Manchester United make winning return to Champions League with comfortable win over Basel

Manchester United 3 Basel 0: Goals from Marouane Fellaini, Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford ensure United get off to winning start on return to Champions League

It was as if they had never been away. Manchester United's return to the elite level of European competition was not a swash-buckling display of attacking dominance, nor will it have shook those clubs on the continent of a similar size and stature, but it was the kind of comfortable, authoritative Champions League group stage victory that Old Trafford used to see on a regular basis.

Two headed goals, the first from Marouane Fellaini and the second by Romelu Lukaku, and a late strike by Marcus Rashford meant Jose Mourinho’s side took three points from their first appearance at this level since his appointment. Such was their dominance over Raphael Wicky’s inhibited Basel, the margin should perhaps have been even greater, but given their chequered history against the Swiss champions, United will be satisfied with a winning return.

Back in 2011, after three final appearances in four years, defeat in Basel eliminated United from the group stages and initiated their current, long spell of underachievement in this competition. Post-Sir Alex Ferguson, the club has progressed from the group stages just once and Jose Mourinho seemed keenly aware of that fact in his programme notes, speaking of wanting his team to be “on a par with the club’s history”.

His players began as if they had read those very words. Romelu Lukaku, making his debut in the Champions League proper, was the first to go close, almost finding an opening after just two minutes when striking on the half-volley from an Ashley Young corner. His powerful effort was blocked by the back of Manuel Akanji and the danger cleared, but United’s tails were up.

Young, a surprise selection at right-back and making his first appearance in 131 days after a long injury lay-off, made a particularly impressive start and looked liberated by his recovery from a hamstring problem. But with one pulled muscle a thing of the past, Mourinho soon had another to worry about. Paul Pogba, captaining the club for the first time, had his night cut short before the 20-minute mark.

His departure came just as United were beginning to find their groove. Henrikh Mkhitaryan missed two glorious chances to break the deadlock, initially heading over after a fluid United move and then somehow hitting the upright from point-blank range after an intelligent drag-back by Lukaku. United were dominant but the art of finishing appeared to be evading them.

It fell to Pogba’s replacement to find the breakthrough but once it came, Fellaini had much to thank the excellent Young for. After comfortably beating his opposite number Blas Riveros, the right-back sent an excellent, whipped cross towards the far post where Mourinho’s Belgian beanpole was free to nod past goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik. It was the breakthrough United deserved and for Young, a merited assist.

Pogba departed with a grimace (Getty)

Mourinho’s men re-emerged from the interval only seeking to extend their lead and did not have to wait long for their second. It began with Martial, who embarked on a mazy run at the Stretford End reminiscent of his debut against Liverpool on this day two years’ previous. This time, the winger’s trickery only resulted in a corner rather than a goal but no matter, as from the resulting set-piece, Daley Blind’s cross was powered in by the head of Lukaku.

Basel, for their part, showed little intent but their nimble Norwegian, Mohamed Elyounoussi, provided one moment of danger after turning Victor Lindelof in the penalty box. United’s Swedish centre-half appeared to catch his fellow Scandinavian but Elyounoussi stayed on his feet long enough to shoot at goal. De Gea palmed the effort over the crossbar, much to Old Trafford’s relief.

Lukaku doubled United's advantage (Getty)

It would prove to be Basel’s one real moment of danger throughout the 90 minutes and eventually, United ensured that the scoreboard better reflected their dominance. Like on his first Europa League, Premier League and England appearances, Rashford notched on his Champions League debut, albeit by hitting Fellaini’s drilled cross into the floor.

It was an apt way to round the night off. This imperfect, developing United outfit is – like their imperfect, developing teenage striker – far from the finished article, but Mourinho’s work-in-progress has come along enough to make an impact at the elite level again.