Manchester United 1-1 Celta Vigo: Match report, United to play Ajax in final

Manchester United 1-1 Celta Vigo: match report

It took over an hour for the game to get going but once it did, there was everything you could ask for in a semi-final. Action, goals and some flash points too as Roncaglia and Bailly were sent off for a fight near the end.

Manchester United took the lead through Marouane Fellaini in the first half after 17 minutes when he nodded home a Marcus Rashford cross at the back post and it meant that Celta Vigo needed to score at least twice in order to make it to the final. 

Celta struggled to create

Celta were struggling to create anything against United and seemed to be minding the house a little but were forced to commit players forward in the second half. They did just that and had United on the ropes while, admittedly, looking more fragile at the back with United counter-attacking with pace.

The chances they created went to waste, with two Guidetti headers in particular going wide when they should have been buried, before Roncaglia popped up with a header that looped past Sergio Romero to give the away side a flicker of hope. There were four minutes left but the question was, had they left themselves too much to do?

Bailly and Roncaglia sent off

A fight broke out in the middle of the field with John Guidetti ending up on the ground after what looked like a punch by Eric Bailly and Roncaglia had a go at Paul Pogba which resulted in two red cards for the two players.

Guidetti had the final on his toes

Celta had one last chance when John Guidetti found the ball a couple of yards out but he mishit it and it bounced up onto his hand as time expired on Celta Vigo's hopes. Manchester United are through to their first Europa League final as Celta Vigo are left wondering what might have been if they threw caution to the wind earlier in the tie.

Manchester United 1-1 Celta Vigo live stream online: second half

FT: Manchester United will play Ajax in their first Europa League final.

Min 90 + 6 | The ball falls to Guidetti and he misses it. Dreadful miss. What a really good chance to win it. My word. He can't believe it and Celta Vigo are all on the ground. What a miss. I can't actually believe it. How did he miss it.

Min 90 + 5 | Beauvue fouls Herrera. The Spaniard taking his time on the ground. Celta have one last chance.

Min 90 + 4 | Pogba fouls before Herrera buries the ball into the back of the net. Free to Celta.

Min 90 + 3 | High cross by Bongonda is saved easily by Romero. Far too close to him.

Min 90 + 2 | Free to United outside the box. Fellaini fouled by Cabral as they competed in the air for the ball.

Min 90 | SIX MINUTES! Yes, that's SIX minutes added time.

Manchester United substitution: Lingard is replaced by Rooney.

Min 86 | Fight breaks out. Guidetti ends up on the ground Valencia the culprit as the Celta players point out to the ref. But it's Bailly and Roncaglia that get their marching orders. They continue their fight off the pitch too. That was a proper punch that was thrown. Rare you see that. 

Min 85 | GOAL! Roncaglia loops a header home. Theo Bongonda with the cross. Game on here for the last few minutes. Celta have to go all out here! Berizzo pumps his fist in the air. 

Min 84 | Aspas with a shot that Bailly throws himself at. He blocks it and puts it out for a corner. Slight shout for handball but absolutely no chance. Corner for Celta.

Min 83 | Beauvue crosses and Herrera gets it away for a corner at the back post after it just misses a number of United and Celta players.

Min 81 | Lingard thrown to the ground WWE style by Cabral and he isn't happy. Free to United.

Min 80 | Ander Herrera is booked now. Jozabed swings it in but United clear. It comes back into the box but It goes harmlessly wide.

Celta Vigo substitution: Beauvue replaces Pione Sisto, one of the few Celta players who can say they did themselves justice over the two legs.

Min 77 | Guidetti fouled but advantage played before Bongonda picks it up and shoots into a United defender.

Manchester United substitution: Carrick replaces Mkhitaryan for the last 15 minutes. Mourinho shutting up shop.

Min 74 | Jonny takes it down with elegance inside the box but turns back into a left-back once he has control of it and hesitates shooting. United sweep it away. Ball in from Mallo nowand Guidetti headers wide. That goal just isn't coming.

Min 72 | Mistake at the back caused my miscommunication between Blind and Romero sees Blind header the ball out tamely for a corner.

Min 70 | Jozabed has a shot now but it curls just wide.

Min 68 | Fellaini comes close now. He strikes with his left from an awkward position but forces a good save from Sergio Alvarez.

Celta Vigo substitution: Radoja is replaced by Theo Bongonda. 

Min 66 | Aspas gets booked for dissent after Mkhitaryan shoulders him in the back and sends him flying but doesn't get a free. He remonstrates and the ref stops play to book the former Liverpool attacker. Really not his night, or Celta's.

