Our 3️⃣ points as Man Utd breeze into Europa League semi-finals | OneFootball

Manchester United booked their place in the semi-final of the Europa League after a comfortable 2-0 win over Granada thanks to a strike from Edinson Cavani and an own-goal from Jesùs Vallejo.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side will face Roma in the last four after winning 4-0 on aggregate.

Here is what we made of it.

Sign him up

It might come across as hyperbole to suggest a team with aspirations of winning the Premier League need to sign a 34-year-old but we’re going to do it anyway.

Manchester United should do all they can to extend Edinson Cavani’s stay at Old Trafford beyond this summer.

The Uruguayan struck early with a composed, left-footed volley to hit his 50th goal in European football as well as it being his ninth effort for United.

It’s not just the goals that the former PSG striker brings to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side – it’s the fact that everything else about this team makes sense when he’s in it.

Cavani knits it together by being the complete focal point, constantly offering a presence in the box which allows for fluidity around him meaning the likes of Mason Greenwood and Bruno Fernandes can float into dangerous positions knowing they will more than likely receive the ball from their no.7.

There are obvious cries about Cavani having lost his pace due to his age but we’re seeing no issue with his movement.

He was clever in the way he dropped off his marker to receive the knock-down from Pogba for his goal tonight – there’s life in the old dog yet.

Professionalism personified

That was a very professional, and whisper it quietly, also a very ‘grown-up’ performance from United.

One of United’s weaknesses in recent years has been their inability to sometimes control games rather than constantly looking to counter-attack.

Tonight, they closed down the whole tie for the remaining 84 minutes after Cavani’s early goal.

The hosts well and truly took the sting out of the game, still looking to create chances but not over-exerting themselves in any way with no need to do so.

A clean sheet on the board as well as getting minutes into the legs of the likes of Axel Tuanzebe, Donny van de Beek and Daniel James.

A great night at the office for Solskjaer.

Can Ole break his semi-final curse?

Manchester United are through to another semi-final under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

It’s the fifth time they’ve received this stage of a competition in the Norwegian’s two-and-a-half year reign but they are yet to get any further.

They won’t have a better opportunity to win their first piece of silverware under the 48-year-old as they take their place as the clear favourites out of the remaining teams in the Europa League.

United have managed two ‘banana skin’ ties in Real Sociedad and Granada, while they were impressive in defeating Milan in Italy.

Momentum has been slowly starting to build in this competition. Now it’s off to Rome for Solskjaer to achieve a new feat.