A Marouane Fellaini goal helps Manchester United to the Europa League final – a match in which key defender Eric Bailly will take no part after he is sent off at Old Trafford.
That could mean extra league involvement for the centre-half in a United side otherwise subject to major rotation ahead of that late-May final.
Here’s the Scout Notes from a night of intrigue and golden chances missed.
Manchester United 1 Celta Vigo 1 (United win 2-1 on aggregate)
Manchester United’s 12th 1-1 draw of the season was one of the more lively ones, with red cards and late Celta Vigo misses contributing to an anxious Old Trafford finish.
Marouane Fellaini headed home from a superb Marcus Rashford cross – a goal that should have settled first-half nerves.
But the Spaniards were twice the craven team of the first leg, dominating possession and creating a number of chances throughout.
Once the visitors had finally equalised, United were left clinging on to their aggregate lead and survived courtesy of Celta’s profligacy – most notably when striker John Guidetti missed a golden opportunity with effectively the last kick of the tie.
But they will go into the final on Wednesday, May 24, without centre-half Eric Bailly.
The Ivorian was sent off following a mini-melee, opening up the intriguing possibility that the 9.0%-owned defender could now play all three of United’s league matches in a run-in he would otherwise have expected to be used sparingly.
A double Gameweek 37 starts hard, away at Spurs, and then eases to Southampton at St Mary’s before a final day home match with Crystal Palace rounds off the domestic season – just three days before the Europa League final in Stockholm.
Should he feature heavily in the league, Bailly could be expected to score well at the heart of a defence that’s kept five clean sheets in the last six matches.
But with United now just one match from Champions League qualification, doubts over the make-up and motivation of Jose Mourinho’s teams from here on in will involve many more players than just Bailly.
The coach started the same XI in both legs of the semi-final. If that is his Europa League template, then the likes of Wayne Rooney, Anthony Martial and the fit-again Juan Mata could be in for a busy end to the domestic campaign.
United, however, are turning few heads with their attacking prowess at the moment – they’ve scored just one goal in their last three Gameweeks.
Decent Fantasy returns, therefore, are likely to come from more defensive outlets, if at all, with the 34.3%-owned David de Gea a solid candidate.
United have eyes only for Europe now. Fantasy managers would be wise to look far closer to home – a view that takes in precious few of Mourinho’s men.
Manchester United XI: Romero, Valencia, Bailly, Blind, Darmian, Fellaini, Herrera, Pogba, Mkhitaryan (Carrick 77), Rashford (Smalling 89), Lingard (Rooney 86).
Subs not used: de Gea, Jones, Mata, Martial.
