Scout Notes – Europa League

A happy night at Old Trafford and desperation for Southampton mark an interesting set of Europa League ties. Here’s the notes from Thursday’s events…

Inter Milan 1 Southampton 0

Southampton came, saw and were conquered – for reasons that will have eluded them all the way back home from Italy.

The Saints dominated much of the match at the San Siro, enjoying 55% possession and having 13 shots to Inter’s eight, four of which were on target. Unfortunately, they then succumbed to the single shot on target their listless hosts managed all evening.

After insult came injury, Shane Long (6.1) going off with a hamstring issue that manager Claude Puel later confirmed will keep him out of Sunday’s trip to Man City.

“It was an injury for Long with his hamstring. It seems it will not be possible for him to play on Sunday.”

Puel had to bring on Charlie Austin (6.5), having said he wanted to rest his star striker. At least the 7.9%-owned Fantasy Premier League asset survived unscathed; his fellow goalscorer against Burnley, Nathan Redmond (5.9), didn’t even travel after picking up a knock at the weekend.

Puel does have other options up front. Jay Rodriguez (6.3) was one of six changes made to Sunday’s starting XI and record signing Sofiane Boufal (6.8) made his Saints debut as a second-half substitute.

Sam McQueen (4.5) continued for Matt Targett (4.4) at left back and impressed on his first start, but his FPL status as a midfielder hugely reduces his attractiveness. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (4.4), in for Jordy Clasie (4.7), also caught the eye.

The buzzword among both manager and players post-match was ‘frustrating’, although Puel managed to put a positive spin on things.

“I enjoyed the work of my players, because they played a fantastic first half, with quality and control of the game and many chances, without getting the goal. It is hard to accept the result of this game, with all the good things we did on the pitch. But it’s football and it’s important to learn to be clinical.”

The one concern for Puel is that despite making plenty of changes overall, his key attacking figures either played substantial parts in Thursday night’s proceedings or were injured – hardly ideal preparation for a trip to face the league leaders.

Southammpton XI: Forster, Martina, Yoshida, van Dijk, McQueen, Hojbjerg, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Tadic (Boufal 73), Rodriguez (Davis 78), Long (Austin 48).
Subs not used: McCarthy, Clasie, Fonte, Stephens.

Manchester United 4 Fenerbahce 1

Paul Pogba (8.3) shone, United hit four and returning hero Robin Van Persie scored a late consolation goal – all was well at Old Trafford.

The match was settled in two short bursts of action. First-half fouls on Juan Mata (7.4) and Anthony Martial (9.3) led to two penalties in as many minutes, with Pogba and Martial slotting home the resultant spot kicks. Pogba scored again, from a Jesse Lingard (5.7) assist, right on half-time and then Lingard made it four when the returning Wayne Rooney (8.7) set him up three minutes after the interval.

Jose Mourinho enjoyed the luxury of the 3-0 lead at the break by giving Chris Smalling (5.9) a long rest, with Marcos Rojo (5.2) replacing him, and he made further key substitutions – Memphis Depay (7.2) for Lingard and Fosu-Mensah (4.3) for Pogba – as the match wound down.

One key sub-plot developed on the night – who is United’s designated penalty taker?

Pogba explained his take on it post-match.

“It’s Wazza or myself [to take the penalties] but I told him I wanted to take it and he let me take it. So I’m very happy to score that penalty and from a player like him, the captain Wayne Rooney, to let me take the penalty is a big respect.”

Rooney’s place is not exactly nailed-down at the moment, so two goals and the chance of penalties is good news for Pogba’s 9.4% ownership base.

Mourinho made seven changes to the team that shut down Liverpool, with only David DeGea (5.5), Eric Bailly (5.5), Smalling and Pogba retained.

Luke Shaw (5.5) returned, but United’s most popular defender among FPL defenders, with 14.7% ownership, was solid rather than spectacular and it would be a surprise if Daley Blind (5.7) is not back in at left back for the weekend trip to Chelsea.

The United boss did, however, reveal that Smalling was withdrawn at half-time with a “minor injury” and that could possibly pave the way for Blind to slot into central defence, with Shaw retaining his role on the left.

However, if Smalling is fit, it will be a major surprise if the same team and tactics on show at Anfield aren’t wheeled out again.

Manchester United XI: De Gea; Darmian, Bailly, Smalling (Rojo 45), Shaw; Carrick, Mata, Pogba (Fosu-Mensah 75), Lingard (Depay 66), Rooney, Martial.
Subs not used: Romero, Fellaini, Ibrahimovic, Rashford.