Henrikh Mkhitaryan opens the scoring for Manchester United in last night’s 1-1 draw in the Europa League quarter-final first leg with Anderlecht.

Europa league: Mourinho’s side still well placed despite late strike by Anderlecht

Henrikh Mkhitaryan struck on Manchester United’s Europa League travels yet again, but Leander Dendoncker’s late header leaves the quarter-final clash with Anderlecht intriguingly poised.

May’s Stockholm finale is beginning to come into sight after a long, arduous campaign that has undoubtedly taken a toll on United’s Premier League ambitions.

Their hopes of adding the Europa League to their trophy collection – and securing a Champions League return – remain intact, but there is work to do after Mkhitaryan’s first-half goal was cancelled out by a Dendoncker sucker punch as the first leg ended 1-1.

The quarter-final was the fourth successive European trip the Armenian has netted on and Mourinho’s relief to return to Old Trafford with an away goal will no doubt be tinged with disappointment after allowing victory to slip away.

First-half endeavour was all too infrequently matched by quality at the small but atmospheric Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, where security was stepped up days on from the Dortmund bomb attack.

Jesse Lingard hit the post on United’s first voyage forwards and Mkhitaryan broke the deadlock as half-time approach, turning in from an acute angle after Marcus Rashford was denied during a fine, one-touch move.

Mkhitaryan went close again with a smart volley as Anderlecht’s first European quarter-final appearance for 20 years looked set to end in defeat, only for lax defending to allow Dendoncker to power home an equaliser.

In other quarter-final action, Ajax dominated proceedings against Schalke in Amsterdam to win their first leg 2-0.

Captain Davy Klaassen scored both goals, the first from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute and the second in the early stages of the second half.

It will be all to play for in the second leg in Genk after the Belgians lost an entertaining clash against Celta Vigo 3-2 in Spain.

Genk took the lead in the 10th minute through Jean-Paul Boetius but found themselves behind seven minutes later after goals from Pione Sisto and Iago Aspas. Former Celtic striker John Guidetti grabbed a third for Celta before half-time but Thomas Buffel’s 67thminute header changed the complexion of the contest.

Picture: Getty Images. United’s Matteo Darmian, left, and Marcos Rojo show their disappointment as goalkeeper Sergio Romero retrieves the ball from the net after Anderlecht’s late equaliser.