CSKA vs Manchester United: 5 things we learned from the visitors' storming Champions League victory

A Romelu Lukaku brace, Anthony Martial penalty and Henrikh Mkhitaryan strike sealed the deal for the visitors who dominated proceedings from the first to the last whistle

Manchester United cruised to victory against CSKA Moscow (Getty)

Manchester United ran riot against CSKA Moscow in Wednesday night's Champions League clash, firing four past the Russian side to see out a stylish victory at the VEB Arena.

A Romelu Lukaku brace, Anthony Martial penalty and Henrikh Mkhitaryan strike sealed the deal for the visitors who dominated proceedings from the first to the last whistle.

CSKA Moscow pulled one back in the dying minutes of the game but it came as a mere consolation goal.

Here are five things we learned:

Rotation points to United squad strength

Jose Mourinho opted to field a strong-looking starting XI for tonight’s clash, with the usual suspects back in the mix to face the Russian hosts. There were, though, a few tweaks here and there to the line-up which ultimately did little to lower the quality on offer. Indeed, Ander Herrera made his return to the side, having only made three league starts this season, while Martial was brought back into the fray.

Ander Herrera in action for United (Getty)

That Mourinho is able to bring players of their quality into contention points to the depth and strength of United’s squad this season. With the long winter months fast approaching, this strength will undoubtedly prove vital.

United rediscovering their European swagger

The last time United look this dominant and assertive in Europe was during Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure. After his retirement, the Manchester club struggled in Europe’s premium competition, lacking the confidence and self-belief required to sweep aside the sort of teams they would traditionally cruise past.

Romelu Lukaku celebrates his opener (Getty)

But under Mourinho the side have rediscovered their swagger. Against CSKA Moscow they dominated proceedings from the off, constantly keeping the ball moving against a team that were reduced to chasing shadows.

With Lukaku at his instinctive best and Martial riding a wave of confidence, United were a delight to watch in the home side’s final third while Herrera more than stepped up to the mark on his return to the starting XI. In all, it was another storming European night which continues to bode well for Mourinho’s men.

CSKA Moscow defence leaves little to be desired

CSKA Moscow have now failed to keep a clean sheet in the Champions League for the 30th consecutive match while goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev has gone 41 straight games without a shutout in the competition. With a combined age of 73, centre-backs Vasili Berezutski and Sergei Ignashevich looked well past their shelf life against United’s power and pace this evening.

Indeed, it was Berezutski’s farcical failed clearance which handed Lukaku his second while Ignashevich failed to assert himself in the air for the forward’s first, coming off second better in their aerial challenge for the ball.

CSKA Moscow's defence was found wanting (Getty)

It was a generally limp and lifeless defensive display all round, with Mkhitaryan and Martial handed far too much space and time in the home side’s final third. Players were seen jogging back, too, showing next to no desire to make it back to help out an already shaky defence. It was a stellar performance from United but they were certainly helped by the egregious abuses of CSKA Moscow’s backline.

David de Gea reminds United of his worth

It was a generally quiet night for the United defence who spent the vast majority of the evening camped out inside their opponent’s half. But on those rare occasions when CSKA Moscow tested the visiting defence, De Gea was on hand to deny the home side.

Despite spending much of the game watching from afar, the Spaniard showcased razor-sharp instincts to block CSKA’s shots on goal. In the early stages of the game he got down well to his right to push away a low-driven shot from Dzagoev which had set a course for the bottom left-hand corner.

Just under 10 minutes before the break, he reacted with lightning speed to tip Vitinho’s close-range strike over the bar. Asides from the spectacular, he stuck to the basics throughout the match and was a constant source of reliability at the back for United. CSKA's goal will come as a disappointment for him but in all it was a performance which he should be proud of.

Lindelof continues his development

"In the future, Lindelof is going to have more opportunities," Mourinho said before this game. "He will improve step by step like the good player he is." Indeed, tonight was certainly a step forward for the defender who looked far more composed and assured than he did in his last outing against Basel.

Lindelof still has a lot to learn though (Getty)

Adjusting to life at United is no easy feat and there's no doubt Lindelof still has a lot to learn but here was another opportunity for him to cut his teeth. His decision-making was better while his positioning looked tighter and disciplined.

Of course, this isn't to shower the 23-year-old with praise. Against a side like CSKA Moscow, who were dismal throughout, Lindelof was never going to be pushed outside of his comfort zone. The late goal with have undoubtedly put a downer on his evening but there are still plenty of positives to take from the match.