EUROPA LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL

repel, including a curling goalbound effort from Martial eight minutes from time, which was turned away by Johnsson.

United were lucky not to concede in the 17th minute, when Fred lost possession, the midfielder let off the hook when Harry Maguire and Eric Bailly combined to thwart Copenhagen’s attack.

Solskajer’s side continued to live dangerously, Aaron Wanbissaka’s under-hit pass intercepted by Copenhagen skipper Carlos Zeca, who surged goalwards, only to mis-control the ball at the crucial moment.

There was little fluency to United in the first half, which owed as much to their opponents’ discipline and resilience as it did to their own shortcomings, which were routinely exposed.

The energy-sapping heat, with the temperature still 35C at kick-off, took its toll on both sides ( far left, Copenhagen players with ice packs), the challenging conditions leading to a scrappy first half.

Mason Greenwood saw a shot blocked just after the half-hour and had the ball in the net in the 45th minute, finding the far corner with a low finish from Marcus Rashford’s flick-on (right). But Greenwood’s clinical finish was ultimately chalked off by VAR for offside.

United played with more authority in the second half, dictating the rhythm and pattern of the game. Fernandes struck a post with a fiercely-hit angled effort just after the hour.

But the Reds remained shaky at the back, Rasmus Falk executing a majestic turn that took out two United players, before squaring to sub Bryan Oviedo, whose goal-bound shot was blocked by Wan-bissaka.