Manchester United vs Celta Vigo as it happened: Jose Mourinho's men edge into Europa League final
Re-live the Europa League semi-final second leg tie at Old Trafford
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Your support makes all the difference.Manchester United must negotiate their way past Celta Vigo to reach their first-ever Europa League final, with Marcus Rashford's first-leg goal giving Jose Mourinho's side a crucial 1-0 advantage.
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What time does it start?
The match kicks off at 8.05pm on Thursday 11 May.
Where can I watch it?
It will be televised live on BT Sport 2, with coverage starting at 7.30pm.
Highlights will be shown at 12.00am the same evening.
Preview
United are potentially just 90 minutes from reaching the Europa League final, which would also draw them another step closer to securing Champions League football for next season. Manager Jose Mourinho has conceded that the club’s hopes of doing that by finishing in the top four is now ‘impossible’ and this competition could prove to be a defining moment for United over the next few seasons.
Without getting carried away, however, they only lead opponents Celta Vigo by one goal, and if they concede as they did twice at the weekend against Arsenal, they are back to square one. Although they do lead, it is a slender one, and United could be made to rue missed chances in the first leg which should have seen them out of sight. Instead, they are at risk of falling foul to the away goals rule, and in Iago Aspas and John Guidetti, Celta Vigo have genuine goal threats.
That said, the Galician club are in terrible form, losing all of their last five games in a run which includes a 3-0 defeat against fellow mid table outfit Malaga in their last fixture. They have next to nothing to play for domestically, so an improved performance in their second leg Europa League semi-final can be expected, but it must be said that they will be low on confidence heading into their trip to the North of England.
United will welcome back a number of players who were rested at the weekend, including Daley Blind, Paul Pogba and Eric Bailly, while Marouane Fellaini is available for selection in European fixtures as his ban for a red card in the Manchester derby only applies domestically. Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard made cameos at Arsenal but were unable to salvage anything from a poor showing, and the pair are expected to return to the line-up against Celta Vigo, as is their decided Europa League goalkeeper Sergio Romero.
The visitors rested a number of key players in their defeat to Malaga at the weekend, including Mallo, Jonny, Aspas and Guidetti - who made a brief substitute appearance - and have no new injury concerns: meaning they are in good shape for what could be a season defining match for both clubs.
It’s a big game for…
Iago Aspas. The Spaniard was anonymous for much for the first leg, and will need an improved performance if he and his teammates are to emerge from their horrendous run of form by reaching the Europa League final. It is simple: Celta Vigo need to score, and with 25 goals this season in his second spell at the club, he represents the Spaniards’ biggest threat.
Best stat
Manchester United have won just 13 of their 49 matches against Spanish opposition, albeit with most of those coming against sides at the top of the Spanish league in the Champions League proper.
Remember when…
The sides met for the first time in their history last week, with a Marcus Rashford free kick all that separates the two sides heading into the second leg.
Player to watch
Marcus Rashford. His talents are obvious but it will be interesting to observe how the youngster deals with the added pressure that comes with being Manchester United’s first choice striker in such a high stakes game. It was his audacious free kick which proved the difference in Spain, and having been rested for the trip to London on Sunday, will be relied upon to produce again this week in the absence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Form
Manchester United: WDDWL
Celta Vigo: LLLLL
Odds
Manchester United win: 11/20
Celta Vigo win: 5/1
Draw: 29/10
Incidentally in the last kick of the game, Guidetti missed his kick when he had an open goal. That could have been it. Never has Old Trafford heard such a resounding sound of relief.
