Uefa Champions League play-off: Manchester United 3-1 Club Brugge as it happened
Job done for Louis van Gaal in his first European game as Manchester United manager. Plenty of signs that his side are still a work in progress at this early stage of the season, but there were enough positives knocking around too. More fine performances from Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling and the arrival of Memphis Depay as an attacking force at Old Trafford will have left the Dutchman pleased ahead of their return trip to Bruges next Wednesday.
Marouane Fellaini's last gasp header gave United a far comfier cushion heading into that second leg but it has been similarly close fought elsewhere across Europe this evening. The other scores from the qualifying playoff in full:
FC Astana 1-0 Apoel Nicosia
BATE Borisov 1-0 Partizan Belgrade
Lazio 1-0 Bayer Leverkusen
Sporting 2-1 CSKA Moscow
Job done for Louis van Gaal in his first European game as Manchester United manager. Plenty of signs that his side are still a work in progress at this early stage of the season, but there were enough positives knocking around too. More fine performances from Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling and the arrival of Memphis Depay as an attacking force at Old Trafford will have left the Dutchman pleased ahead of their return trip to Bruges next Wednesday.
Marouane Fellaini's last gasp header gave United a far comfier cushion heading into that second leg but it has been similarly close fought elsewhere across Europe this evening. The other scores from the qualifying playoff in full:
FC Astana 1-0 Apoel Nicosia
BATE Borisov 1-0 Partizan Belgrade
Lazio 1-0 Bayer Leverkusen
Sporting 2-1 CSKA Moscow
Nick Howson at Old Trafford
Bastian Schweinsteiger on for Manchester United in an attempt to exert a little more control and while Brugge have not lifted their foot off the accelerator, the success of their ventures into the attacking third is now far more varying. Brugge went through their third qualifying round after losing the first leg 2-1. Could they repeat that?
What a miss from Memphis! Shaw gives the ball away in a dangerous position but races across the pitch from left to right to win it back. The former Saints defender powers down the right channel, finding Mata, who clips a pass into Rooney inside the six yard box. The United captain's first touch has deserted him at times in recent days, but there is nothing wrong with this one, flicking the ball first time behind him into the path from Memphis. The Dutchman has the goal at his mercy for a Champions League debut hat-trick but miss-hits his volley over the bar.
Big let of for United. Schneiderlin strokes a ball back for his goalkeeper to clear but Romero takes an age to come out and sweep it clear. Just as Oulare is about to close him down, he punts it clear, but only as far as another Brugge player on the edge of the box.Luckily for him, the referee has given a free kick for the challenge from Oulare.
Nick Howson at Old Trafford
Manchester United's return to the Champions League may not be being accompanied by a performance becoming of the illustrious competition, but it is enough to be leading an enterprising Club Brugge at half time.
"Memphis Depay's glorious double has cancelled out if not erased Michael Carrick's eighth minute own goal - an away goal at that - but the truth of the matter is it could be much worse for Louis van Gaal's side. Much to be improve upon; a statement on which his reign at Old Trafford is defined on. Brugge meanwhile have been excellent and credit to them for showing no fear.
Rooney drops deep and threads a brilliant ball through for Depay to run onto from the left. His first touch isn't bad, but the Dutchman loses his composure completely as he enters the box and sprays a shoot/pass//something else wide that Mata manages to keep in play. He tries to lift it back into the box but Brugge block.
Nick Howson at Old Trafford
"If United were under any illusion that Brugge were going to merely role over in this playoff tie, they have been given a rude awakening in the opening quarter of an hour. The Belgian side are not going to go down wondering and though they led in fortunate circumstances they have already caused United plenty of early problems. Level Louis van Gaal's side might be, but they face a long evening ahead."
United and Brugge aren't the only teams in action this evening. BATE Borisov v Partizan Belgrade, Lazio v Bayer Leverkusen and Sporting Lisbon v CSKA Moscow all kick off at 7:45pm. FC Astana have taken a 1-0 aggregate lead over Apoel Nicosia having already finished up their game earlier this afternoon.
