Manchester United 2-0 Granada (agg: 4-0): Hosts ease into last four

Manchester United completed a comfortable passage into the semi-finals with a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford rounding off a 4-0 aggregate success.

Match in brief

Edinson Cavani drives in the opening goalGetty Images

Already two behind from the first leg, Granada could not afford to concede again but did so in the sixth minute when Paul Pogba guided his header down for Edinson Cavani to thrash across Rui Silva. Diego Martínez's men responded well and the outlook may have been different had Yangel Herrera not headed two chances just past the upright before the break.

Ángel Montoro failed to beat David De Gea with another headed opening and Germán dragged wide as the visitors continued to pass up opportunities to get themselves back into the tie. United rubbed salt into the wounds late on as Jesús Vallejo inadvertently nodded Alex Telles' cross past his own goalkeeper.

Matthew Howarth, Manchester United reporter

United's place in the semi-finals was rarely under threat in a game which they dominated without laying siege to Granada's goal. The Red Devils have lost four semi-finals under Solskjær – including last season's UEFA Europa League one-off last-four game against Sevilla – but they will surely feel that a first trophy since 2017 is within their grasp.

Simon Hart, Granada reporter

Even the best adventures have to end sometime and for Granada, Old Trafford tonight was the end point of their historic first European campaign. A Himalayan task became even greater after the early goal conceded but it was a pity Herrera failed to convert one of his first-half chances. Once those came and went, and the injured Gonalons had departed, it really was the end of the road. Not that Granada heads dropped – that's not the way with Diego Martínez's men who, just as in the first leg, deserved better than to lose a late second goal.

Reaction

Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United midfielder: "It was a good game. The Europa League is always difficult to play. It doesn't matter who you play against. We know Granada have quality – they can create something. We did well. We controlled the game and had a lot of the ball. We kept the ball moving. The result shows that."

Paul Pogba, Manchester United midfielder: "It's down to four teams – who wants to win the title? There's only one team who can win the title and we know what we have to go through."

Jesús Vallejo, Granada defender: "I felt we deserved more. We played well and had chances, especially in the first half, but we're very proud of what we've achieved with this team. We deserved more from the game in Granada and from this game here tonight, but to play on such a big stage makes us very proud."

Key stats

• Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 17 home games in the UEFA Europa League (W13 D4).
• Edinson Cavani's goal was his 50th in UEFA club competition.
• The Red Devils have conceded one goal or less in 15 of their last 16 matches in all competitions.
• Granada have only kept one clean sheet in their last 15 away games in all competitions.

Line-ups

United: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka (Williams 82), Lindelöf, Tuanzebe, Alex Telles; Matić; Pogba (Van de Beek 46), Fred; Bruno Fernandes (Mata 73); Greenwood (Diallo 82), Cavani (James 60)

Granada: Rui Silva; Foulquier, Vallejo, Germán (Nehuén Pérez 82), Neva (Víctor Díaz 74); Herrera, Gonalons (Molina 32); Kenedy (Antonio Puertas 46), Montoro, Machís; Soldado (Suárez 46)

What's next

United now face Roma in the semi-finals, with the first leg on 29 April and the return a week later. Before then, United are at home to Burnley (18/04) before travelling to Leeds United (25/04).