Good evening everyone and welcome to our coverage of what could be a tasty affair. The big European nights are back at Old Trafford and, despite this being a play-off, it feels more like it used to be.
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The United team has just landed and…some interesting news. No changes from last Friday’s win over Aston Villa so Adnan Januzaj retains his place.
If the system is the same as against Villa, it’ll be a 4-2-3-1 with an attacking trident of Juan Mata, Januzaj and Memphis Depay. Wayne Rooney, after struggling majorly to impose himself at Villa Park, leads the line.
The only change to United’s eighteen-man group is Marouane Fellaini’s presence on the bench. Northern Ireland’s Paddy McNair is excluded at the Belgian’s expense.
And here’s the Brugge side. We’ll go through their key players in a moment.
So – what can we expect from United’s opponents tonight? Well, they’ve got some injury problems but Victor Vazquez is their playmaker and was at Barca with Messi, Pique and Fabregas. He’s carrying a knock but could prove a threat.
Ruud Vormer is a player Louis van Gaal knows well from their time together at AZ Alkmaar and the midfielder is one to watch also.
We’ve taken a couple of strolls down memory lane earlier today. I put together a couple of quick pieces on United and some relevant Champions League experiences.
They’ve had to qualify for the group-stages on four occasions and the last time was almost ten years ago exactly. The team that played Hungarian side Debrecen that night is worth a look here.
And despite United’s home record against Belgian sides being impeccable, the last time they faced one they lost.
Check out the story behind it right here.
And here’s Irish journalist and Belgian football commentator and expert Mark Rodden with some thoughts on Club Brugge:
Brugge’s first objective this season was to ensure they got to this stage and to secure a place in the Europa League group stages at the very least. They’ve made no secret that winning a first league title since 2005 is their absolute priority but they’ll feel they should have won it last season and deserve to be here.”
Rodden continues:
Club Brugge been ravaged by injuries but they’re a hardy bunch. They beat Besiktas away in the Europa League last 16 so they won’t be fazed by the atmosphere. They’ll be looking to keep it tight but they’ll still be a danger with the pace and movement of Dierckx and Diaby, especially if Vasquez is on his game. Watch out for Ruud Vormer too – he tends to choose well when he decides to go forward and got some important goals last season.”
Quiz time. I mentioned earlier that United have played four Champions League qualifiers. Without checking online, who can try and name them their opponents? Hint: I mentioned one in an article I linked to in this very live-blog!
The German played a perfect role against Villa, coming on for a half hour and bringing some much needed ball retention and composure to United’s game. They had much more control with him on the pitch though he’ll surely continue on the bench until Van Gaal is 100% happy with his level of fitness.
Subtle.
Here’s LvG speaking to BT Sport ahead before kick-off. Inevitably, he says the team needs to keep the ball better. Pressure on Rooney tonight to not surrender possession so cheaply when it’s played to him.
No takers in our little Champions League quiz?
Well, Utd’s previous opponents in a qualifier for this tournament have been as follows:
LKS Lodz (1998), Zalagerszeg (2002), Dinamo Bucharest (2004) and Debrecen (2005)
Brian Kerr is on TV3′s coverage. That is all.
And there’s the Champions League anthem. Oh, how we’ve missed it. Kick-off is moments away.
Last part of this quite staggering.
1′ – AND WE’RE UNDERWAY!
1′ – CLOSE! What a start that could’ve been. Mata sends Januzaj down the right channel and he heads straight for the area. Whips in a terrific cross right across the six-yard area but Rooney can’t stretch far enough and Brugge survive.
3′ – What a start it’s been in these opening few minutes. Carrick, composed in his area, plays it back towards Romero who isn’t really expecting it. The ball rolls precariously close to the goal-line before the keeper clears. Moments later, Rooney plays a super cross-field pass to Memphis who cuts inside and tries to get a shot in but he doesn’t catch it properly and the keeper easily grabs it.
4′ – Januzaj has started incredibly brightly here. Van Gaal wants more consistency from him and he’s been everywhere in these opening exchanges. This time, he’s along the left touchline, dances past a challenge but can’t get a cross in.
Really quick tempo here – and the crowd are adding to it. United’s passing has been sharper, precise, encouraging in these opening 7 minutes or so.
Goal! Club Brugge!
Well, that wasn’t in the script.
Vasquez whips in a poor free-kick that Mata cheaply gave away. It’s bending harmlessly towards Romero but Carrick sticks out a leg and tries to send it out for a corner. But he only diverts it past his own keeper instead.