United are heavy favourites to progress to the group stages and Louis van Gaal is aware of the expectation resting on the shoulders of his players.
There is a lot of pressure for us but we have to cope with it. We need experience and we can't lose the ball unnecessarily.
In the last two matches we are too easily losing the ball."
Nick Howson at Old Trafford
Is Louis van Gaal naming an unchanged team from the win over Aston Villa a sign of progression or an insight into his confidence in the other options available to him? Either way, he has resisted the temptation to recall last season's get-out clause, Marouane Fellini, from the start as the 6ft 4in midfielder becomes available for the first time since his red card against Hull City.
"One Belgian that will have the chance to impress against the opponents from his homeland is Adnan Januzaj. The match-winner from Villa Park is again expected to play in the number 10 role behind Wayne Rooney as the rebirth of his United career continues."
As mentioned earlier, Manchester United enter this play-off stage having never been troubled by it before, easing into the group stages in each of their previous visits. Here's a full breakdown of how teams from Europe's other big leagues have fared at this stage in the past, stats courtesy of bwin
That same XI from Louis van Gaal sees Adnan Januzaj handed another starting role after his goal at Villa Park on Friday. He told United's official website on Monday:
Last year was last year, and this year is this year. I'm happy at United and I'm happy with the way the manager has worked with me, so I don't have any issues with that.
"Of course [I'm improving]; the manager has spoken to me a few times and I felt that I haven't been myself but I hadn't had many games, so hopefully I can play more this year.
Nick Howson at Old Trafford
After a stuttering, yet winning, start to the season there is certainly an air of expectation around Old Trafford tonight as United look to return to the Champions League proper after a year away. The naming of an unchanged team from the victory over Aston Villa only emphasises the pressure on the home side to deliver tonight against their Belgian opponents.
"Club Brugge may not have played top tier European football since 2005 but they travel to the home of the three-time winners with no fear, having staged a dramatic comeback to knock-out Panathinaikos in the third qualifying round. Though they have not started their own domestic season in convincing fashion, Michel Preud'homme's side will not be overly concerned by their opponents' own league form. If their support is anything go by, they will fancy themselves.
BREAKING: Manchester United are unchanged from the side that beat Aston Villa on Friday night.
Manchester United team to face Club Brugge: Romero, Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Shaw, Carrick, Schneiderlin, Mata, Memphis, Januzaj, Rooney
Subs: Johnstone, Valencia, Schweinsteiger, Herrera, Fellaini, Young, Hernandez.
United's only confirmed absence this evening is Phil Jones, who is still shaking off a bout of mild thrombosis that has ruled him out of his side's two games this season.
The Dutchman does have Marcos Rojo fit but has been reluctant to throw him straight back into the first team following his delayed return to training this summer following his exploits with Argentina at the Copa America this summer.
Marouane Fellaini is still serving a domestic suspension after his red card on the final day of last season but is free to available for tonight's clash.
Manchester United are 180 minutes away from the group stages of the Champions League. Standing in their way is Club Brugge of Belgium and while the Premier League giants landed a slightly favourable draw in this play-off stage, they will be advised to take no chances.
Let's face it, failure to qualify for the groups will be an unmitigated disaster for the Old Trafford club. For Louis van Gaal and chief executive Ed Woodward, it would be the undoing of a year's worth of steady progress that culminated in their fourth place finish last season.
Back-to-back wins and clean sheets in their first two games of their Premier League campaign bode well, however, despite growing concern over the performances of skipper Wayne Rooney.
History is on their side this evening, too. United have a 100 percent success rate in the play-off round of this competition and have won all three of their previous encounters with Belgian opposition, boasting a healthy aggregate score of 18-1.
And compared to the dire straits he found himself in this time last year, Louis van Gaal has an almost-full squad to choose from. There are no excuses for any slip ups.
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