Manchester United 3, Partizan Belgrade 0

Goals by Mason Greenwood, Anthony Martial, and Marcus Rashford eased Manchester United into the knockout stage of the Europa League as they beat Partizan Belgrade 3-0 at Old Trafford.

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It was their 15th unbeaten game in the competition – the longest unbeaten run of any current club in the competition.

It’s a testament to the growing importance of the Europa League to United’s season that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made just four changes to the side that lost at Bournemouth.

David De Gea, Victor Lindelof, Daniel James, and Andreas Pereira were dropped from that side while Sergio Romero, Marcos Rojo, Mason Greenwood, and Juan Mata came in.

United had an early let off when Harry Maguire looked to have scored an own goal after a deflection off Umar Sadiq who was in an offside position when Seydouba Scekic played the ball to him.

Marcus Rashford contrived to miss three chances when played in twice by Aaron Wan-Bissaka and once by Juan Mata.

But he made no mistake after the break, crashing the ball into the roof of the net in the 49th minute after a lay off by Ashley Young.

Young could have scored soon after that as United hit cruise control with Fred also forcing Vladimir Stojkovic into a good save.

But the game was effectively won as shot-shy Partizan couldn’t trouble Sergio Romero in the United goal all night and Solskjaer handed James Garner an Old Trafford debut as a late substitute.

PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 3, Partizan Belgrade 0

Sergio Romero: 6. Was out of his goal when Harry Maguire’s ball

Aaron Wan-Bissaka: 7. Great cross for a Marcus Rashford chance early on

Harry Maguire: 6. Desperate dive to rescue the ball cannoned off Umar Sadiq for an own goal but for an offside decision in the build up. Took a hit during the game.

Marcos Rojo: 6. Not much to challenge him all night

Ashley Young: 7. Handed Marcus Rashford his goal in the second half, could have scored himself.

Fred: 6. Not afraid of a shot on goal but mostly ineffective.

Scott McTominay: 7. Quiet night with Partizan unthreatening. Went off injured.

Mason Greenwood: 8. Cold eye for goal when the chance came with him unmarked. Worked hard to win the ball for Anthony Martial’s goal.

Juan Mata: 7. Laid on a great chance for Marcus Rashford to score.

Marcus Rashford: 7. Missed three gilt edged chances early on. His pressing forced the Partizan mistake to set Mason Greenwood up. Low on confidence.

Anthony Martial: 7. Curled one over the bar then scored a great goal after beating three outfield players and the goalkeeper, before firing over the bar again.

James Garner (on for Fred, 63): 6. Debut at Old Trafford.

Andreas Pereira (on for Marcus Rashford, 67): 6. Slipped into an advanced midfield role

Jesse Lingard (on for Scott McTominay, 75): 6. Seeing out time.

GOALS – Manchester United 3, Partizan Belgrade 0

Man Utd 1, Partizan Belgrade 0: 21. Mason Greenwood cut inside from the right and slotted past Vladimir Stojkovic after receiving a through ball from Marcus Rashford.

Man Utd 2, Partizan Belgrade 0: 33. Anthony Martial went past 3 players and the keeper to score United’s second after Mason Greenwood had won the ball

Man Utd 3, Partizan Belgrade 0: 49. Marcus Rashford buried a chance into the roof of the net with his left foot from 15 yards after a lay off by Ashley Young, the striker celebrated the goal with relief and joy

MATCH STATS – Manchester United 3, Partizan Belgrade 0

Man Utd: Romero, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Rojo, Young, Fred (Garner 63), McTominay (Lingard 75), Greenwood, Mata, Rashford (Pereira 67), Martial

Man Utd Subs not used: Grant, Jones, James, Williams

Booked: Young 71 (foul on Zoran Tosic)

Goal: Greenwood 21, Martial 33

Partizan Belgrade: Stojkovic, Miletic, Ostojic, Pavlovic, Urosevic, Natcho (Tosic 60), Zdjelar, Scekic, Asano (Filip Stevanovic 70), Soumah, Sadiq (Ivanovic 85)

Partizan Belgrade Subs not used: Nemanja Stevanovic, Vujacic, Brezancic, Lutovac

Booking: Natcho 32 (foul on Scott McTominay), Pavlovic 58 (foul on Mason Greenwood)

Referee: Mattias Gestranius

Attendace: 62,955