Football writer Adrian Clarke assesses Thursday's UEFA Europa League and Conference League matches for Premier League clubs.
Hojlund's double spares Onana's blushes
Viktoria Plzen 1 Man Utd 2
A series of decisive second-half changes from Ruben Amorim transformed Manchester United from insipid to inspired, as they claimed a satisfying come-from-behind win that lifts them into seventh place in the UEFA Europa League standings.
Rasmus Hojlund, a 56th-minute replacement for Marcus Rashford, was the chief difference maker.
The young Dane was a determined presence at the top end of the pitch and took his tally to five goals in as many matches under the new head coach with a clinical brace.
Hojlund's efforts mean United have now come back from losing positions to claim seven points, the most of any side in the competition this season.
He had been on the field for just six minutes before he bundled home from close range after a mesmerising dribble and shot from Amad saw the ball land at his feet. Then, with only two minutes left, he held off his marker to lash home a left-foot strike from a clever Bruno Fernandes free-kick.
Hojlund's winner v Viktoria Plzen
Pitchside in Plzen 🤳Rasmus's late winner looks even better up close 👌#MUFC || #UEL pic.twitter.com/2yecNjjJDO
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 13, 2024
That assist from United’s captain was his seventh key pass of the evening; a feat Fernandes has now achieved three times in major European competitions.
Amorim’s other early second-half substitutions, Mason Mount and Antony, also impressed.
They added far more verve to a Man Utd display that had been lethargic up until their equaliser. Full of running, they made things happen inside the final third.
Man Utd attacking threat first v second half
| Stat | First half | Second half |
| Shots | 3 | 14 |
|---|---|---|
| Shots on target | 2 | 6 |
| Expected Goals | 0.2 | 2.6 |
| Big chances created | 1 | 6 |
| Touches in opp. box | 12 | 27 |
Goalkeeper Andre Onana was a relieved man at the final whistle.
Trying to play out from the back under pressure, his ill-advised straight pass to Matthijs de Ligt on the edge of the box was never on – and from the turnover, former Watford star Matej Vydra opened the scoring on 48 minutes.
Amorim likes to split his wide centre-backs and push De Ligt into midfield to create fresh angles from restarts, but the way they use the Dutchman is a work in progress.
This was another night of tactical experimentation from the Portuguese head coach.
Amad moved inside from wing-back and shone in the right-sided No 10 position; Fernandes had another runout as an orthodox central midfielder; Alejandro Garnacho came off the bench to play as a left wing-back, while Antony also caught the eye as a roving right wing-back in the final half hour, firing off four shots.
While there will be mild frustration at their failure to keep a clean sheet for a seventh consecutive away match in Europe, Man Utd’s positive vibes late on will have increased confidence ahead of Sunday’s Manchester derby.
In their quest to finish inside the top eight, this was a welcome three-point haul, and their first taste of success on the road in European competition since March 2023.
See: Man Utd's report and line-up
Spurs gain a point from testing Ibrox contest
Rangers 1-1 Spurs
Former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou may have avoided the ignominy of losing on his return to Glasgow, but his Tottenham Hotspur side were second-best in this all-British affair.
Knocked out of their rhythm by Rangers’ fierce pressing and bypassed too easily in midfield when the hosts moved the ball through the thirds, this was a below-par display from Spurs.
The visitors had plenty of the ball, but most of Postecoglou’s players lost their individual battles, with the more aggressive Rangers players winning 58.3 per cent of the duels.
Rangers put Spurs under a lot of pressure, racking up 15 shots, including six on target. For all their possession, Postecoglou's men also lost the "big chance" count two-nil.
Philippe Clement’s side forced Fraser Forster into several excellent saves, with right winger Vaclav Cerny giving Destiny Udogie a particularly difficult time.
A deserved opener came just 81 seconds into the second half when James Tavernier’s teasing cross was expertly volleyed into the net by Hamza Igamane. From a defensive standpoint, right-back Pedro Porro will have been disappointed with his positioning at the far post.
The introduction of Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke did improve Spurs’ fortunes, and it was no surprise to see both combine for the equaliser. Crowning a nicely worked team move down the right, Solanke cut the ball back for Kulusevski to steer a precise left-footed shot into the far corner.
It was the Swede’s first-ever goal as a substitute for the club.
A late barrage from Rangers followed, a period that featured a disallowed goal and another outstanding Forster save, but in the end the points were shared.
That’s now three matches without a win for Spurs in the UEFA Europa League, who will need to perform much better if they want to finish in the top eight.
See: Spurs' report and line-up
Maresca's kids cruise through icy Kazakhstan
FC Astana 1-3 Chelsea
Making a 7,000-mile midweek round trip to play on a half-frozen pitch in temperatures that dipped to -11 was far from ideal for Chelsea, but a gifted young Blues side delivered a professional performance to qualify for the last 16.
Enzo Maresca showed great trust in his squad by handing starts to four teenagers, Josh Acheampong, Samuel Rak-Sakyi, Tyrique George and Marc Guiu.
All nine of his substitutes were academy graduates too, with Ato Ampah, 18, Shim Mheuka, 17, and Kiano Dyer, who turned 18 last month, all coming off the bench to make their first-team debuts in the second half.
Taking control
Playing in a 4-3-3 that morphed into a 3-4-3 diamond shape when they had possession, Chelsea exerted full control in a polished first-half display.
Playing at the base of central midfield, the assured Rak-Sakyi was impressive, while the sharp dribbling skills of George on the left flank also caught the eye.
Inside 20 minutes the Blues had raced into a two-goal lead, courtesy of a double from Spanish striker Marc Guiu.
His first was a sparkling solo effort that saw him carry the ball at pace from the right wing, before slipping a calm finish past the goalkeeper. The second, a tap-in after superb play from Pedro Neto, put Maresca’s men in full command.
Left-back Renato Veiga made it 3-0 five minutes before half-time, crashing home a free header from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s corner.
Marin Tomasov did pull a goal back with a magnificent strike, after ghosting past Veiga inside the box, but it was just a consolation.
Moving the ball around smoothly in bitterly cold conditions, an extremely youthful Blues side saw the game out with ease to ensure the club’s safe passage into the knockout stages.
