Anthony Martial's penalty secured victory for Manchester United against Partizan Belgrade, but the Red Devils' display was not a great one.
Match Events
Manchester United finally enjoyed away-day success as Anthony Martial's 43rd-minute penalty earned an unconvincing 1-0 win over Partizan Belgrade, lifting Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men to the top of Group L in the Europa League.
Prior to Thursday's contest in Serbia, United had gone 11 matches without an away win in all competitions - their worst such run in 40 years - since beating Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League back in March.
Yet the Red Devils' travelling support were finally given reason to celebrate again as a spot-kick from Martial - making his first start since August 24 following injury - was complemented by the club's third clean sheet in as many Europa League matches this term.
United's overall performance was far from impressive and a lack of creativity was again apparent as a side showing seven changes from Sunday's encouraging 1-1 draw with Liverpool failed to muster a single shot on target besides Martial's penalty.
However, the result will at least please Solskjaer as the 2016-17 Europa League winners are firmly on course to reach the knockout stages having claimed seven points from three games.
Group Standings
15' CLOSE! McTominay's header wide out
United with a free-kick of their own now - Mata and Garner standing over it. It's Mata to take towards McTominay at the far post, but he heads it into the ground and wide!
37' CLOSE! Lingard hits the post
United come close to taking the lead as Wan-Bissaka feeds Lingard after a scrap for the ball outside the Partizan box, but Lingard's shot cracks the woodwork!
40' POST! Sadiq hits the woodwork
It's Partizan this time threatening United, as top scorer Sadiq hits the post! What a brilliant attempt that was completely out of nowhere!
43' PENALTY GOAL! Partizan 0-1 Man Utd (Martial)
PENALTY! Out of nowhere, United have a spot kick! Williams makes a surging run into the box and Miletic flies in to bring him down. It's an awful challenge and there can be no complaints.
MARTIAL SCORES! He'd been a complete passenger up until this point, but keeps his cool from the spot and tucks his penalty away into the bottom-left corner to net his third goal of the season.
51' SAVE! Romero parries Soumah shot
Soumah charges towards goal, tricks Maguire with some smart footwork - sending the £80million centre-back to the ground - and unleashes, but it's too close to Romero in the middle of the goal and he saves!
66' No penalty? Williams handball overlooked by ref
Partizan appeal for a penalty - Miletic's header from a corner hitting Williams on the hand! No VAR in the Europa League until the final, so no chance to review it.
73' CHANCE! Sadiq's long shot inches wide
Partizan maintain possession and work the ball up to Soumah in a good position. He lays the ball off neatly to Sadiq for a shot, but it's narrowly wide.
83' SAVE! Romero denies Asano's header
Natcho whips a corner into the six-yard box and Asano uses the pace of the ball to just redirect it goalwards from the near post, but Romero saves instinctively and palms it away from danger!
Desmondeyum
2778
Man Utd sold VAR just after one appearance and bought back penalty
basketballer
2231
FUN FACTS : If Scoring Penalty was an Art then Manchester United would have been the Kane and Jorginho of it 😉
TheLowestLevelOfHell
1769
Day by day united keep going down might as well discover Arab oil
Chiebuliem_Emeto
1436
Maguire remove your mask We know you are boateng🤣🤣
Khan1999
1320
We did well making an unknown side look like UCL champions
Christophers
449
If you want to check out the gif, just click here: http://www.goalgif.club/v2/live/matchGifs?match_id=52935223&language=en
Gunners4ever❤
344
Since their 4-0 win against Chelsea on the first day of the season, Manchester United won only 4 games.... 3 of them were 1-0 wins, 2 of those 1-0 wins came from goals scored by penalties and the other was *cough* *cough* needing penalties to beat THIRD DIVISION rochdale AT HOME...😅😅 Once upon a time Manchester United used to be the most entertaining team in England
Profnick
243
Ole can definitely do good for us, but the players need to step up at the end of the day it's they who play on the field, not Ole... I saw nothing wrong with the formation and tactics employed by Ole, Mata was supposed to be the key figure in this match, and he did not turn up, Garner was great in his role and so was Williams, but great disappointment is with out no10... if he doesn't feed the strikers then who will?? as we all saw, no one... McTomminay was unlucky to be off target but if more players had tried these shots from outside the box we could have bagged more than just a penalty. It's painful to watch United play like this, but i don't blame Ole. for example some Said Mata was being played out of position, now he has his preferred no10 he still plays crap! is it Ole's Fault? Lindgard looking like a lost sheep, poor touches, no vibrancy to his game, is it Ole's fault? I think no, players like Lindgard and Mata are underperforming and it affects the game in key areas...
Tiaan134
233
Arent you the team who lost to oh shit dont even knowt their name