EU BEAUTY! LINGARD SEALS UNITED’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SPOT
UNITED BACK AMONG EURO ELITE AFTER TENSE SHOOTOUT, THANKS TO FERNANDES AND LINGARD INSIDE: MATCH REPORT, RATINGS AND ANALYSIS
ONCE a red, always a red. Jonny Evans’s attachment to United dates back to his childhood in Belfast and he was a part of three Premier League titles and two Champions League final appearances in his seven years with his boyhood club. Partially thanks to Evans, United are back in the Champions League.
Of all of Evans’s contributions, this was his most vital.
He and fellow boyhood United fan Wes Morgan were caught unawares by Hamza Choudhury’s misplaced pass and Anthony Martial soon found himself sandwiched between them on the penalty spot. It will not have gone unnoticed by conspiracy theorists that Evans’s wife, Helen, still works for MUTV. Evans’s frustration boiled over with a crude addedtime challenge on Scott McTominay for which he was sent off.
For the sixth time in United red, Bruno Fernandes was spot-on. It was his perceptive pass that played Martial through and without Fernandes United would surely still have the unwanted Europa League status.
This was all about getting over the line for United, shattered by their run-in. Their players, now due a 15-day break until the Europa League quarter-final in Cologne, have made hard work of a menial task but this was an impressive show of nerve from a squad that has choked when opportunities have arisen previously this season. Celebrations were so jubilant at the death David de Gea ran the length of the pitch to mob Jesse Lingard on his first Premier League goal since December 2018.
Ed Woodward, peculiarly absent in Leicester, and his negotiating partner Matt Judge can now proceed with their targets insistent on Champions League football. United have a 70-day window to reinforce their squad rather than a truncated 45-day edition had Champions League qualification hinged on a Europa League final appearance.
Leicester were so far ahead of United in January they resembled mirage – 14 points clear in January and 16 better off in the goal difference column at the restart yet, not for the first time, a Brendan Rodgers side has choked in a run-in. For Woodward, it is vindication in entrusting Solskjaer and backing him through the Fernandes deal in January. United are unbeaten in all 14 Premier League matches he has appeared in.
The United substitutes were in agony, shielding their eyes and appealing more than their manager. At one stage, it looked like Odion Ighalo would not be able to watch Fernandes’ spot-kick. He eventually did and the celebrations on the United bench were uproarious, with Fred ready to leap over the advertising hoardings to join in.
It was appropriate Cliff Baty, United’s chief financial officer, was present for a match with £100m riding on it.
There will be no 30 per cent reduction to the Adidas contract and United have Champions League revenue to factor into their summer transfer budget.
Of all the grounds that have hosted behind-closed-doors matches, Leicester had the biggest – and loudest – staff presence in one last attempt to maximise home advantage without actual supporters.
Leicester had invited their unavailable players, among them the United target James Maddison, to augment the Sunday League atmosphere. Maddison’s own boyhood allegiance to United did not stop him or team-mates Ben Chilwell, Ricardo Pereira and Caglar Soyuncu from colourfully protesting against the
It was appropriate United’s chief financial officer was present for a match with £100m on it
Luckhurst
referee Martin Atkinson. Few were a match for Solskjaer at times.
He rebuked Anthony Martial for moving slowly and pierced ears by shrieking ‘Bruno’ at Fernandes for remonstrating with the linesman over a thudding James Justin tackle.
Fernandes soon collapsed to the turf for treatment.
Fernandes had been as controlling as a Hollywood film director, telling Mason Greenwood and Aaron Wan-Bissaka where to move though United could not arrest the lethargy of their recent performances.
Solskjaer had settled for a tactical vantage point during the game but hurtled down the steps to berate Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford during the first drinks interval. Solskjaer could have been heard on the M1 but too many United players were dilatory in responding to his instructions and Rashford gave off an air of entitlement when beckoned infield by his manager.
Rashford squandered United’s standout chance of a tepid first-half after the rookie James Justin misjudged the bounce of Pogba’s pass.
United seemed so preoccupied with the pace of Jamie Vardy they dared Kelechi Iheanacho and Youri Tielemans to have pot-shots, as if unaware their goalkeeper has been about as secure as a sieve.
De Gea was steeling himself in the warm-up and beating his hands together with the authority of Edwin van der Sar, but his handling was unconvincing again, yet recorded another clean sheet.
As of Monday Dean Henderson is back with United.
Victor Lindelof learnt in the early stages it was futile pitting his lack of speed against Vardy’s and he dealt with United’s bogey player unflappably until he scythed down Vardy in the 63rd minute. Leicester had to resort to a set-piece to galvanise Vardy, who nodded onto the goalframe. Lindelof was almost as much of a matchwinner as Fernandes.
Solskjaer’s dissatisfaction was so patent five of the nine United substitutes limbered up prior to the break and Timothy Fosu-Mensah continued his warmup at half-time, though there was no change.
Solskjaer was again reluctant to make alterations sooner and he was reprieved by Fernandes, via Evans.