Man Utd impress again without Wayne Rooney and cruise into Europa League last-16
After days of speculation, rumours, claims and counter-claims regarding the future of Wayne Rooney, Manchester United simply got on with making sure they continue to impress without their captain, as they cruised into the last 16 of the Europa League.
For all the intrigue surrounding Rooney and whether he will leave for China before the end of the month – or wait until the summer, as most now expect – the fact is, United have been showing for weeks that they do not really need him anymore.
Rooney is understood to have been surprised by manager Jose Mourinho’s pre-match press conference in Saint Etienne, in which he repeatedly refused to rule out the possibility that his captain could leave next week, but there is no problem between them.
All Rooney wants, as things stand, is to be involved in another cup final for United at the weekend. Thoughts and concerns about his future are on hold until after Sunday’s trip to Wembley.
This Europa League win – secured with ten men after Eric Bailly’s second-half dismissal - means United have now lost just one game in 22. In most of those, Rooney has either been on the bench or injured. They are moving on without him, even while he still remains at Old Trafford.
It will be fascinating to see whether Rooney is involved in Sunday’s EFL Cup Final against Southampton, given he expects to be following his return to training. Injuries to Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Michael Carrick in France certainly increase his chances of at least making the bench.
Mkhitaryan effectively ended this game as a meaningful contest when he put United in front after 17 minutes.
Back in the country where I spent my childhood. So happy to have scored, but sad to have left the pitch that early. Fingers crossed #mufcpic.twitter.com/nDXczXCoIH
— Henrikh Mkhitaryan (@HenrikhMkh) February 22, 2017
The Armenian is growing into an increasingly exciting figure for Jose Mourinho and although Juan Mata’s cross was sublime, the way he delicately steered it past goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier was also classy, taking the ball on the half volley and stroking it into the net.
St Etienne 0 - 1 Man Utd (Henrikh Mkhitaryan, 16 min)
However, the winger departed just a few minutes later. Chasing a through ball from Paul Pogba, he appeared to feel a pain in the back of his leg, signalled to the bench and came off clutching his hamstring.
It looked like a pull rather than a tear, Mkhitaryan was able to leave the pitch without help, but it still puts his participation in the cup final in major doubt. The former Borussia Dortmund star headed straight down the tunnel for treatment after a brief exchange of words with Mourinho.
His goal had made this an even more straight forward task for United. Already leading 3-0 from the first leg, Saint-Etienne would now have to score five to knock them out of the competition.
They rarely looked like getting one before half-time, even though United dropped their intensity to a training game. The home team’s best chance was a header from Loic Perrin, but although he was completely unmarked, he guided his effort straight at Sergio Romero in goal.
There were other half chances, Romero saving with his feet as Kevin Monnet-Paquet threatened to get in behind the defence after Jordan Veretout’s goalbound shot was deflected wide.
United might have scored a second, Perrin grateful to his goalkeeper who stuck out a hand to prevent him scoring an own goal after Zlatan Ibrahimovic had set up Mata for a cross on the run.
Ibrahimovic, booed throughout by Saint-Etienne’s supporters, who disliked him when he was a Paris Saint Germain player, also sent a shot narrowly over from the edge of the area.
United, though, were not having to over-exert themselves. The same could not be said of the home supporters, who were magnificent throughout, the flag waving, chants and choreography making this one of the great grounds to visit.
Average touch positions (0 min)
Their team did not really rise to the occasion, Romain Hamouma summing their evening up when he fell over taking a free kick.
Even the sending off of Eric Bailly and the withdrawal of Carrick did not really unsettle United. The Cameroon international was dismissed after picking up two yellow cards, the second one provoking an angry reaction from Mourinho who claimed Hamouma was pretending to be injured. Bailly had also been booked following a collision with the same player just three minutes earlier. He will now miss United’s next game in Europe.
United still created chances, Rashford denied by Ruffier after running on to a lofted pass from Bastian Schweinsteiger, Ibrahimovic dragging an effort wide from a similar sort of pass from Pogba.
