Manchester United Champions of Europe

Manchester United are Champions of Europe, after beating Ajax 2-0 in the Europa League final at Friends Arena in Stockholm.

It was the first time that United would win this second tier UEFA trophy.

The victory was the second trophy  won by United in the first season under Jose Mourinho’s  watch. And it is even sweeter, as it comes with a qualification ticket for the lucrative UEFA Champions League group stage next season.

Paul Pogba scored United’s first goal with an 18 yard strike, which was deflected into goal in the 18th minute.

Then in the second half, Henrik Mkhitaryan doubled United’s advantage in just three minutes of play.

MANCHESTER: Hero Pogba leads United to emotional Europa League triumph

In the most painful of weeks for their city, Manchester United provided a fitting tribute on Wednesday by winning the Europa League with one of their most clinical performances of the season.

MANCHESTER UNITED 2-0 AJAX

The 2-0 win over Ajax came less than 48 hours after the terrorist attack which claimed 22 lives at the Manchester Arena, but United’s players deserve all the plaudits that come their way for their response in the face of adversity

Paul Pogba, himself coming to terms with the recent death of his father, was wonderful all night and scored United’s crucial first goal. Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s second soon after half-time allowed the hordes from the north-west of England to celebrate both their team and their city without the nervous tension which has engulfed many of their fixtures this season

It felt like Ajax’s fluid, attacking style of play actually played into United’s hands in the end as the space they left in behind allowed Jose Mourinho’s side to finds the gaps in which they revel. What is certain is that United felt destined to win even before Pogba opened the scoring.

As Pogba pointed to the skies after finishing off a fine team move with a deflected 20-yard effort, the emotion poured out both on the pitch and in the stands. When Mkhitaryan followed up with number two there was no less sentiment. It just felt right that this was to be United’s night.

Mourinho made a decision some weeks ago to apply his team’s focus to the Europa League in their race for a Champions League spot next term. It was a determination which courted plenty of attention, with the risk of resting United’s hopes on a single game causing concern for some.

Certainly, as the ball was cut back for John Guidetti in United’s close shave against Celta Vigo a fortnight ago, it looked as though Mourinho might have put his eggs in the wrong basket. But with this big-game performance on the most pressurised of occasions, United justified their manager’s faith.

Pogba turned in one of his most complete performances in a United shirt, Ander Herrera played a captain’s knock at the base of midfield, Marouane Fellaini was a man mountain at times, and the defensive pairing of Chris Smalling and Daley Blind dealt admirably with everything thrown at them. If United had played anything like this well for much of the season, then Champions League football could well have been assured long before they arrived in Stockholm.

But this was the perfect end to a long, difficult season. Manchester United are back in the European competition most befitting of the club’s name. What’s more, they have given Manchester something to hold onto in the most trying of times.

GOAL.COM

LIVE UPDATE: Manchester United vs Ajax

EUROPA FINAL:MANCHESTER UNITED VS AJAX

Manchester United vs Ajax LIVE: Latest score and updates as Jose Mourinho starts Marcus Rashford up top

LIVE UPDATE FROM GOAL.COM >>>>

Jose Manchester United miss out on top four spot (Tottenham 2-1 Man U)

Tottenham celebrated their last match at the White Hart Lane on Sunday evening with an impressive 2-1 win over Manchester United ending the Old Trafford team's chances of qualifying to the UEFA Champions League via a league table finish.

Liverpool comfortably beat West Ham 4-0 earlier on Sunday meaning Man U had to at least draw with Tottenham to have any hope of reaching the top four places, but two goals from Victor Wanyama and Harry Kane ensured Man U will end either 5th or 6th while the Tottenham is guaranteed the number two spot on the league table, a massive points improvement from last season.

White Hart lane, housing over 30,000 fans will now be destroyed and redeveloped to contain 61,000 fans and what better way to celebrate moving temporarily to Wembley stadium than defeating a Jose Mourinho tutored side who have an eye on securing champions league football by beating Ajax later this month in the Europa League final.

Marouane Fellaini fires Red Devils into Europa League final

United went into the semi-final second leg against Celta Vigo one-goal up thanks to Marcus Rashford’s strike in Spain.

And the scorer turned provider at Old Trafford 16 minutes in when he whipped in a delightful cross from deep for the big Belgian to power in with his head.

But Celta’s Facundo Roncaglia hauled his team back into the tie with an 85th minute header.

United managed to hold on but were devastated to lose Eric Bailly to a straight red card with just moments to go – meaning he now misses the final.

The centre-back completely lost his cool and lashed out grabbing former City player John Guidetti by the neck.