Min 64 | Rashford makes his way through to a one-on-one with Alvarez but the keeper saves his shot with his chest, it looks like. Golden opportunity to wrap this one up. 

Min 60 | Pogba slides in on Sisto and wins the ball, then Mallo slides in and fouls Pogba. Free to United as Celta grow more desperate but also more dangerous. Interesting last half an hour but Celta need to score soon.

Min 59 | Mkhitaryan hits the ground after meeting Mallo in the air. Mourinho tells Mata, Rooney and Carrick to warm up.

Min 58 | That's far better from Celta. Mallo with another cross. Sisto takes it down and Guidetti fires wide. Should have done better but the angle was difficult.

Min 57 | Ball across the box by Lingard is cleaned up by Celta.

Min 55 | Celta Vigo keep up their pressure and win it back with Aspas having a shot that Romero saves with ease. Not the right option. 

Min 54 | Fellaini has a nibble on Tucu Hernandez' heels and is lucky to escape without a yellow.

Min 52 | Ball in behind the back by Mallo but Guidetti, quite blatantly, pushes Blind in the back. Free to United.

Min 50 | Celta looking more lively with Jozabed on the field. They are looking more likely to break down United with this set-up but still nothing doing just yet.

Min 48 | Daley Blind ready to cross the ball in from a free. referee having a word with the players waiting for its arrival. Celta half clear it and Mkhitaryan drives a shot through a crowd as it breaks to him. Romero saves well. Corner United.

Min 46 | Great ball over the top by Sisto to Mallo. He drives a cross into the box and Romero does well to get a hand to it and turn it away.

Min 46 | Guidetti gets us underway for the second 45.

Jozabed replaces Daniel Wass. United remain the same as the first half.

Manchester United 1-0 Celta Vigo live online: first half talking points

Jozabed is entering the fray, as they say. Not sure who he is replacing yet but confirmation imminent.

Manchester United have not looked great but under Mourinho they just seem to continue racking up wins. Aside from the Fellaini chance and goal, they have not created anything of note. They do look dangerous on the counter though. For what they lose in creativity up front, they are solid at the back aside from a relatively poor start by darmian and Blind when they looked to be up against it with Celta pinpointing Aspas with most of their passes.

Celta Vigo have, yet again, failed to really trouble Man United. They have had a couple of chances but more hopeful than anything else. They need to throw caution to the wind if they are to get even one goal back here.

In the other semi-final, a game that looked like a formality, Alexandre Lacazette scored two in two minutes and Lyon have given themselves a chance against Ajax. They still need two more to make it a draw over the two ties. Goals galore in that semi-final and you can follow Matt, who is chatting about that one over here.

Manchester United 1-0 Celta Vigo live stream online: first half

HT! - United well and truly in control here, maybe not in pure footballing terms, but on the scoreboard and that's where it matters (sorry for the cliche)!

Min 44 | Guidetti gets his head to a cross but it bounces kindly in front of Sergio Romero. And that's it from the first half after United break and get caught for being offside.

Min 43 | United through but Rashford is offside. Pogba is down in a heap and is holding his knee. United fans hoping it's not serious. He jumps up and is fine.

Min 41 | Some really tasty football from Celta as they try to break through United's defense. Sisto with a ball into the box and Wass gets down and heads it just wide. It flashes past Romero, who was rooted to his spot. 

Min 38 | Decent spell by Celta but the ball into Guidetti onto his head is headered away from the goal by the former Manchester City attacker. Sisto, after some twisting and turning, has a curling effort saved and caught by Romero. Not far off.

Min 35 | Aspas goes in on Blind after  poor ball by Radoja to the striker. He isn't happy with the decision and it does look like he fell more than anything. Straight up the other end and Pogba isn't happy. He has a crack that goes over with the help of a defender's touch but the refere gives a goal-kick.

Min 32 | Blind booked for a poor tackle on Tucu Hernandez. His studs were showing and the Dutch defender might consider himself lucky that it was just a yellow. Argument being made that it was either a red or nothing because he got the ball but his studs were showing. Difficult one.

Min 31 | Lingard whizzes one across the box and roncaglia fails to amake contact with his slide to get it. 

Min 30 | Ball into the box meets Pogba's head but it's stopped by Cabral. Some United fans think it hit his hand but referee doesn't think so. Celta get it away. They've really stalled since that opening few minutes. Struggling to create anything.

Min 29 | Free to Celta but Wass goes a mile wide with it. Never anywhere near the target.