In the background, the noise in the stands never dropped. If anything, it got louder as the game fizzled out. They were a credit to their football club and gave both sets of players a noisy standing ovation at the end of the game.
St Etienne vs Man Utd shots on goal 6:51PM
FULL TIME
United are through and by Jove it was easy.
90 mins +3
St Etienne have a corner, it's cleared and then for three seconds, which feel like a minute, Jorginho has a chance to shoot from 25 yards. He absolutely drills it at goal but straight at Romero, who fumbles... and then it's cleared.
90 mins +2
We're at the stage where Zlatan is shielding the ball in the corner. Take your thumb off the left stick, pal. Just hold L2 and the AI will do it for you.
89 mins
Smalling takes a sore one as Pajot dives into him with a slide tackle. He's alright though, just annoyed. Young then wipes out a forward but the referee doesn't care and United stroll forward. Pogba links with Schweinsteiger, moves the ball sideways and slows it down.
86 mins
Pogba (the defender) floats a ball to the back post but nobody gets anywhere near it and another half-hearted attack fizzles out. Romero takes his time... boots it up the pitch, and United fall back into their defensive shape to deal with another slow build up by the home team.
83 mins
St Etienne are reduced to trying long range shots from 30 yards. None of them are very good. Romero takes his time with the goal kicks and basically this one is done.
Schweinsteiger tries to bend one into the top corner from outside the area but puts it over the bar.
80 mins
All of a sudden it looks like Zlatan is clean through on goal. Pogba finds him with a great ball down the right but the linesman says no. He is totally wrong. Ooooooooh.
77 mins
RASHFORD IS IN! A long ball over the top finds Rashford, he tries to poke it around the keeper but the keeper gets a touch and pushes it wide for a corner.
Attempt Saved: St Etienne 0 - 1 Man Utd (Marcus Rashford, 76 min)
Pogba scoops the ball over the defence a few moments later and Zlatan fires one at goal from distance but doesn't challenge the keeper.
75 mins
Pogba goes for a wonder goal, catching the ball on the volley but slicing it well wide. That was one of those you have to hit by law. When it sits up, no matter how far from goal you are, you have to hit it or you literally to go prison for crimes against football.
Pogba's flick on from a corner nearly finds Zlatan at the back post but it's cleared for another. This time the outswinger from Blind misses everyone.
72 mins
Eric Bailly will miss the first leg of Man Utd's last-16 tie and will start the second leg one yellow card away from another suspension. https://t.co/KvkY59Qj9R
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) February 22, 2017
Hamouma tries to shoot from a very difficult angle on a free-kick but it hits the wall and bounces clear. United look comfortable even with 10 men.
70 mins
Pogba is so good to watch on the ball. You can't get the ball off him, even when he spends a long time teasing defenders with it. A little drag back and flick gets him away from one player and as he tries to take on his brother on the right wing, he's brought down.
67 mins
It was utterly pointless making that challenge. He'd just been booked, the player wasn't going anywhere anyway... Mourinho is angry.
Card: St Etienne 0 - 1 Man Utd (Eric Bailly, 63 min)
Rojo was brought on immediately for Juan Mata. That means Zlatan will play the entire game.
64 mins
Carrick off, Schweinsteiger on. That'll mean Carrick is playing on Sunday then... ;-)
Bailly is off! It's a red card! He picks up a second yellow for a silly tackle on the halfway line - a challenge he had no need to make.
61 mins
Fellaini hits the side netting! He's played in behind the defence and decides to shoot instead of squaring it across goal for an annoyed Zlatan.
Miss: St Etienne 0 - 1 Man Utd (Marouane Fellaini, 58 min)
This is the thing with Mourinho teams. They win football games, they control the play, they defend well and they get the job done... but it's just not amazing to watch. It's efficient but flashes of skill or fast passing moves don't come around that often. Maybe that makes them better when they do? Like how football is better than basketball to watch even though less happens? I dunno.
POGBA SHOOTS! Straight at the keeper. He got some power behind that one.
