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Martin Rickett
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Man United v Celta Vigo, Europa League semi-final

Man United took on Celta Vigo with a place in the Europa League final up for grabs.

Hello, and welcome to tonight’s liveblog.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the game. E-mail paul@the42.ie, tweet @the42_ie, post a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.

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Kick of is at 8.05pm.

Here’s the United team (no changes from the first leg)…

Man United: Romero, Valencia, Bailly, Blind, Darmian; Fellaini, Herrera, Pogba, Lingard, Mkhitaryan; Rashford.

Subs: De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Carrick, Mata, Martial, Rooney,

Here’s the Celta Vigo team for tonight…

Celta Vigo: Sergio, Hugo Mallo, Cabral, Roncaglia, Jonny, Wass, Radoja, Hernandez, Aspas, Guidetti, Sisto.

Subs: Villar, Fontas, Marcelo Diaz, Bongonda, Beauvue, Jozabed, Sergi Gomez.

We’re underway…

Early pressure from Celta Vigo.

Romero gathers Hernández’s cross after a spell of possession for the La Liga side.

Celta continue to threaten.

Iago Aspas forces a decent save from Romero, who tips over the bar.

Celta are playing like the home team in the early stages.

They’re dominating possession and territory, with United sitting back and playing on the counter.

Great play from Pogba to evade a few players and play through Rashford.

The youngster’s first touch isn’t great and the defender is able to get a tackle in.

 

Manchester United v Celta Vigo - UEFA Europa League - Second Leg - Old Trafford Manchester United's co-chairmen Avram Glazer (right) in the stands. Martin Rickett Martin Rickett

Manchester United v Celta Vigo - UEFA Europa League - Second Leg - Old Trafford Manchester United's Wayne Rooney on the bench. Martin Rickett Martin Rickett

MAN UNITED 1-0 CELTA VIGO (FELLAINI 17)

United take the lead. It’s a great cross by Rashford, and Fellaini heads home to make it 2-0 on aggregate.

Goalkeeper Sergio Álvarez probably could have done better — he could only help it on its way into the net.

Rashford escapes his marker, but his cross just misses Fellaini.

The 19-year-old striker has looked really bright in these opening stages.

Hernandez tests Romero, who is forced to tip the ball over the bar.

Celta have had some decent moments in this first half.

Lingard finds space out wide and his cross causes panic in the Celta box, though the visitors clear eventually.

United have had plenty of joy down the Spanish side’s left.

Meanwhile, as I type, Blind takes a risk by jumping into a tackle. He gets a booking but it could have been worse.

The ball falls to Pogba on the edge of the box, but he blasts it over.

The French international has looked lively tonight, and he has been involved in some of his side’s best moments.

Celta have enjoyed plenty of possession and territory.

However, at the moment, they just don’t look good enough to break down United’s well-organised backline.

Sisto does well down the left and crosses for Wass, who heads just wide.

It hasn’t been a totally convincing performance from United overall, and Celta are getting closer, though they still lack a ruthlessness in front of goal.

A corner finds Guidetti, who heads tamely at Romero.

Celta have been very disappointing in front of goal.

HALF-TIME: MAN UNITED 1-0 CELTA VIGO

Celta make a change at the break — Jozabed is on for Wass.

The second half has begun…

Chance for Celta early on.

Mallo finds space down United’s left and his cross-shot is parried away by Romero.

United were lucky the rebound didn’t fall to an attacker.

A free kick falls to Mkhitaryan, whose driven shot forces a good save from Álvarez.

That’s better from United.

Celta continue to probe with Jozabed seeing plenty of the ball down the right since his introduction.

As in the first half, however, Celta don’t really look capable of scoring.

Sisto sets up Guidetti, whose snapshot goes wide.

The striker “just doesn’t look good enough at this level,” says Eir Sport commentator Brian Kerr, and it’s hard to disagree based on his rather ineffectual performance so far.

Excellent tackle by Pogba to stop Sisto.

The France international has had a good game tonight.

Rashford escapes his marker in the box, but Álvarez gets down well to save his shot.

The Celta stopper should have done better for the goal, but he’s atoned to a degree with some decent saves since.

Iago Aspas gets booked for going down too easily and complaining when the referee doesn’t give him a free kick.

It hasn’t been a happy return to England for the former Liverpool striker.

Radoja is replaced by Bongonda, as Celta make an attacking change.

The visitors need two goals in the next 20 minutes or United are in the final.

As I type, Álvarez does well to save a powerful Fellaini strike from just inside the box.

Jozabed shoots from distance and forces Romero to produce a good save.

The on-loan Fulham star has made an impact since coming on.

Mallo crosses to Guidetti, who heads wide with the goal at his mercy. The ex-Man City striker has been poor tonight.

Meanwhile, Carrick replaces Mkhitaryan, as Man United look to see this game over the line.

Celta make a final change with 10 minutes remaining.

Beauvue replaces Sisto, who caused United a few problems out wide, particularly in the first half.

MAN UNITED 1-1 CELTA VIGO (RONCAGLIA 85)

TWO RED CARDS!

Eric Bailly and Facundo Roncaglia have both been sent off.

Bailly and Roncoglia have both been sent off for appearing to throw punches amid a melee.

It’s been a crazy few minutes.

Roncoglia headed home expertly from a corner, before he was sent off along with Bailly.

United have made a substitution after that red card.

Chris Smalling is on for Marcus Rashford.

We’re about halfway through six minutes of stoppage time.

United are seeing this game out well now.

FULL-TIME: MAN UNITED 1-1 CELTA VIGO (UNITED GO THROUGH 2-1 ON AGGREGATE)

Right, that’s all from me. Thanks for reading and commenting.

You can read our match report of the game here.

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