Less Cristiano Ronaldo, more Ruud van Nistelrooy. That was the instruction to Marcus Rashford. Forget the wonder goals, concentrate on the bread and butter. He did just that: but it was a little bit wonderful, too.
Rashford, making his debut, an emergency inclusion in the starting line-up following another pre-match calamity, scored the goals that put Manchester United into the Europa League’s last 16. It was a lifesaver, maybe even a jobsaver, for Louis van Gaal who has started to see victory in this tournament as United’s best route to the Champions League next season.
If that happens – and there is some way to go – Rashford’s part will be immense, even if he does not start another game. He was outstanding here, never downhearted by an absence of opportunity, quick, direct, everything United have been missing this season. Maybe injuries will allow him a run in the team. He would certainly merit it. What more can he do than score two goals on his debut?
Debutant Marcus Rashford celebrates after scoring his second goal of the night on what was an impressive night for the teenager
Debutant Rashford celebrates after scoring on his Manchester United debut — the 18-year-old was originally named on the bench
Rashford showed his composure to slot the ball home to level the scoreline on aggregate in front of Manchester United's home fans
Memphis Depay (left) celebrates with Manchester United new boy Rashford after the teenager scored his first goal of the evening
Briefly in trouble when going behind, this turned into a positive performance for United – a young team pulling together and pulling through under great pressure. Losing Anthony Martial in the warm-up was a huge blow, but the emergence of Rashford was a joy to behold. Always a talent, he has been steered towards a striker’s role this season and told to look for the scraps in the penalty area, not the the works of art from beyond. Both his goals here were the work of a natural matchwinner.
The first, which brought United level on aggregate after 63 minutes came when Juan Mata cut a ball back, after Midtjylland defender Andre Romer misguidedly thought it was going out. In came Rashford, sharper and faster than anyone to finish smartly past goalkeeper Mikkel Andersen. The next, as United edged ahead, was a finish from close range from a Guillermo Varela cross – a glorified tap-in, although very high class in both execution and creation.
By the end, the roof fell in on Midtjylland. Ander Herrera converted the fourth from the penalty spot after a handball by Kian Hansen, Romer was sent off, and Memphis Depay finally found his range and scored a fifth after 90 minutes. Yet Rashford was the hero of the night. He won’t forget this one in a hurry. He should have to wait too long for the next, either.
It isn’t just the matches that are problematic for Van Gaal and Manchester United right now. Even the warm-ups seem to be conspiring against them. Last week, in Denmark, they lost David de Gea pre-match, this time it was Martial who limped away from the preparations, out of the game to the consternation of all. It rather made a mockery of Van Gaal’s assertion that United’s injury problem are all contact related, unless United are beset by invisible forces.
Such is the lengthy list of absentees that the battlefield promotion on this occasion was a striker who scored his first goal for the club's Under 21s in the role as recently as December.
Rashford started off as a No 10, half attacking midfield, half support striker, who has been converted to a more conventional number nine figure this season. His pedigree is good though, out of the same Fletcher Moss youth side that has delivered Wes Brown, Danny Welbeck, Ravel Morrison and, most recently, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson. Even so, his sudden elevation seemed to sum up United’s malaise this season, Van Gaal electing to go with a small squad, particularly reduced upfront, and unprepared for the rigours of an English season. Yes it is bad luck, but that does not mean the manager is entirely without responsibility for the consequences.
Not that United’s weakened state made much difference early on. Midtjylland were not up to much at all early on, United dominating possession, camped in their half. The only surprise was that it took until the 16th minute to carve out an opportunity, Rashford with a surging run at goal and a shot from outside the area tipped around by Midtjylland goalkeeper Mikkel Andersen. From the corner, Kian Hansen almost sliced the ball into his own net. It became a familiar pattern for Midtjylland, who always seemed to be living dangerously when turned towards their own goal.
In the 22nd minute, another close shave, Filip Novak turning into trouble in his own area and firing a panicked clearance against the shins of Jesse Lingard, the ricochet almost taking it into the goal.
And then, Old Trafford silenced in disbelief. From their first attack of the game, Midtjylland scored, to take an unlikely 3-1 aggregate lead. It was dismal defending from Manchester United, Morgan Schneiderlin failing to put any pressure on the Dane’s possession in midfield, striker Marco Urena finding Pione Sisto who followed up an impressive performance in the away leg with a real attention-grabber here.
Manchester United playmaker Juan Mata squandered an opportunity to put his side in the lead by missing a first-half penalty
Midtjylland No 70 Filip Novak celebrates in front of Mata after the former Chelsea man missed from the penalty spot
Pione Sisto (left) celebrates in front of the Old Trafford faithful after putting his side in the lead within the opening 27 minutes
Sisto opens the lead for away side Midtjylland after wriggling his way past United's makeshift defence before shooting at goal
Michael Carrick (left) and Ander Herrera (centre) look dejected as Mata aims to get proceedings back underway after Midtjylland's goal
Mata (left) and debutant Rashford (right) rush to get play back underway following Nikolay Bodurov's first-half own goal
Midtjylland goalkeeper Mikkel Andersen (centre) looks dismayed after seeing team-mate Bodurov score an own goal in the 32nd minute
He left Daley Blind for dead, Michael Carrick went to ground far too easily and Sisto fired low into the far corner, far out of reach of Sergio Romero. He celebrated by pointing to the name on the back of his shirt. Nobody is going to be forgetting it any time soon. Bad news for Slaven Bilic, who had rather hoped to make Sisto an early summer signing for West Ham. He may face more than a little competition now.
It was vital that United responded immediately, and they did. Schneiderlin found Juan Mata whose shot was saved, but Midtjylland continued to defend too deep for manager Jess Thorup’s liking and in the 32nd minute it cost them. Memphis Depay got in around the back on the left, and his cross was turned into his own net by centre-half Nikolay Bodurov. It had been coming. United’s next attack saw Midtjylland scrambling wildly and failing to clear, the general air of chaos fittingly finished with a Schneiderlin overhead kick that travelled just wide.
Depay had another shot miss – although his aim was better than at Shrewsbury on Monday – and then a Schneiderlin header hit a post, before United got the breakthrough that should have established a half-time lead. Andre Romer lunged in on Ander Herrera and Hungarian referee Istvan Vad had no option but to award a penalty. Up stepped Mata, but his low effort to the left was weak and Andersen tipped it round, to the delight of the visitors in the away corner. They wanted excited at Old Trafford. They probably didn’t expect the Europa League, and visitors from the flats of Jutland to provide it, though. These are strange times to be a United fan.
Morgan Schneiderlin goes close to scoring for Manchester United with a superb acrobatic effort during the first half at Old Trafford
Hungarian referee Istvan Vad awarded Manchester United a penalty after Ander Herrera was fouled by Midtjylland's Kian Hansen
Mata's tame penalty was turned around for a corner as Andersen managed to get a hand on to the Spanish playmaker's effort
Jesse Lingard (centre) receives a yellow card after he was penalised for diving in an attempt to win a second-half penalty
Rashford (far left on back row) was handed his Manchester United debut following an injury to star striker Anthony Martial
Rashford made his senior Manchester United debut wearing the No 39 shirt, the 18-year-old led the line in Martial's absence
Martial sustained a hamstring injury while warming up ahead of the crucial Round of 32 second leg fixture against Midtjylland
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal (centre) watches on alongside assistants Albert Stuivenberg (left) and Ryan Giggs (right)
(Left to right) Wayne Rooney, Chris Smalling, Matteo Darmian, Sam Johnstone and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson sit in the stands
Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson (centre) was in the stands to keep a close eye on proceedings at Old Trafford
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