REAL GARD OF HONOUR
Jess see turnS on style to it nekdAsuts rt or lil ans
JESSE LINGARD turned on the style to help Manchester United coast into the quarter-finals last night.
The England ace has copped flak from the Red Devils’ support for his perceived lack of influence on the side and failure to regularly find the net.
But he fired back at his doubters as he bagged the first against the Austrians before Anthony Martial sealed a massive 7-1 aggregate victory.
It was far from a classic European night at Old Trafford, not least because of the absence of a crowd, but Ole Gunnar Solksjaer will just be delighted to get the result.
He surely won’t be overally pleased with the performance, with another 90-minute reminder of the alarming lack of quality that exists beyond United’s established line-up.
Having given his main men the night off, with United’s place in the last eight assured thanks to a 5-0 first-leg lead, Solskjaer watched the supporting cast toil.
This limp display certainly endorsed Solskjaer’s case to strengthen his squad with four or five new signings this summer – including No.1 target Jadon Sancho – which is what United need if they are to challenge for the big prizes.
Of United’s line-up here, only skipper Harry Maguire and Brandon Williams are certain starters for next Monday’s Europa League quarter-final knockout against Copenhagen in Cologne.
One player who could surely have done with a rest ahead of next week’s mini-tournament in Germany, was the stopper but he led the Reds out on his 59th game of the season.
Despite the scoreline from the first leg, LASK had proved stubborn opponents in Austria, with three of United’s five goals coming in the last eight minutes, as the hosts folded.
LASK defender Andrade hit the bar with a looping header after 10 minutes then Philipp Weisinger dragged the loose ball just wide
A counter-attack in the 38th minute, involving Jesse Lingard and Dan James, was thwarted when Weisinger blocked the latter’s cross. James should have made it 1-0 to United in the 52nd minute but was unable to turn in a cross
It proved a costly miss, with LASK taking the lead three minutes later, Weisinger curling a 25-yard shot beyond the reach of Sergio Romero.
United responded swiftly, Mata putting Lingard through to find the net for the equaliser, 93 seconds after going behind.
Martial then won it two minutes from time.