United had started very well but this has knocked them back. The Belgians have been better since going in front, inevitably.
http://vine.co/v/ep02gOmDTmi
Goal! United!
There’s the response United wanted. And it’s Memphis who pops up with his very first goal for the club. He brilliantly controls a Carrick pass and heads right across the penalty area. He’s shadowed by a few Brugge defenders but manages to arrow the strike to the bottom corner and we’re level at 1-1. Great game.
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Here’s United’s equaliser. United have been good, solid shape, nice rhythm too. Rooney, though, continues to struggle.
http://vine.co/v/ep0EnPBvAql
United’s centre-backs have pushed up to the half-way line and it’s all coming from the hosts here. No real chances since the goal but we’ve been relatively spoiled since kick-off. Break on for United with Memphis…Mata’s cross…but no one is at the far post.
Shaw gets caught high up the pitch and Brugge have a break on down the right side but can’t quite get it into the area quickly enough as Smalling concedes the corner. From the set-piece, Cools rises highest but the header is straight at Romero.
CLOSE! Another great passage of play. Firstly, M’bombo gets booked for a challenge on Januzaj, then Rooney has an acrobatic volley cleared off the line before sending a header across goal after the subsequent corner was whipped in to the near post. United could be 2-up.
PENALTY CLAIM? United break and Rooney sends Januzaj clear, who beats the offside trap. As he approaches the goal, he hits the deck under a challenge from a Brugge defender but he just doesn’t have the strength really and looks hopefully at the referee more than anything else. Certainly no foul.
United have looked to build on both flanks and Darmian has linked up well with Mata on the right side. Rooney has come into it more in the last few minutes and the ball has stuck to him a lot better than it did at Villa Park last Friday evening.
CLOSE! Brugge are almost in front again. They have caused United problems down the right side as Shaw goes missing again and it’s Dierckx who flashes a super low cross into the six-yard area. Romero goes for it and then has second thoughts…it fizzes right across and United survive.
CLOSE! Oh, dear! A great chance for Memphis to get his second of the night. Rooney has lots of space on the left side and the young Dutchman races through the middle in support. Rooney threads a perfect pass through for him but as he approaches goal, he sends it across, towards Januzaj, instead of shooting himself. It misses everyone and Mata can’t create anything on the follow-up.
CLOSE! It’s Memphis again and pops up about 20 yards out – lines up a thumping drive that’s straight at Bruzzese and the keeper parries it.
SUBSTITUTION! Claudemir (on) – Simons (off)
The 38-year-old veteran midfielder is forced off with an injury and the Brazilian is on in his place. An early change for the Belgians and not ideal for them.
Goal! United!
Oh, take a bow! Take a bow, Memphis! You’ve arrived! United have probed as the half has neared completion and the Dutchman gets on the end of Blind’s incisive pass, cuts inside from the left and unleashes a bullet to the far corner. Wonderful. Unietd deservedly in front here.
United break again with Januzaj releasing Rooney wide left. He beats one defender and tries to get the cross in but he ends up running out of play before playing the pass. Still, on the counter United have been really good.
AND THAT’S HALF-TIME!
Well that was enjoyable. United didn’t really deserve to be a goal down – Carrick stuck a leg out to try and divert a free-kick out for a corner and it trickled past Romero to give Brugges the lead when the hosts had started really brightly.
Since then, outside of a few scares down the Brugge right side, United have been very good.
On the counter attack, it’s been swift and fluid with Rooney certainly better than he was against Villa. Januzaj started very well but it’s turned into the Memphis show.
His first goal was about excellent control, patience and a composed finish. His second was about an intelligent run, an explosive turn of pace and a thumping right foot.
A memorable night for him and should he continue like this, United really should wrap up the tie this evening.
Some team here. Well, except for Silvestre.
Teams are back out for the second half here…
AND WE’RE BACK!
SUBSTITUTION! Schweinsteiger (on) – Carrick (off)
Interesting from van Gaal. The same change he made against Villa but it’s come fifteen minutes earlier and the German effortlessly slots in to central midfield.
CLOSE! Memphis wants his hat-trick. He cuts inside onto his right foot and looks to whip it to the far corner and doesn’t miss by much. Good running from Shaw to get on the overlap and create a decoy.
What a burst from Darmian at right-back after Smalling (who’s been immense) does well in possession. But Januzaj looks to spread it wide for Memphis while the Dutchman wants to come inside. And the ball goes harmlessly over the touchline.
Meanwhile, Darmian has just gone in the book and it seems a little harsh from the referee, to be honest. Not much in it.
