SWEDE & SOUR

Fellaini heads United to Stockholm but Bailly banned after seeing red

MANCHESTER UNITED staggered into the Europa League final after an ugly finale at Old Trafford.

They will meet Ajax’s gang of promising youngsters in Stockholm’s Friends Arena on May 24. But this was not a night of classic European glory for Jose Mourinho and his men.

Marouane Fellaini’s 17th-minute header gave United the lead but they were hauled back by Facundo Roncaglia’s late leveller to squeak through 2-1 on aggregate. Tempers exploded soon after the

THERE was no manic dash down the Old Trafford touchline, no visible signs of delirium.

There was just that steely job-done look – but do not for one minute underestimate how much this meant to Jose Mourinho.

It might have been a competition he once derided but taking Manchester United to a European final in his first season will be an achievement he will rightly be proud of.

He will be proud even though this was strictly functional, proud even though a place in the showpiece in Stockholm was hardly sealed with a showpiece performance. There was something apt about the early, decisive goal from Marouane Fellaini. Nice set-up, great execution but direct.

After that early strike, the Reds performed like an away team, not overly fussed about possession, content to look for the counter.

It was no sort of rumbustious display to mark the progression to a meeting with Ajax but that will not bother Mourinho.

He will be more concerned by the loss of Eric Bailly for the final after the centreback was sent off for raising his hands to John Guidetti.

Ahead of kick-off, Mourinho made his umpteenth, plaintive appeal to United fans, asking for the type of raucous backing that characterises their opponents’ following.

It was the visiting contingent though who made themselves heard as soon as the turnstiles opened. They also had good reason in an opening spell that saw Iago Aspas, in particular, show more attacking adventure in a few minutes than his team did for most of the game in Spain.

That adventure, though, was crushed with one simple but beautiful goal. Paul Scholes recently suggested Marcus Rashford is one of the best strikers of the ball at the club and that his

DOING IT THE HARD WAY Fellaini celebrates his goal before scuffles broke out (below) and Eric Bailly was sent off

Marouane Fellaini heads United in front to calm the nerves of Old Trafford crowd Celta’s John Guidetti celebrates after Roncaglia levelled but the scorer was soon sent off, along with Eric Bailly