Min 27 | Sisto with a little shimmy of the hips that wouldn't look out of place on a dancefloor before getting it across to Hernandez. His shot it tipped over by Romero. 

Min 25 | Herrera with another oful, this time on Daniel Wass. Free comes flying in and Romero punches it away.

Min 23 | Rashford with a ball across the box that was crying out to be wellied into the back of the net but there are United players in front of it and behind it but not where it actually was and it flashes across the box.

Min 22 | Corner to United and Pogba ends up on the ground but Blind's kick goes way too long.

Min 21 | Aspas fouled by Blind, it looked like, after he stole the ball off him. Referee looks like he is ready to blow the whistle but doesn't and United attack with Rashford seeing his effort blocked and put out for a corner.

Min 19 | United looking really dangerous now. Mkhitaryan puts one through to Rashford but he leaves him too much work to do. Celta intercept and clear.

Min 17 | GOAL! Fellaini nods home at the back post. Rashford with a lethal ball to the back post after receiving it off Herrera. Alvarez probably should have done better as he was beaten at his near post.

Min 16 | Pogba with a kick on Tucu Hernandez. Free in the middle of the field. Celta had done well to get free of some tight Man United marking. 

Min 14 | United with a prolonged period of possession now. Not letting Celta anywhere near it but still not moving forward in any meaningful fashion.

Min 11 | Pogba with some very nice moves to get free in the middle as he puts it through to Rashford but he overruns it and takes a bad touch. Goal kick but very impressive by Pogba.

Min 10 | Celta Vigo targetting United's left-back position. A long ball by Alvarez from a kick-out is stopped by Darmian but only as far as Guidetti and Celta start to build again.

Min 8 | A slight slip-up by Celta and Rashford nearly steals in ahead of Roncaglia but he fouls him instead with a little nudge in the back.

Min 7 | Celta Vigo in full control now. United chasing shadows. Celta looking for an opening.

Min 5 | Two corners in a row for Celta and the second one gets headed over by Roncaglia. 

Min 4 | Aspas in around the back with a lovely ball. He cuts inside and strikes but Romero touches it over the bar. What a great chance. Celta have started really well.

Min 2 | Blind with a really sloppy passand Aspas jumps in front of it. He gets to the endline, stops and looks to cross. It gets deflected to Pione Sisto but he can't do anything with it as Romero smothers his cross.

Min 1 | We are underway at Old Trafford!

Manchester United vs Celta Vigo live stream online: team news

Bench: Ivan Villar, Fontas, Diaz, Bongonda, Beauvue, Jozabed, Gomez.

Manchester United vs Celta Vigo live stream online: latest news

21:00 | The players wait in the tunnel. Antonio Valencia, United's captain gets ready to lead his side into battle. As does Hugo Mallo for Celta Vigo. Ready for action.

20:41 | Eduardo Berizzo made ten changes to his starting eleven last Sunday night when they were beaten 3-0 by Malaga and the manager was sent to the stand for a skirmish with some Malaga players. The only player to survive from the visit of Manchester United was Marcelo Diaz.

Jose Mourinho made just* eight. The only surviving players were Darmian, Herrera and Mkhitaryan.

20:26 | Iago Aspas says he can't live in the past and has nothing to prove to anyone in England but I'm sure he would not be averse to getting a goal tonight to show what he can do and so he can change what he is remember for in England.

20:15 | So we have our team news and as expected, Eduardo Berizzo names the same eleven as the last time. And so does Jose Mourinho. there was speculation surround Daley Blind's place in the team along with Sergio Romero's but he has remained loyal to them and given them a chance for the second leg. Iago Aspas will likely play more centrally than he did the last day in an effort to get him involved. Berizzo said that they could not not have Aspas involved.

19:42 | One of the most shocking stats heading into the game is that Manchester United have won just 13 times in their last 49 attempts against Spanish opposition.

19:28 | Celta Vigo will be hoping that 18 is Manchester United's unlucky number as their opponents tonight have not been beaten at Old Trafford in their last 17 European games. The last defeat they suffered was a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid in 2012-13 when Jose Mourinho was over the side.

19:20 | Also, if you fancy keeping up with the Ajax versus Lyon game, you can always follow our very own Matt here as he will be guiding you through that tie tonight. It kicks off at the same time as United and Celta.

19:04 | There is still some debate over whether De Gea or Romero will start in goals for United, however, as Mourinho recently stated that he didn't have a designated European goalkeeper. De Gea started the first few but Romero has played in 10 of the 13 in the competition.

