Manchester United vs Partizan LIVE: Score, goals and latest updates from the Europa League
Manchester United beat Partizan at Old Trafford as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side sealed qualification for the knockout stages
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Mason Greenwood, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford netted fine goals as Manchester United beat Partizan Belgrade to seal their place in the Europa League knockout phase with two games to spare.
Having seen a three-match winning run come to a disappointing halt at Bournemouth at the weekend, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side rallied and secured a comprehensive Group L victory under the lights at Old Trafford.
Classy goals by Greenwood, Martial and Rashford gave free-flowing United a deserved 3-0 victory on Thursday night, ensuring progress to the Europa League round of 32 with games against Astana and AZ Alkmaar still to play.
Solskjaer can now experiment and rest key players in those fixtures - a boost with the energy-sapping 6,000-mile return trip to freezing Kazakhstan looming large later this month.
The United boss named a strong team in a bid to get qualification wrapped up early and teenager Greenwood, one of four changes from the Cherries loss, showed excellent composure to make space and send Partizan's goalkeeper the wrong way to open the scoring after 22 minutes.
The 18-year-old's pressure led to the home side's second of the evening, although Martial deserves all the credit for the way he turned superbly, evaded three challenges and slotted home a magical goal.
A thumping strike by Rashford early in the second half wrapped up victory against Savo Milosevic's side, with the only negative for United being the sight of Scott McTominay limping off.
Thursday's match provided entertainment too often lacking at Old Trafford this season, with both sides seeing goals ruled out for offside during the opening four minutes.
That deflected effort off Umar Sadiq was as close as Partizan would get, with Rashford fizzing wide, forcing Vladimir Stojkovic into a close-range stop and volleying over inside the opening 15 minutes.
Murmurs of frustration followed the latter opportunity, but Rashford's directness soon helped unlock the Partizan defence.
The 22-year-old's pass found Greenwood in the box, with the teenager making space to hit a left-footed strike that bamboozled Stojkovic.
It was a lovely finish and United stepped up a gear after Seydouba Soumah, impressive in the return fixture, curled wide.
Greenwood's pressure led to a clearance ricocheting off him into the path of Martial, who showed exceptional skill to collect the ball and turn Strahinja Pavlovic in the same motion. The Frenchman did not stop there, with his fine footwork and calmness seeing him avoid three challenges and beat the goalkeeper.
Martial tried to add to that before half-time, as did Rashford and Ashley Young.
United were in control and the second period was just four minutes old when Young laid a pass into the path of Rashford to leather into the top left-hand corner in front of the Stretford End to make it 2-0.
Young and Fred went close with free-kicks as Solskjaer's Reds looked to press home their advantage, but the game was over and they eventually dropped their intensity a gear or two.
James Garner, who started in Belgrade, came on for his first senior appearance at Old Trafford, before McTominay went off with what appeared to be a foot issue.
PA
Prediction
Manchester United suffered a set back at the weekend and only just edged past the Serbians last time out in this competition, but should have enough quality to beat them at home, even with a changed side.
2-1 to Manchester United is our prediction.
Odds
Manchester United 2/5
Draw 16/5
Partizan 10/1
When is it?
The match kicks off at 8pm GMT on November 6.
How can I watch it?
The match will be aired live on BT Sport 2, with coverage beginning at 7.30pm.
Subscribers can also watch the game via the BT Sport app, or online via the BT Sport player.
Team news
Paul Pogba is expected to be out until December, while Luke Shaw, Nemanja Matic and Axel Tuanzebe are likely to return after the international break. Diogo Dalot is also expected to miss the game, along with longer-term absentees Eric Bailly and Timothy Fosu-Mensah.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has given chances to a number of younger players in this competition, so there could be further opportunities for James Garner, Mason Greenwood and Brandon Williams.
Predicted line-up
Manchester United: Sergio Romero; Phil Jones, Harry Maguire, Marcos Rojo; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Fred, James Garner, Brandon Williams; Jessse Lingard, Juan Mata, Mason Greenwood.
Preamble
Partizan Belgrade will be hoping for a shock away win at Manchester United after running Ole Gunnar Solskjaer‘s side close in Serbia last time out.
United eventually won that game 1-0, and top Europa League Group L with seven points from three games, with Partizan able to move level on points with them should they win at Old Trafford.
Solskjaer remains without Paul Pogba, Luke Shaw and Nemanja Matic, among others, and is expected to continue to rotate his side for this competition.
However, United are yet to concede in the Europa League this season, though they have scored only twice.
The team news should be out shortly but first have a look at how we think Solskjaer will set up his Manchester United side:
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men are looking to bounce back from a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth at the weekend.
Yet while their form in the Premier League has been poor this season, United are undefeated in the Europa League despite only scoring twice.
Two 1-0 victories over Astana and, tonight's opponents, Partizan Belgrade as well as a 0-0 draw with AZ Alkmaar was enough to put United top of Group L going into this week's fixtures.
Earlier today AZ Alkmaar defeated Astana 5-0 so if United want to return to the top of the group then three points at Old Trafford tonight is essential.
Team news - Man Utd
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer makes four changes to the team that started against Bournemouth at the weekend.
As is customary in cup competitions Sergio Romero comes in for David De Gea in goal with Marcos Rojo partnering Harry Maguire in defence due to an injury to Victor Lindelof.
Also given the nod are Juan Mata and Mason Greenwood who come in in place of Andreas Pereira and Daniel James.
United had appeared to have turned a corner with a run of three straight victories only to fall to a 1-0 defeat on the south coast at the weekend but Ashley Young still believes his side have turned a corner:
Manchester United ended a four game unbeaten run last Saturday when they were beaten by Bournemouth in the Premier League but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still believes his side are 'on the right track'.
"The work everyone does every day is pleasing as a manager," said Solskjaer.
"It is hard work, stick together and team spirit. They want to do well and for one reason or another we haven't had the results.
"We think we should have had a few more results than we have got, but we need to keep working and we know we are on the right track. Of course, Saturday was disappointing and now there is a chance for us to get two wins before the [international] break."
Solskjaer added: "We were on a half-run but it won't happen in one instance that you turn everything around. [Against Bournemouth] it was a quick turn around [from the previous game], we couldn't get the goal we felt we deserved early on.
"We had started well, the mentality was great but [we ended up] disappointed. We go again, have a great chance to qualify for the next round, and that means the last two games we can try out a few things."
Manchester United have only played Partizan Belgrade once at home and you have to go back to the 1965-66 European Cup to find the result.
Nobby Stiles scored on that occasion, which was also the semi-final of the competition, but it wasn't enough for United to progress as Partizan won 2-1 on aggregate.
There are no final places on offer tonight but a crucial three points instead. A victory for United will see them with one foot in the knockout rounds, needing just a point from the last two games to qualify.
On Partizan's side of things, they have played nine away games in England and have only won once. They beat Newcastle 1-0 in a Champions League qualifier in 2003.
If they win tonight they will have won consecutive away games in major European competition for the very first time.
And they have a good chance of doing so. Doubts still hang over whether Solskjaer's team can live up to the hype and the fact that they've only managed one shot on target in their last two Europa League matches hasn't helped.
That shot on target? An Anthony Martial penalty in the reverse fixture against Partizan.
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