Pogba puts Reds into last eight

PAUL Pogba returned from injury with a bang as the super sub fired Manchester United to victory at AC Milan and a place in the Europa League quarter-finals.

Simon Kjaer’s stoppagetime equaliser at Old Trafford last week left the return leg of this last-16 encounter between these European heavyweights fascinatingly poised.

Pogba missed the first leg during a 40-day absence with a thigh injury and made a timely return at the San Siro, where he scored minutes after his half-time introduction to secure a 1-0 win and 2-1 aggregate triumph.

The France midfielder’s smart 48th-minute strike was a gut punch for Milan, who had looked confident during a cagey opening period in which United struggled to impose themselves.

That changed when Pogba was introduced at the break and scored from close range, having shaped to cross, leading Milan to turn to ex-United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the bench.

l Recalled Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed a number of clear-cut chances as the Gunners made heavy weather of progressing to the quarterfinals against 10-man Olympiakos.

Holding a 3-1 victory from the first leg in Greece, a poor display saw Mikel Arteta’s side lose 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium but advance on aggregate.

Arteta opted to recall Aubameyang after axing his captain for the north London derby win over Tottenham four days earlier following a breach in pre-match protocol.

l Jose Mourinho was left feeling the pressure after Tottenham were embarrassingly dumped out after a 3-0 loss to Dinamo Zagreb.

Spurs had one foot in the quarter-finals after last week’s 2-0 first-leg win, but they crumbled in Croatia and succumbed to Mislav Orsic’s sensational hat-trick, going out 3-2 on aggregate after extra-time.