18:49 | There was talk that Jose Mourinho took a gamble on the Europa League by not playing his players in the Premier League. Eduardo Berizzo has done the exact same thing and hasn't started his first eleven in weeks. That has seen their LaLiga form dip but he will start them all tonight. We can report here that Berizzo will start the same eleven as he did in the first leg.

17:15 | Iago Aspas, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Ajax's Kasper Dolberg, all on five goals, are the top-scoring players left in the competition. In the overall ranking Roma's Edin Džeko and Zenit's Giuliano top the table with eight goals.

16:15 | José Mourinho faced Celta four times during his final season as coach at Real Madrid – winning home and away in the league but losing the first leg of their Copa del Rey Last 16 tie 2-1 at Balaídos. In the return, Cristiano netted a hat trick as Madrid strode to a comfortable 4-0 win. Mou’s team went on to reach the final where they were defeated by Atlético.

15:55 | Recent league form of tonight's rivals - Man United have won two out of their last five games - posting wins against Burnley and Chelsea, drawing against Man City and Swansea and losing to Arsenal last weekend.

15:39 | United have won all of the European fixtures at home since March 2013 when they were beaten 1-2 by Real Madrid in the Last 16. Sergio Ramos had kindly put the hosts ahead with an own goal before Luka Modric and Cristiano turned the tie around with second half strikes - the latter refusing to celebrate his goal out of respect for his old club.

13:58 | Away from the pitch, Fifa announced that they will be looking into the world-record transfer of Paul Pogba from Juventus to Man Utd. However, some journalists and 'keepers of the beautiful game' suggested that this announcement was just to focus headlines away from another one.

13:43 | The Old Trafford faithful are unlikely to have forgotten that Aspas had a spell at bitter rivals Liverpool. Pour yourself a cuppa and enjoy a great interview with the striker from Sid Lowe for The Guardian.

13:38 | If Celta are to triumph tonight it is likely to be in part thanks to their top scorer Iago Aspas. The 29-year old has 17 league goals this season in 29 appearances. Compare this to United's Marcus Rashford who, although has had fewer total minutes on the field, has scored five in 30.

13:22 | Ahead of the second leg, AS editor Alfredo Relaño spoke about the uphill task facing the visiting side tonight. 

12:49 | Getting to the business-end of European trophies usually mobilises the fans and Celta will have record numbers of supporters with them today in Manchester. 

12:17 | As can sometimes happen when a team reaches the latter stages of a European competition and are not fighting for (or have already wrapped up) their domestic, both of these sides have rested key players in their league games. In LaLiga Celta have lost their last four games with an overall score of 9-1.

11:55 | Although this competition is not the trophy José Mourinho would normally want to be fighting for, many commentators have suggested that, given United's Premier League form and position, he has of late put all his Champions-League-qualifying eggs into the Europa-League-shaped basket. He says that there has been no gambling on his behalf.

11:32 | Celta didn't get to show their attacking threat much in the first leg and coach Berizzo said afterwards that he aims to find a way to unshackle Iago Aspas from the tight United marking system in an attempt to get shots at goal. 

11:16 | The transfer market will be opening in the not too distant future and although Mourinho is expected to be busy adding to the "four he needed" last summer, one player he'll be desperate to keep is Real Madrid target David De Gea. United's player of the last few seasons has been involved in some of the promotional activity for The Red Devils' kit for 2017/18 suggesting to some that he's not going anywhere. 

10:55 | The first leg of this tie in Spain was brought to you by AS English's live feed master, Robbie. Here's how it panned out from his perspective in case you've forgotten.

10:33 | Check out our preview and predicted team line-ups below for our view on the game. It's certainly United's to lose after a solid performance in Vigo and now know that a draw (something they've proved themselves very capable of this season) is enough to take them to the final. But anyone who's seen the Spanish side play in LaLiga this year knows that they have it in them to score. And that could change everything.

10:14 | Before we get going with tonight's build-up, you may want to relive Atlético vs Madrid or Juventus vs Monaco to get you in the mood.

10:05 | Good morning on what is another great day of football. The Champions League final line-up has been decided over the last two nights and tonight we will know who will face each other in the Europa League final in Stockholm. Old Trafford has been the setting for many memorable European evenings...what does tonight hold? Kick-off is eleven hours away...

