Old Trafford rocked and roared as Manchester United got up off the canvas to keep their Europa League hopes – and season – alive. Neither wants to go quietly, it seems.
For this wonderful old place, the day of reckoning won’t come for another five years, probably longer, following this week’s unveiling of a new £2billion stadium to be built next door. But this was a reminder to cherish Old Trafford on nights like these.
The club logo of a Red Devil holding a trident displayed on a banner in the Stretford End before kick-off felt like a nod to the three-masted design of the new stadium, and Old Trafford rose to the challenge as if proving a point.
For United, the threat of elimination was more imminent. A goal down to Real Sociedad early on and in danger of failing to qualify for Europe next season for only the second time in 44 years, they rallied to produce one of their best performances under Ruben amorim.
A goal down to Mikel Oyarzabal’s penalty, United hit back with two of their own through Bruno Fernandes who then completed a hat-trick late on. The United captain has now scored 15 goals this season and converted from the spot 36 times out of 40 for the club.
He was superb here but there so many good performance, notably from Joshua ZirkzeePatrick Dorgu and Alejandro Garnacho.
Bruno Fernandes scored a superb hat-trick as Manchester United beat Real Sociedad 4-1
United progressed to the quarter-finals of the Europa League thanks to a 5-2 aggregate win
Fernandes scored two penalties before he capped a superb night with a great third goal late on
It means that Fernandes and his teammates still have something to play for with Lyon next in the quarter-finals of this competition next month.
So poor in the Premier League this season, they remain undefeated in Europe under Erik ten Hag, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Amorim.
United’s Portuguese head coach gave a full debut to teenager Ayden Heaven on the left-hand side of his back-three with Rasmus Hojlund and Patrick Dorgu returning to the line-up after Sunday’s draw with Arsenal.
Hojlund came into the game on a 20-match barren run having not scored in more than 20 hours.
Sociedad were able to welcome back playmaker Martin Zubimendi who missed last week’s first leg in San Sebastian when Oyarzabal’s penalty cancelled out a Zirkzee strike.
‘Heaven is ready,’ said Amorim before kick-off. ‘We have to be patient but he showed confidence in the last game and with all the problems we have we trust him.
‘Hojlund can score in the next game, that is always the idea. He is doing the right things, he just needs a little bit of confidence.’
Heaven continued to impress despite a shaky start when he was nutmegged by Takefusa Kubo, and Sociedad went ahead in the 10th minute from their next attack down the right.
United had fallen behind when Matthijs De Ligt gave away a penalty by fouling Mikel Oyarzabal
Oyarzabal sent Andre Onana the wrong way to get United off to the worst possible start
But United fought back and Fernandes levelled from the spot as he led from the front
The United skipper scored a second penalty after Patrick Dorgu was fouled inside the area
Once again it came from the penalty spot and once again it was a spotted by VAR. Last week it was a rather innocuous handball by Fernandes, this time it was Matthijs De Ligt’s challenge on Oyarzabal.
De Ligt cleared Aritz Elostundo’s cross in front of goal, but replays showed that he got Oyarzabal first and the Sociedad skipper got up to score again after VAR advised French referee Benoit Bastien to go to the monitor.
The noise inside Old Trafford rose significantly and United responded. Three minutes later they had a penalty of their own. Fernandes squared to Hojlund in front of goal and the Dane was sent sprawling by Igor Zubeldia as he tried to end his drought.
Bastien pointed to the spot again and Fernandes sent Alex Remiro the wrong way for his 13th goal of the season, all scored since Ten Hag was sacked in October.
This was turning into a proper night in Europe. Having been floored when Remiro punched clear and connected with his head, Hojlund left Zubeldia with a bloodied mouth with a hand-off moments later.
The teams took turns to attack and when Hojlund flicked the ball a fraction wide of the far post from Zirkzee’s low cross, United’s No.9 screamed to the heavens in frustration.
There was no shortage of passion in United’s performance and Garnacho celebrated as if he had scored when he closed down Aihen Munoz on the far touchline, before Dorgu had two attempts before half-time.
United were ahead on the night and on aggregate five minutes after the interval from the third penalty of the night.
Jon Aramburu was sent off in the second half when he brought down the lively Dorgu
Fernandes capped off a stunning display with a brilliant third goal to secure United’s victory
Diogo Dalot added the gloss on the night in added time after a much improved United display
Ruben Amorim’s side are now set to take on Lyon in the Europa League quarter-finals
It felt like a soft one as Dorgu ran into Elustondo after Remiro had saved one-handed from Zirkzee, but Fernandes chose the other corner and fooled the keeper again for goal No.14.
The contest swung even further in United’s favour in the 63rd minute after Sociedad were reduced to 10 men.
Substitute Jon Aramburu had only been on the pitch six minutes when he hauled down Dorgu as he raced clear onto Zirkzee’s throughball and off he went.
Old Trafford loved it, the fans waving Aramburu on his way.
United had another penalty decision overturned but Fernandes was not going to be denied his hat-trick and latched on to Garnacho’s pass in the 87th minute to drill home before Diogo Dalot converted Hojlund’s cross with a first-time finish in injury-time.