IT’S SPAINFUL
VALENCIA .... 2 MAN UTD .... 1
JOSE MOURINHO was left frustrated once again as a stuttering display in Spain saw Manchester United limp into the second round.
A cool finish from Carlos Soler and an embarrassing own goal from Phil Jones gave Valencia the lead they deserved before a late Marcus Rashford strike pulled one back.
And Mourinho believes a rotten first half left his side with too much to do.
He said: “We were too passive in the first half. We were quite comfortable with the ball but not in intensity and ambition.
“In the second half I was pretty sure that after speaking at half time things could be different but we started with an own goal that gave Valencia a better position to control things.
“I made the two changes later and the team improved immediately, we started playing faster, arriving with link play in more dangerous positions, and we should get to 2-2 because we had a couple of good chances.
“But tonight it’s job done in a difficult group, I don’t think we were brilliant in this group phase, but with the problems we had and the injuries we had we managed to come here already qualified.”
With Sunday’s trip to Premier League leaders and arch rivals Liverpool so significant in the context of United’s battle to get back in the mix for a top-four, and their place in the last 16 already assured, Mourinho undertook a major reshuffle.
He made eight changes from the side that beat Fulham 4-1 with only Jones, Juan Mata and Romelu Lukaku keeping their places.
It was the home side who started with greater purpose and endeavour, their efforts rewarded with the opening goal after 17 minutes, the 10th time in 15 games that United have conceded first.
Jones failed to clear the ball with a weak header which fell to the feet of Soler, a 21-year-old midfielder who has been linked with a potential move to United.
He was not closed down and was afforded enough time to compose himself before picking his spot and drilling past Sergio Romero.
It was a deserved lead for the hosts and it served to rouse United from their early slumber, with Mata going close to levelling the score with a deflected shot.
Valencia should have doubled their lead in the 31st minute, when Michi Batshuayi sent a free header over the bar after United’s defence was again exposed.
Paul Pogba had a glaring miss from close-range in 35 minutes, sending the ball into the side netting.
The United midfielder was ruled offside but replays showed he was onside, the shocking miss summing up his sloppy contribution.
Valencia were two up after the break, with Solar playing Batshuayi through on goal and Jones, struggling to hold him off, diving in and prodding past Romero.
Mourinho brought on Rashford and Jesse Lingard, the former pulling one back in 87 minutes with a header.
DAVID McDONNELL AT THE MESTALLA