Manchester United vs Celta Vigo live stream online: match preview

Manchester United host Celta Vigo in the second leg of the Europa League semi-finals with the Red Devils holding a slender 1-0 advantage from the first 90 minutes in Balaídos courtesy of Marcus Rashford’s second half free kick. In European terms the disparity between the sides could not be more pronounced. The Europa League is the only major continental honour to elude United, who have three European Cups, a Cup Winners’ Cup and a European Supercup adorning their trophy cabinet. Celta have never reached a major European final and have just an Intertoto Cup sitting apologetically among a selection of regional trinkets and Segunda División titles.

The difference in financial clout is also a chasm. United had staff costs – mostly player wages – of 321.4 million in 2015-16 to Celta’s 27.1 million. The Liga side’s record signing remains the 13.5 million euros paid to Málaga for Catanha in 2000. United will field the world’s most expensive player, Paul Pogba, at Old Trafford on Thursday having signed the France international from Juventus last summer for 105 million euros.

Celta will lean on historical upsets in Europe in search of their first major final – a 4-0 defeat of Juventus in the same competition in 1999-00 and a 7-0 thrashing of Benfica the same year.

José Mourinho will lean as ever on pragmatism as he seeks to ensure his side reach the Champions League next season via the continent’s second-tier tournament with fourth place in the Premier League an increasingly unlikely goal.

Manchester United

Mourinho has spent the past few weeks systematically bemoaning the fixture list and a raft of injuries to his squad, prompting the United manager to joke that he may have to play himself in defence ahead of a Premier League game against Swansea. Old Trafford season ticket holders would have probably have enjoyed paying to see that more than they have to watch their team this season with Mourinho’s United failing to shake off the lethargic approach adopted by Louis van Gaal in the Portuguese’s first season in charge.

The United manager has received some reinforcements to his squad for the visit of Celta: Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Juan Mata returned for the 2-0 defeat at Arsenal but Mourinho is still without Ashley Young, Marcos Rojo, Luke Shaw and long-term absentee Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has provided most of the few sparks of excitement this season. Eric Bailly, Daley Blind, Antonio Valencia and Paul Pogba should return to the line-up after being rested at the Emirates with Maroaune Fellaini likely to be deployed in his usual role after missing United’s last two domestic fixtures through suspension after head-butting Sergio Agüero in the Manchester derby.

That defeat at Arsenal brought United’s run of 25 consecutive unbeaten games to an end but Mourinho fielded a second-string side with the Europa League – now the club’s top priority this season – firmly in mind.

Celta Vigo

Celta have been in excellent form in Europe and boast an eye-catching away record in the knock-out stages of three 2-0 victories at Panathinaikos, Shakhtar Donetsk and Krasnodar and a 1-1 draw at Genk. However, Eduardo Berizzo’s side are on a run of five straight defeats in all competitions as the Celta boss shuffled his deck in the league with European glory in his sights. Last weekend Celta were drubbed 3-0 by Málaga as Berizzo fielded his reserves in La Rosaleda.

In Old Trafford Iago Aspas will return, as will John Giudetti and Pione Sisto alongside the former Liverpool in the front line. Both Aspas and Guidetti have good reason for extra motivation, the former having played for Liverpool and the latter for Manchester City.

In midfield, Berizzo’s preferred three of Daniel Wass, Pablo Hernández and Nemanja Radoja will be restored with the back four consisting of captain Hugo Mallo, Jonny, Facundo and Gustavo Cabral.

Aspas will be key to Celta’s chances and Berizzo has said he will be handed a free role to harry United between the lines after Mourinho’s side effectively shut down a player who has plundered 24 goals in all competitions this season, earning himself a call-up to the Spain national side in the process.

Celta go into the game with a clear goal in mind: scoring early to put the onus to United to attack and thereby opening up a miserly defensive block that has the second-best record in the Premier League this season. Mourinho’s side have struggled for goals domestically in the knock-out stages in Europe – an Ibrahimovic hat-trick against Saint-Etienne aside – and required extra time and another intervention from 19-year-old Rashford to get past Anderlecht in the previous round.

Manchester United vs Celta live stream online: possible line-ups

Manchester United XI: Romero; Valencia, Blind, Bailly, Darmian; Pogba, Herrera, Fellaini; Martial, Rashford, Mkhitaryan

Celta Vigo XI: Sergio; Mallo, Cabral, Facundo, Jonny; Wass, Hernández, Radoja; Sisto, Aspas, Guidetti

Manchester United vs Celta live stream online: selected betting odds

Celta are priced at 6/1 to go through to the final with United heavy favourites to progress via any means at 1/9. United qualifying after extra time or penalties are both chalked up at 50/1, with Celta priced at 66/1 to win a penalty shoot-out.