Manchester United storm into Europa League final 16 whereas Tottenham progress with assist from younger weapons

Embattled Manchester United progressed to the final 16 of the Europa League on Thursday with a 2-0 win over Romanian facet FCSB together with Tottenham who have been helped into the following spherical by their younger gamers as they thrashed Swedish minnows Elfsborg.

Diogo Dalot and Kobbie Mainoo have been the goalscorers for Manchester United, with each targets coming within the second half of their closing league part fixture on the Nationwide Area in Bucharest. United, unbeaten in eight video games within the match, completed in third place.

In north London, under-pressure Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou was relieved to see Dane Scarlett, Damola Ajayi and Mikey Moore kill off Elfsborg with their first targets for the membership in a 3-0 victory. The Spurs got here fourth, guaranteeing the Premier League golf equipment prevented the Europa League play-off spherical.

The highest eight robotically progress to the final 16, the place they are going to be seeded towards the winners of eight two-leg knockout play-off ties that includes the golf equipment ranked from ninth to twenty fourth.

Amorim’s United prolong profitable run

Ruben Amorim’s facet prolonged their latest enchancment to at least one defeat in seven video games in all competitions with a 3rd successive victory for the primary time this season.

United have been patchy within the first half however Amorim despatched on Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho on the break and so they helped flip the tide.

United lastly took the lead within the sixtieth minute when Mainoo guided a harmful low cross into the six-yard field and Dalot timed his run to fit residence with ease.

Daniel Birligea virtually hauled FCSB degree instantly with a thunderous strike that almost crossed the road after hitting the bar.

However Mainoo’s composed end from Garnacho’s cutback within the 68th minute put the outcome past doubt.

“Greater than the win is to have time to coach and have time to get well the gamers,” Amorim mentioned of United avoiding the play-offs.

“The lads did a very good job however we’ve got to grasp the opponent isn’t with all due respect the identical degree because the Premier League. We wish to enhance lots with the best way we play.”

Spurs children carry the gloom

On the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it took three of the membership’s promising academy graduates to carry the gloom.

Tottenham are languishing in fifteenth place within the Premier League, eight factors above the relegation zone after profitable simply one in every of their previous 11 top-flight matches.

Final weekend’s defeat towards fellow strugglers Leicester condemned Tottenham to their longest winless streak within the league since 2008.

Postecoglou admitted he’s not positive of his job standing after followers jeered the group and referred to as for chairman Daniel Levy to stop in the course of the Leicester debacle.

Tottenham misplaced centre-back Radu Dragusin to a knee drawback as their damage woes mounted within the second half, however his alternative Scarlett ended Elfsborg’s resistance within the seventieth minute.

Dejan Kulusevski’s cross picked out Scarlett and the 20-year-old striker headed residence, simply days after getting back from a mortgage spell at second-tier Oxford.

Ajayi, 19, had solely been on the pitch 4 minutes when he transformed Scarlett’s go to mark his debut in type within the 84th minute, and there was nonetheless time for Moore, 17, to strike in stoppage time.

“It was ‘Made in Tottenham’. It’s sensible, the entire academy must be proud,” Postecoglou mentioned.

“We wanted one thing tonight and the younger lads stepped up. I’m positive they gained’t sleep as a result of they’re fairly excited.”

Mourinho’s Fenerbahce reaches playoffs

Scottish facet Rangers made it to the final 16 after climbing to eighth place with a 2-1 win towards Belgium’s Union Saint-Gilloise at Ibrox.

Nicolas Raskin and Vaclav Cerny scored for Rangers earlier than Kevin Mac Allister’s reply arrange a tense finale.

Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce scraped into the play-offs, ending in twenty fourth place – above Braga on objective distinction – after a 2-2 draw at Midtjylland.

Lazio got here high of the league part regardless of a 1-0 defeat at Braga, whereas Athletic Bilbao beat Viktoria Plzen 3-1 to safe second place.

Fifth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt, sixth-placed Lyon and seventh-placed Olympiakos comprise the remainder of the highest eight.

Roma secured a play-off place, beating Frankfurt 2-0 by way of targets from Angelino and Eldor Shomurodov.

Europa League standings

With company inputs