The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Pogba leads way as United top group
EUROPA LEAGUE: Old Trafford crowd celebrate all five goals
MANCHESTER UNITED 4 FENERBAHCE 1
Paul Pogba scored twice as moved to the top of Group A.
After very little of note in the opening half-hour, Pogba and Anthony Martial netted penalties within three minutes of each other before Pogba scored a fine third in first-half injury time.
Jesse Lingard added a fourth just after half-time and the United fans were on their feet again for Fenerbahce’s consolation goal, scored late on by their popular former striker Robin van Persie.
The Red Devils, with captain Wayne Rooney starting for the first time in a month, leapfrog Fenerbahce to the top of the table and have repaired the damage done by their opening loss to Feyenoord, who also have six points.
INTER MILAN 1 SOUTHAMPTON 0
United
Southampton manager Claude Puel dismissed suggestions his rotation system was responsible for their defeat in Milan.
Antonio Candreva’s second-half goal secured an important San Siro win for Inter that prevented their visitors from building a lead at the top of Group K.
Southampton finished the night third in the group when they could have taken a significant step towards reaching the knockout stages.
Despite being reduced to 10 men after Marcelo Brozovic’s red card, Inter are back in contention after winning their first points.
Defeat came after Puel made six changes from the XI he had selected in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Burnley.
Asked if his changes had disrupted his team, Puel responded: “Not all the players can play good football (if they play every game). It’s important to consider all the players. We want to go for the qualification with all the squad and not just 11 players.
“We can see (we played a) good game with the quality against Inter away it is difficult to think and to answer the question. We are just unlucky.”
Dundalk were denied a historic Group D win over Zenit St Petersburg.
Robbie Benson gave former Dunfermline manager Stephen Kenny’s side the lead but Robert Mak, who scored in Slovakia’s 3-0 win over Scotland last week, equalised before Giuliano netted Zenit’s winner.