Attempt Saved: St Etienne 0 - 1 Man Utd (Paul Pogba, 59 min)
Left foot power drive. Keeper saves.
And Bailly is booked for a slide tackle on his right, St Etienne's left... and the free-kick doesn't go anywhere.
58 mins
Pogba doesn't even take the kick, and the player who does slips as he hits it and it rolls way wide of the goal.
57 mins
St Etienne have a free-kick. The commentator on the amazing live broadcast which is definitely the constantly buffering BT Sport 3 and not something else, goes "I really hope Pogba doesn't score this because who knows what he's capable of in celebrations". He's not too keen on the Pogba shenanigans from the first leg.
54 mins
It's just not quite happening for St Etienne here. Any forward passes don't find players on the same wavelength as the man playing it forward and United's defence are dealing with everything thrown at them. If you imagine any classic Mourinho team performance where it's not particularly interesting but they're getting the job done as efficiently as possible, this is it.
Saivet, on loan from Newcastle, comes off for Jorginho.
51 mins
Fellaini is strong in the tackle to make up for mis-controlling the ball in his own half. Rashford burns past Malcuit on the left and wins a corner... but it comes to nothing.
48 mins
That first half was a superb away European performance but that's not enough - they need 90 minutes [/cliches].
KICK-OFF 2
We're back!
Average positions
Average touch positions (half time)
HALF TIME
That's it for the first 45!
45 mins +2
Hamouma goes to ground far too easily again on the edge of the box and doesn't get the free-kick he wants, St Etienne keep up the pressure and the ball is headed behind for a corner. Young heads away at the near post.
45 mins +1
Hamouma is rolling on the floor clutching his jaw after a battle with Zlatan. He catches him with his arm, a bit, but also lands on the Frenchman which probably does actually hurt a bit.
44 mins
Romero comes off his line to close down a through-ball and stops the forward going around him with a well timed slide tackle. Bailly takes the ball away and clear.
41 mins
Rashford wins the ball on the left, runs down the wing and the player he steals it from goes down clutching his face - there's absolutely nothing in it so he's letting his teammates down by rolling around the floor - and Rashford plays it back to Zlatan. You can see instantly that Zlatan wants to bend one into the top corner and he holds off his man and strides towards the box but sends his shot a mile over the bar at 90,000mph.
38 mins
Good header! St Etienne have a chance on goal but Romero has a comfortable catch in the middle of his goal.
Keeper pick-up: St Etienne 0 - 1 Man Utd (Sergio Romero, 39 min)
St Etienne are getting more and more into this but United still defending really well.
St Etienne vs Man Utd shots on goal
35 mins
Veretout gets a shot from distance on goal as United can't clear their lines but it's deflected wide for a throw-in. It wasn't going in anyway.
32 mins
That's Mkhitaryan's touch for the goal. Meanwhile, Young has just gone incredibly close to finding Mata at the back post with a low, curled cross. He just needed a little less pace on that and United would be 2-0 up.
29 mins
United are defending really well. They look very organised and drop deep as soon as St Etienne get to the final third. Young carries the ball forward on a slow paced counter-attack before Mata switches flanks. The back line steps up and United have total control of the ball again. How very European.
26 mins
Pogba waits too long to play in Zlatan and catches him offside, then strides through the middle and Mkhitaryan just isn't quick enough to get on the end of another well placed through ball. He's been excellent in that advanced midfield role tonight - it looks like Mourinho has been coaching him on the role.
Marcus Rashford is coming on for Mkhitaryan... he's giving his hamstring a feel which is a worry for the League Cup final.
23 mins
CLOSE FOR MAN UTD! Mata is played into 20 yards of space down the left, crosses low into the box for Zlatan and defenders scramble it away but the ball pings off one and the keeper has to react to save at his near post.
Clearance: St Etienne 0 - 1 Man Utd (Loic Perrin, 23 min)
20 mins
Bailly gets the ball near his own box, looks up and doesn't like what he sees so moves the ball towards the corner flag with a weird, heavy touch... and then tries to clear it. That's about the least composed thing you'll see a defender do all evening. St Etienne are working the ball around the United box now, focusing play down the left, which is where Young is defending.
