HEROIC HENRIKH COMES IN FROM THE COLD

ON a night when Jose Mourinho became The Frozen One, it was Henrikh Mkhitaryan who provided the special touch to smooth United’s passage into the last 32 of the Europa League.

Mkhitaryan has spent much of his short time at United in the cold, sparking doubt over the decision to pay Borussia Dortmund £26.3million for his services in the summer.

But the ex-Shakhtar Donetsk star has grown in confidence of late and returned to Ukraine last night to score his first goal for the club on his 11th appearance.

Quite a goal, too, coming early in the second half with United’s hopes of progression still in the balance.

Mkhitaryan, who scored a hat-trick on his last visit to Odessa with Shakhtar, received the ball just over the halfway line and did incredibly well to keep control on a difficult playing surface as he ran at the Zorya defence.

Mikhail Sivakov tried to stop his run but Mkhitaryan played the ball between his legs and then steered it beyond keeper Igor Levchenko into the bottom corner.

‘I’ve been waiting a long time for this goal,’ said Mkhitaryan ‘The next one has to be at Old Trafford — I want to score at home. The important thing is we won and are going through to knockout stage. The first half was difficult because we couldn’t find the last pass. But in the second we created space for the wingers and strikers. Wayne Rooney created space for me and I scored the goal.’

Mkhitaryan’s solo effort was quality but made little difference to the bigger picture. Neither did Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s late strike.

Fenerbahce’s win over Feyenoord in Rotterdam meant the Turks go through as Group A winners and United would have finished second even if they had lost here.

But Mourinho, wrapped up in a scarf and gloves against the bitter cold, will just be happy to make the long trip home with a win under his belt after a frustrating time in the Premier League — not to mention a miserable away record in Europe.

United had lost their last five ties away from Old Trafford and this was a first victory in eight attempts.

It’s fair to say when the Europa League draw was made in August, they didn’t expect to be landing on the northern shores of the Black Sea still needing a point to be sure of progressing.

A frozen pitch at the Chornomorets Stadium had added to their worries. Marginally higher temperatures in Odessa meant it had thawed enough for the game to go ahead, and the fact that United enjoyed 71 per cent of possession showed how well they coped.

However, it was keeper Sergio Romero who was called into action first in the ninth minute. Ihor Kharatin rifled a shot that was bound for the bottom corner until Romero lunged to his right to turn it away.

United’s patient build-up play almost paid off in the 18th minute when Paul Pogba fired a 20-yard shot just past the post.

Eric Bailly also came close with an acrobatic overhead kick, before Rooney’s blistering shot was tipped over on the stroke of half-time.

Zorya came close to equalising when Sivakov met an inswinging free-kick with a flick of his head, but the ball was palmed away by Romero.

Ibrahimovic secured victory in the 88th minute when he was sent through on goal by Pogba’s excellent long pass, drawing Levchenko before guiding the ball home for his seventh goal in the last six games.

So Mourinho goes to through to the last 32 of a competition which hasn’t always held much of a place in his affections.

The problem is that it will further hamper United’s Premier League efforts in the second half of the season.

By then, it might also represent their best chance of a trophy — and Champions League football.

SOUTHAMPTON failed to join United in the last 32 after they drew 1-1 at home to Hapoel Be’er Sheva.

The Saints needed a win or a 0-0 draw to progress, but were ultimately knocked out by Maor Buzaglo’s 78th-minute strike, despite Virgil van Dijk’s late equaliser. Dundalk were also knocked out after a 2-1 defeat to Maccabi Tel-Aviv. Tal Ben Chaim put Maccabi ahead, but the Irish side responded through an Eli Dasa own goal. Dor Micha struck the winner but, as it turned out, Dundalk could not have advanced anyway as AZ Alkmaar beat Zenit to secure second place.