANCE! Romero is unconvincing dealing with Monnet-Paquet's run down the left channel from Saivet's pass, but the Argentine gets enough on the ball to stop tthe Saint Etienne forward.
57' PENALTY SHOUT! Pogba goes down under the challenge from Theophile-Catherine from Zlatan's angled pass in the box. No complaints from the Frenchman, though, as the German referee rules no foul.
63' - RED CARD: And, moments after his first yellow card, Bailly then gets a second yellow card for a foul on Hamouma on the halfway line, and will miss the first leg of the Europa League Round of 16 first leg.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2017/02/22/2030165-42598787-2560-1440.jpg)
Manchester United's Eric Bailly is sent off by referee Deniz Aytekin
Image credit: Reuters
KEY FACTS
- Manchester United have kept four successive clean sheets in European competition for the first time since December 2013.
- The Red Devils have scored in all but one of their last 26 games in all competitions (0-0 v Hull on February 1st).
- Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been involved in five goals in his last six games for Man Utd in all competitions (3 goals, 2 assists).
- The Armenian has now scored in consecutive European appearances for the first time ever (not including qualifiers).
- Juan Mata registered his first Europa league assist not to come on home soil since he set up both goals in Chelsea’s 2-1 win against Benfica in the 2013 final in Amsterdam.
- Courtesy of Loic Perrin’s headed effort on 38 minutes, Saint Etienne finally registered their first shot on target after 128 minutes of the tie.
- There were just 185 seconds between both of Eric Bailly's yellow cards
- Bailly has picked up two red cards in the Europa League (not incl. qualifiers) since the start of 2014/15; no player has more in that period.
- United mustered a total of just eight shots in the game; only once before under Jose Mourinho have they managed fewer (7 v Liverpool in October).
MATCH IN A TWEET
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article