Solskjaer relieved as United draw at Brugge

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s overriding feeling was relief after Manchester United drew at Club Brugge, where his side’s poor start was compounded by the challenging conditions and a questionable Europa League match ball.

With little time to recover from Monday’s Premier League win at Chelsea, the Reds crossed the Channel to take on the Belgian leaders on a wet and windy night in Bruges.

Emmanuel Dennis got Club Brugge off to a dream start after catching the normallydependable Sergio Romero well out of position, but Anthony Martial capitalised on an error to silence the Jan Breydelstadion and seal a 1-1 draw.

That away goal means United have the upper hand heading back to Old Trafford for the second leg of this last32 tie, leaving Solskjaer pleased on the whole.

“It was a difficult game against a well-organised team in difficult conditions,” he said.

“I don’t think it was one of the best games that anyone’s seen.

“But we got an away goal, we got a draw. We go home next week so hopefully we can finish the job.”

Elsewhere, Diogo Jota’s hat-trick and Ruben Neves’s thunderbolt kept the Wolves dream alive after a dominant victory over Espanyol.

Forward Jota now has six goals in his last two European games after helping Wanderers to a 4-0 win over the LaLiga strugglers which puts them on the brink of reaching the last 16.

Arsenal also have one foot in the next round after Alexandre Lacazette ended a frustrating night by tucking home a late winner at Olympiakos.