Manchester United closed in on a direct passage to the Europa League final 16 due to Bruno Fernandes’ late winner to beat Rangers 2-1 on Thursday.
The Purple Devils appeared set to undergo extra disappointment at Outdated Trafford when Cyriel Dessers levelled for an injury-ravaged Rangers within the 88th minute.
However Fernandes spared United’s blushes and probably the playoff spherical by blasting residence in stoppage time.
“It was a victory that we actually wanted on this second,” stated under-fire United boss Ruben Amorim.
United transfer as much as fourth within the desk with one match of the league part remaining.
The highest eight will qualify straight for the final 16, which can now be past Rangers, who slip to thirteenth.
Nonetheless, the Glasgow giants battled bravely within the circumstances as coach Philippe Clement needed to flip to 2 youngsters off the bench within the second half as his harm issues mounted.
“I noticed all people gutted within the dressing room that we misplaced after taking part in that form of recreation,” stated Clement.
“I’m additionally very proud what the staff did immediately, sticking to the plan with actually younger gamers approaching the pitch,”
Amorim had blasted United’s present crop because the worst within the membership’s historical past after a bruising 3-1 defeat to Brighton on the weekend.
That was a fourth defeat in 5 residence video games and United’s nervousness in entrance of an expectant crowd was clear to see within the early levels earlier than they started to take management.
Alejandro Garnacho has been linked with a transfer away within the closing weeks of the switch window as United look to ease their points with assembly revenue and sustainability guidelines.
The Argentine is attracting curiosity from Napoli and Chelsea and will have signed off with at the very least one objective whether it is to be his ultimate look for the membership.
Garnacho’s goalbound effort was deflected over by Nico Raskin earlier than United had the ball within the web from the ensuing nook.
Matthijs de Ligt’s towering header was controversially dominated out for a foul on Robin Propper and VAR didn’t intervene.
Butland’s nightmare return
Already shorn of John Souttar, Neraysho Kasanwirjo, Ianis Hagi, Danilo and Oscar Cortes, Rangers had to deal with three extra accidents as Leon Balogun and Connor Barron didn’t seem for the second half and Vaclav Cerny limped off on the hour mark.
Clement needed to throw on two 18-year-olds with barely any first-team expertise in Bailey Rice and Findlay Curtis.
But, they have been in the end solely crushed by an enormous error from considered one of their most skilled gamers.
Jack Butland didn’t play for United throughout a spell with the Purple Devils in 2023.
The previous England worldwide goalkeeper endured a nightmare return as he punched Amad Diallo’s nook into his personal web to interrupt the impasse.
United didn’t press residence the benefit as Garnacho fired a wonderful likelihood off the put up from shut vary.
And so they might have been punished as Dessers smashed residence after Harry Maguire received caught beneath a protracted ball.
Not for the primary time this season, Fernandes rode to United’s rescue with the one second of high quality in a scrappy recreation when he cushioned Lisandro Martinez’s cross by way of Butland’s legs.
Rangers are nonetheless set to at the very least make the playoff spherical and have an outdoor likelihood of constructing the highest eight in the event that they beat Union Saint-Gilloise at Ibrox subsequent week.
United journey to Romanian facet FCSB with some extent doubtless sufficient to safe a spot within the final 16.
