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As it happenedended

St Etienne vs Manchester United as it happened: Henrikh Mkhitaryan goal enough for second leg win

Re-live updates from the Europa League last-32 second leg at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard

Luke Brown
Wednesday 22 February 2017 08:15 EST

Manchester United’s Europa League campaign continues in France with a last-32 second leg at Saint-Etienne.

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Jose Mourinho’s side lead 3-0 on aggregate, courtesy of a Zlatan Ibrahimovic hat-trick in last week’s first leg at Old Trafford.

Wayne Rooney is one of three players left at home for this trip, with Luke Shaw and Matteo Darmian also omitted from Mourinho’s 20-man squad.

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What time is kick-off?

The match will kick off at 5.00pm on Wednesday 22 February.

Where can I watch it?

It will be shown live on BT Sport 3, with coverage starting at 4.30pm.

It’s a big game for…

Marcus Rashford: It’s almost a year to the day since the youngster broke into United’s first-team with that hat-trick against Midtjylland at the same stage of this competition.

Rashford’s progression has slowed somewhat, but following suggestions that Mourinho sees him as Ibrahimovic’s long-term replacement and a goal against Blackburn, he will enter this fixture confident.

Remember when…

These two sides previously met in the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1977. The leg in Saint-Etienne is remembered for violence in the stands, which was so bad, the return leg had to be played 400km away from Old Trafford, at Plymouth’s Home Park.

Past three-meetings

Manchester United 3 Saint-Etienne 0
​Europa League, February 2017

Manchester United 2 Saint-Etienne 0
Cup Winners’ Cup, October 1977

Saint-Etienne 1 Manchester United 1
Cup Winners’ Cup, September 1977

Form guide

Saint-Etienne: WLWLL

Manchester United: DWWWW

Odds

Provided by 888.com

Saint-Etienne: 47/20

Manchester United: 11/9

Draw: 9/4

73 mins: Florentin Pogba has just volleyed a shot wide from around 35 yards out. It's been that kind of match for the home team.

Vithushan Ehantharajah22 February 2017 18:31

75 mins: And now Paul Pogba goes close! United win a corner, Young whips it in, and Pogba's glancing header goes narrowly wide.

Vithushan Ehantharajah22 February 2017 18:32

76 mins: United really should have put this one to bed. The home side are pushing bodies forward in the hopes of scoring at least one goal against United, but they lose the ball in the middle of the park and suddenly Rashford is away.

He outpaces the defence and only has Ruffier to beat, but the keeper gets something on his low shot, deflecting it around his far post.

Moments later Ibrahimovic attempts an ambitious turn and shot, but drags it well wide.

Vithushan Ehantharajah22 February 2017 18:36

80 mins: Ibrahimovic is still trying in vain to add to the score. This time he turns provider, crossing the ball into the path of Paul Pogba, but it's whipped off his toes just as he's about to pull the trigger. 

Vithushan Ehantharajah22 February 2017 18:40

84 mins: This game is completely running out of steam as we enter the final ten minutes. Monnet-Paquet does well to dribble round Young before laying off Pogba, but his cross - once again - is woefully overhit. 

Vithushan Ehantharajah22 February 2017 18:44

87 mins: Will Mourinho be happy with this performance?

His side have hardly been troubled tonight, but both Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Michael Carrick have left the pitch with knocks and Eric Bailly's rec-card means he will miss United's next match.  

Vithushan Ehantharajah22 February 2017 18:47

90 mins: There's going to be three minutes of extra time. I've no idea why. Come on ref, put Saint-Étienne out their misery.

Vithushan Ehantharajah22 February 2017 18:48

FULL-TIME: Saint-Étienne 0-1 (0-4) Manchester United

And that's that! An entirely comfortable victory for Manchester United, clouded only be potential injuries to Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Michael Carrick, as well as that Eric Bailly red-card.

United are through to the Round of 16 stage and surely have to be considered one of the favourites to win the whole tournament. 

Vithushan Ehantharajah22 February 2017 18:51

A simple victory for United then. Thanks very much for joining us!

Vithushan Ehantharajah22 February 2017 19:04

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