GOOOOOOAAAAAAAL!
St Etienne 0 - 1 Man Utd (Henrikh Mkhitaryan, 16 min)
That wasn't spectacular and won't blow you away when you get to see it but what a team goal. Everyone involved, fluid movement, swapping of positions and then Mata's cross to the front post was perfect Mkhitaryan. His finish - off the toe - placed the ball into the corner beyond the goalkeeper. Job done?
16 mins
United are playing more of a 4-2-3-1 than the usual 4-3-3 at the moment, with Pogba in the number 10 role. He swaps with Fellaini and Mata at times though - it's quite fluid.
15 mins
Young gets right up the pitch and crosses from the byline but it's just too high for Zlatan to reach. Mkhitaryan works hard to chase the full-back and brings him down before he can cause any trouble. An industrial, functional performance from Mourinho's men so far. It's so Mourinho. Nothing close to a shot on goal yet.
12 mins
Brilliant by Pogba as he shows great balance to go around the outside of the right-back and hold him off before crossing into the box on the outside of his right foot. The keeper comes out to catch.
9 mins
Mata does really well to win the ball back in the final third and United try to pass around... but St Etienne are big and strong at the back and can easily deal with the high ball.
6 mins
United look to be trying to slow the play down to calm down the crowd, who are very awake for 5pm on a Wednesday. I mean it is 6pm over there, but still. How did they all get out of work?
3 mins
St Etienne's kit is a really nice shade of green. Young does well at right-back to slow down an attack and shield the ball out of play. Pogba loses out in the final third and very nearly leaves his team completely exposed! He slides in to try and rescue the situtation... but it comes to nothing anyway.
KICK-OFF
And we're underway in St Etienne!
Skeleton bae
St Etienne fans with #SkeletonBaepic.twitter.com/DQzCWznOf6
— Simon Peach (@SimonPeach) February 22, 2017
How Mourinho skillfully moved Rooney to the background
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Wayne Rooney’s impending departure from Manchester United is how smooth it has been. A volatile and emotionally complex breakup has been handled brilliantly by Jose Mourinho, writes Luke Edwards.
Christophe Galtier
Here's Mourinho speaking to someone who could very well be on Arsenal's list of potential replacements for Arsene Wenger. Galtier has done superb work with a very limited budget at St Etienne - something those in charge at the Emirates might quite like. He's not really won an awful lot though... but that doesn't change too much does it? Waaaaaaaaaaaay! That's a joke btw, in case any angry Gooners are reading.
People of all ages will enjoy this
One of the most famous goals ever scored in this stadium.
People of a certain age may identify with this
I've been informed this is the case, any how.
St Etienne XI
St Etienne usually play a 4-3-3 and their star player is defender Loic Perrin. Top scorer Romain Hamouma has scored six goals this season. Zlatan eats that for brunch.
Starting XI
Ruffier; Malcuit, Perrin, Theophile-Catherine, Pogba; Pajot, Veretout, Saivet, Hamouma; Beric, Monnet-Paquet
St Etienne's stadium
Looks nice.
Mourinho taking silverware seriously
Who would have thought that Man Utd would value winning trophies over potentially tiring lavishly paid players to earn some extra millions in TV money with a one place higher finish in the Premier League? This is great that United are going for it - they're 3-0 up from the first leg remember. It would be so easy for Mourinho to play some reserve players and coast through it but he's left some of those B players at home. Shaw and Darmian didn't even travel, Rashford is on the bench.
The Pogbas are here too.
United name strong starting XI
Here's how #MUFC will line up tonight... #UELpic.twitter.com/zPSZ17yaV3
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 22, 2017
Didn't expect that this evening - Jose Mourinho has named a nearly full strength first team, with only David De Gea and Anthony Martial notable changes. Martial isn't really guaranteed a starting place either! United are going for it this evening.