Bailly’s over-the-top reaction saw visitors’ scorer Roncaglia retaliate and also earn himself a sending off.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Will Be Used For Research After He Retires - Doctors

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's strength has made such an impression on doctors they want to carry out research on him once he retires.

That's according to the Manchester United striker's agent Mino Raiola, following the Swede undergoing a successful operation on his knee.

Ibrahimovic sustained ligament damage in the Red Devils' Europa League victory over Anderlecht in the second leg of their quarter-final last month.

Many feared given the fact the forward is 35 years old, that the injury would force the Swede to retire from the game.

LIVE UPDATE: Arsenal vs Manchester United

LIVE UPDATE FROM GOAL.COM

Manchester United bench: Sergio Romero, Eric Bailly, Daley Blind, Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Scott McTominay, Marcus Rashford.

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): David de Gea; Axel Tuanzebe, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Matteo Darmian; Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera; Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Juan Mata, Anthony Martial; Wayne Rooney.

Arsenal bench: David Ospina, Gabriel, Hector Bellerin, Francis Coquelin, Alex Iwobi, Theo Walcott, Olivier Giroud.

Arsenal (3-4-3): Petr Cech; Rob Holding, Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal; Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsey, Kieran Gibbs; Mesut Ozil, Danny Welbeck, Alexis Sanchez.

LIVE: Manchester City Vs Manchester United

Follow Live Update from Etihad Stadium : LIVE UPDATE AND SCORE

Line Up: 

Manchester City XI (4-2-3-1): Bravo; Zabaleta, Kompany, Otamendi, Kolarov; Toure, Fernandinho; Sterling, De Bruyne, Sane; Aguero.

Manchester United XI (4-3-3): De Gea; Valencia, Bailly, Blind, Darmian; Herrera, Carrick, Fellaini; Mkhitaryan, Rashford, Martial.

BREAKING: Manchester United react to death of over 30 football fans in Calabar

Premier League club Manchester United have sent a condolence message to supporters of the club, their friends and families who were affected by the tragedy in Calabar, Nigeria, on Thursday, April 20.

In a post on the team's official Twitter handle, Manchester United expressed grief over the tragic accident.

The football fans were said to have assembled at the centre to watch a UEFA Europa League quarter-final match between Manchester United and Anderlecht on satellite television, a game the host won 2-1 (3-2) on aggregate to advance to the semi-final.

Survivor of Calabar tragedy where football fans died recounts his ordeal

Ukah Timothy, one of the survivors of the Calabar incident, is giving praises to God to be alive to narrate his story, Daily Gossip reports.

We gathered that over 30 people were reported to have lost their lives at a football viewing centre in Calabar, Cross River state capital, after high tension electricity cable broke from its mooring and fell on the roof of the building.

Timothy, was one of those burned in the accident and is now being treated at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital for severe wounds on his hands, legs and face.

He said: “It happened at the 38th minute of the match. First we noticed a spark on the cable outside, and as everyone was scrambling to leave place, the cable fell on the roof of building.

All my friends who sat beside me were killed. Many were severely burnt. I was lucky to be alive. Before I was taken to hospital, I counted eight dead bodies. I saw many in critical condition.”

Another eyewitness said: “It happened during the match between Manchester United and Anderlecht. I heard a deafening bang. I rushed out to see what was happening. It was a horrible sight to behold.

I wish I didn’t come out to watch the match. Come to think of it, I have DStv at home but I enjoy watching matches at viewing centres. I could have been dead. I can’t believe that the people I was chatting and joking with a few minutes ago are all gone in a most anguishing way. This world is vain.”

A man identified as Chucks Chukwudi, whose shop is located next to the viewing centre, said: “People started entering the viewing centre at about 7:30pm. The first half had just ended when the high tension cable cut and fell on the room.

“The centre was so crowded, and people were falling on each other when the incident happened. There were many deaths and many injuries. We called the police, and they came minutes later and evacuated the bodies.”

Earlier, President Muhammdu Buhari expressed shock over the death some football viewers who lost their lives at a football viewing centre in Calabar.

The president in a statement, issued by his senior media aide, Garba Shehu, on Friday, April 21, commiserated with the government and people of Cross River state, and football fans nationwide over the unfortunate incident.

Premier League club Manchester United has sent a condolence message to supporters of the club, their friends and families who were affected by the tragedy in Calabar, on Thursday, April 20.

Manchester United 2 Anderlecht 1 (3-2 agg, aet): Rashford winner settles Europa League thriller

Manchester United overcame injuries to Marcos Rojo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to beat Anderlecht in extra time, courtesy of Marcus Rashford.