CLOSE! So much space for United on the left side. Rooney is first to try and break but coughs up possession when in a great position. Then, Memphis bursts inside and bends it low to the far corner. The keeper gets down though and makes a decent stop. All United here.
Schweinsteiger already showing his qualities in this United side. He was great against a Villa side that were tiring last Friday. He’s great here against a Brugge side that are wilting badly. Great calm figure and United are very comfortable.
SUBSTITUTION! Oulare (on) – Diaby (off)
As mentioned, Smalling has been excellent and Diaby hasn’t got a kick. So, the guests have decided to change things a little.
CLOSE! Mata plays Rooney in with an astute pass. And the striker takes on the left foot strike but it fizzes wide. Just a little loose from him, not very composed. Snatched at it just a bit.
CLOSE! What is Romero thinking here? Schneiderlin knocks it back to his goalkeeper but Oulare closes him down and challenges. He just about clears but takes a knock to the ankle. He’s alright to continue but what a let-off. Silly stuff from the Argentine, waiting for the ball to come to him rather than attacking it.
CLOSE! WHAT A MISS! And it’s the easiest chance he’s had all night! Memphis can’t quite believe it. Shaw recovers a ball he lost and burns up the right side before crossing for Rooney who flicks it superbly right into the Dutchman’s path and from about 8 yards, he blazes over the bar.
CLOSE! United are running riot but need a third here. Schweinsteiger goes close from a corner but can’t get it out of his feet quickly enough and he’s blocked.
United have dropped a little in the last few minutes. Van Gaal will probably reach for a substitute to freshen things up. Maybe Januzaj will get pulled.
SUBSTITUTION! Chicharito (on) – Januzaj (off)
There you go. Right on cue. And who is this coming on? Whoever it is, I don’t recognise him.
Free-kick for United, by the way.
And it’s not too far away from Memphis. Just skewed off the side of his boot a little and fizzed past the near post.
United break down the right and the ball is played into the path of Schweinsteiger who can see the net bulge but a superb tackle from a Brugge defender pus it out for a corner. United really pushing hard here.
Pressure, pressure, pressure from the home side. A couple of corners now. Mata stands over another one and United need one more. They more than deserve it.
RED CARD! Mechele was on a booking and has his pocket picked by Chicharito over by the touchline. Frustrated, he slides across and it’s a rash tackle. And he’s gone.
From the free-kick, Rooney rises highest but the header is too high. He’s been better tonight…
Smalling has just been booked after a poor tackle – possibly the only thing he’s done wrong tonight. But Brugge can’t do much with the free-kick.
SUBSTITUTION! Fellaini (on) – Rooney (off)
A man advantage but it’s a wall of blue and black shirts in front of them. So, van Gaal changes things and United have a different option on the field now with the Belgian.
Not ideal for United conceding that away goal but they have nothing to fear about going to Belgium if they play like they have done tonight. One away goal doesn’t really change much. Hard to see Brugge keeping a clean-sheet in the second-leg.
United taking far too much out of it in the final third, as anxious as the crowd to score another one. They need to relax. 3 minutes of injury time to play.
GOAL! Fellaini!
AND THAT’S FULL-TIME!
Wow. With the last kick, Fellaini has essentially put United into the group stages of the Champions League. And he owes a lot to Memphis. From the direct ball, Fellaini takes it brilliantly on his chest and knocks it to his team-mate. He sprints to the six-yard area and Memphis whips in a superb cross and the Belgian plants his header to the net. Brilliant, brilliant goal and richly deserved. United great value for a 3-1 win at home here.
United were excellent tonight, helped by how open their opponents were. Plenty of space to exploit, easy for Memphis to get on the ball deep and use his pace to explode toward the penalty area. Elsewhere, some early positives continued – not least the performance of Chris Smalling who marshalled the United defence quite brilliantly while the rest of the back-four were highly-impressive.
Luke Shaw really should’ve created one of the best goals seen at Old Trafford when he burst up the right flank, crossed for Rooney who flicked beautifully into the path of Memphis only for the youngster to blaze over.
Daley Blind was also very solid and there was encouraging performances by Darmian, Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger when he came on. After an initially good opening, Januzaj faded while Rooney was certainly improved on last Friday though there was still a lack of sharpness in the area, outside of that setup for Memphis.
And, United eventually won because of an ability to change things. They went direct and Fellaini, as proved at the tail-end of last term, he’s extremely effective in that role. Van Gaal made the move and deserves the credit. But for long periods, they were left to rue missed opportunities and he’ll surely reference that in his post-game comments.
Thanks for staying with us throughout our coverage this evening. More reaction to this game still to come on the site in the next while.
