Manchester United 2-1 CSKA Moscow: 5 Talking Points
Scoreline: Manchester United 2-1 CSKA Moscow
Scorers: Vitinho 45', Lukaku 64' and Rashford 66'
Manchester United got more than what they needed on the night as they made sure they made the men from Moscow leave Old Trafford empty-handed and heavy-hearted. Needing only a draw going into the match, Jose's men left their defensive seats back in the dressing room and went for the kill from the get-go.
However, against the run of play, it is CSKA Moscow that woke the scorers up at half time as Vitinho poked home from a Mario Fernandes cross.
United were relentless in the second half and in a 60-second smash and grab, badgered CSKA Moscow and steamed them back down the group table to book a berth in the knockout stages.
All in all, Manchester United can rest their heads and cool their heels off before the weekend derby against Manchester City.
#5 Paul Pogba and Juan Mata bring the swagger to Old Trafford
Paul Pogba brings Manchester United's midfield to bear and he does that with some frolicking ginga swagger. Tonight, in the absence of Nemanja Matic and Jesse Lingard, Pogba cracked open a fresh few can of tricks with the diminutive Mata.
The Frenchman was a constant presence in attack and his lovely weighted passes often released Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford, Romelu Lukaku and Antonio Valencia into acres of space. While they were initially profligate with all the riches on offer, they shed their initial lethargy and came to life, particularly, in the second half.
Paul Pogba's delightful lobbed ball into the centre of the box found Romelu Lukaku who stretched himself out in thin air and poked the ball past Akinfeev to equalize for United.
As for Mata, his nimble touches and astute playmaking skills often dragged CSKA Moscow defenders and midfielders out of their zones. It was Mata who released Rashford on goal for United's second.
While Paul Pogba will be sorely missed at Old Trafford, Jose could maybe look to Juan Mata to set the sparks flying in midfield against City on Sunday. He sure made a solid case for himself tonight.