Marcus Rashford was Manchester United's hero with a dramatic extra-time winner that sealed a 3-2 aggregate victory over Anderlecht in the Europa League quarter-finals.

The 19-year-old followed up his starring role in the Premier League win over Chelsea with a well-taken strike early in the second period of extra time to give United a 2-1 win on the night at Old Trafford and a place in the last four.

An entertaining match had seen Henrikh Mkhitaryan follow up his goal in the first leg by netting his fifth goal of the competition after 10 minutes, only for Anderlecht captain Sofiane Hanni to hit back before the break.

United dominated in the second half, but Jesse Lingard, Rashford, Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic all squandered chances to score as the tie moved into extra time.

Victory came at a cost for Jose Mourinho, with Marcos Rojo and Ibrahimovic both substituted with injuries, but Rashford's intervention ensure their hopes of continental silverware and a place in next season's Champions League are still alive.

There was an early scare for United when Leander Dendoncker, Anderlecht's scorer in the first leg, unleashed a dipping 30-yard strike that almost caught out Sergio Romero, only just clearing the crossbar.

But the hosts moved in front after Pogba's impressive throughball had found Rashford to start a counterattack. At the second attempt, the England forward was able to square for Mkhitaryan, who took one touch and fired low past Ruben from 15 yards.

Ruben then had to make two saves in quick succession to keep Anderlecht in the tie, getting up well to save Pogba's header before diving at full stretch to keep out an excellent curling effort from Lingard.

But United suffered a blow when Rojo was forced off on a stretcher with a knee problem to add to Mourinho's defensive injury problems – Daley Blind coming on – and the visitors almost levelled when Frank Acheampong muscled his way into the box before being denied by Romero.

Anderlecht did strike back in the 32nd minute, Youri Tielemans' 20-yard strike deflecting onto the bar and Hanni pouncing to beat Romero on the rebound from eight yards as an entertaining tie reached the break all square.

United made a strong start to the second half when Rashford and Luke Shaw combined down the left to give Lingard the opportunity from inside the six-yard box, but the stretching winger somehow failed to get enough contact on the ball to prod home.

Mourinho used his second change on the hour mark, bringing on Marouane Fellaini for Lingard, while Anderlecht introduced Nicolae Stanciu and Massimo Bruno as both sides chased the crucial a third goal.

Rashford fired wide from a good opening for United after Ibrahimovic – back in the team as one of five United changes – headed into his path.

And Rashford was guilty of another squandered opportunity when he pounced on a mistake from defender Dennis Appiah and raced clear on goal, only to overrun the ball as he attempted to round Ruben.

United were upping the pressure and it took a supreme close-range save from Ruben deny Ibrahimovic when the striker seemed destined to score, before the former Sweden captain had a penalty claim turned down after going down under pressure from Uros Spajic.

Pogba was the next player to miss from a golden chance, volleying over with an awful attempt after Mkhitaryan's corner fell into his path six yards out, while Ibrahimovic lashed a shot wide after great work from Michael Carrick.

United's injury woes took another turn for the worse at the end of regulation time, Ibrahimovic limping down the tunnel after landing awkwardly from an aerial challenge with Kara, Anthony Martial replacing him for extra time.

Pogba had a goal ruled out in the first half of extra time, Fellaini penalised for a foul on Spajic as he headed into the Belgium international's path.

But the breakthrough finally arrived for United after 107 minutes, Rashford collecting another Fellaini knockdown before impressively working space for himself and placing a left-footed strike beyond Ruben as Old Trafford erupted.

United had to survive two last-gasp scares as Acheampong and Kara threatened with headers, the hosts holding on to ensure Martial's disallowed goal at the other end – correctly ruled out for offside - did not prove costly.

Man Utd star Ibrahimovic limps off with knee injury

Manchester United have been dealt yet another injury blow after Zlatan Ibrahimovic suffered a knee injury against Anderlecht.

Having lost Marcos Rojo earlier in the second leg of the Europa League quarter-final clash, alarm bells were sounded again towards the end of 90 minutes on Thursday.

The Sweden international, United's top scorer in 2016-17, landed heavily in the final seconds of regular time and appeared to hurt his knee.

Ibrahimovic was unable to continue and limped off the Old Trafford pitch, with Anthony Martial replacing him for extra time.

United's hopes of reaching the last-four of the tournament received a boost after 10 minutes when Henrikh Mkhitaryan opened the scoring, giving the hosts an aggregate lead of 2-1.

Jose Mourinho's men, however, failed to close out the tie, allowing Anderlecht to fight back through Sofiane Hanni and force extra time.

Ibrahimovic has enjoyed a sterling debut season in England since switching Paris Saint-Germain for Old Trafford.