Match ends, Manchester United 3, Basel 0.
Manchester United made a winning return to the Champions League with a deserved home victory over Swiss side Basel.
Marouane Fellaini, who came on for the injured Paul Pogba in the first half, rose highest to head United ahead from an Ashley Young cross with 10 minutes to go to the break.
Romelu Lukaku strengthened their grip on the encounter by converting from among a group of players in the box from a Daley Blind cross following a short corner.
Marcus Rashford fired in his side's third from a Fellaini low cross seven minutes after coming on. The striker has now scored in his first appearance in the Champions League, Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup, League Cup and for England.
The scoreline could have been even greater for Jose Mourinho's dominant side, making their first appearance in Europe's premier club competition since 2015, having qualified by winning the Europa League in May.
They created numerous clear-cut chances, the best of which Henrikh Mkhitaryan side-footed against the post from close range after being found by a Lukaku cut-back.
Basel were pinned back in their own half for much of the game but could have forced a different outcome had Luca Zuffi not fired wide from an unmarked position in the box just before Fellaini's opener.
Mohamed Elyounoussi also forced David De Gea into a fine save with a rising shot from inside the box as the visitors became more ambitious in the final quarter of the match.
In the other game in Group A, CSKA Moscow beat Benfica 2-1 in Portugal.
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Fellaini proves his worth again
Before the game, United boss Jose Mourinho told reporters that he felt "weaker" without Fellaini in his squad.
The manager would rather not have had to call on him quite so early, with the Belgium midfielder coming on just 19 minutes in after Pogba suffered a hamstring injury.
It is a testament to Fellaini's display that United did not break stride following the loss of the in-form France international.
Fellaini was strong and accurate in the tackle, neat with his passing and once again illustrated his aerial prowess with the opener.
After starting the ball rolling for his side, he turned provider late on with an incisive pull-back to set Rashford up for the third goal.
Depending on the severity of Pogba's injury, United may need Fellaini now more than ever.
Another first for Rashford
Rashford is making it impossible for Mourinho to leave him out of the United side.
Having started three of his side's four Premier League matches to date this season, the England forward was left out to allow Anthony Martial a turn from the start.
Shortly after being introduced, he once again demonstrated his awareness of an impending opportunity and ability to locate space in which to capitalise, darting into the box to dispatch Fellaini's cross.
His connection wasn't the truest, but it was enough to carry the ball past Tomas Vaclik.
It was his third goal of the campaign, the third game in succession in which he has scored and another debut goal to further underline his status as one of the most natural finishers in the English game.
Man of the match - Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United)
United unbeaten at home in a year - the key stats
- Manchester United are unbeaten in 32 successive home games in all competitions (W21 D11 L0) and have not lost at Old Trafford for a year, since 10 September 2016. This is their best unbeaten home run since October 2011 (37 games).
- Marouane Fellaini's goal was the 100th scored by a Belgian player in the Champions League (excluding own goals).
- His strike was also his 50th in English club football (33 for Everton, 17 for Man Utd).
- Fellaini's goal was the earliest by a substitute for Manchester United in the Champions League since Ryan Giggs on 25 February 2003 against Juventus, which came after 15 minutes.
- Romelu Lukaku became the 13th player to score on their Champions League debut for Manchester United.
- This was the first time that two Belgians have scored for the same team in a Champions League game since 23 October 2002 (Club Brugge v Galatasaray).
- Marcus Rashford is the fourth English teenager to score a Champions League goal for Manchester United after David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Phil Jones.
Line-ups
Man Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1de Gea
- 18YoungBooked at 38mins
- 2Lindelöf
- 12Smalling
- 17BlindBooked at 58mins
- 6PogbaSubstituted forFellainiat 19'minutes
- 31Matic
- 8MataSubstituted forRashfordat 77'minutes
- 22Mkhitaryan
- 11MartialSubstituted forLingardat 69'minutes
- 9Lukaku
Substitutes
- 14Lingard
- 16Carrick
- 19Rashford
- 20Romero
- 25A Valencia
- 27Fellaini
- 36Darmian
FC Basel
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Vaclik
- 36Akanji
- 17Suchy
- 23BalantaBooked at 28mins
- 5LangBooked at 61mins
- 34XhakaBooked at 82mins
- 7Zuffi
- 25Riveros GaleanoSubstituted forOberlinat 77'minutes
- 11Steffen
- 9van WolfswinkelSubstituted forBuaat 66'minutes
- 24Elyounoussi
Substitutes
- 4Gaber
- 13Salvi
- 15Fransson
- 19Oberlin
- 31Schmid
- 33Bua
- 39Callà
- Referee:
- Ruddy Buquet
- Attendance:
- 73,854
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home61%
- Away39%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away2
- Corners
- Home7
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away14
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Manchester United 3, Basel 0.
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Offside, Manchester United. Romelu Lukaku tries a through ball, but Henrikh Mkhitaryan is caught offside.
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Attempt missed. Mohamed Elyounoussi (Basel) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Éder Balanta.
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Foul by Victor Lindelöf (Manchester United).
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Dimitri Oberlin (Basel) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Marek Suchy.
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Offside, Basel. Mohamed Elyounoussi tries a through ball, but Dimitri Oberlin is caught offside.
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Foul by Jesse Lingard (Manchester United).
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Manuel Akanji (Basel) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal!
Goal! Manchester United 3, Basel 0. Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal.
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Jesse Lingard (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Manuel Akanji (Basel).
Booking
Taulant Xhaka (Basel) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Taulant Xhaka (Basel).
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Foul by Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Manchester United).
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Taulant Xhaka (Basel) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Attempt missed. Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right from a direct free kick.
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Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Comments
Join the conversation
Calm down, go watch your own teams. Why waste your life watching MU win?
Ahhh, yeah, what life?
great result for man u.
Enjoy your game tomorrow
Well done Utd.
You can only play who's in front of you and so far we've done ok, keep it going.
Young, Mhki and Lukaku all did well tonight, as did Fellaini.
6 minutes ago
@54 when you say "major" are you counting the Community Shield?
@53 its the same trophy, if you don't believe me you can see 5 of them in our Trophyroom
Mourinho in his first 12 months at United has won more trophies than King Kenny,Woy Hodgson,Brendan Rodgers and the German Brendan Rodgers combined have in over 10 years.
Liverpool FC are hasbeens
Just now
@69 and you've probably never been to Old Trafford and never lived in Manchester
That's conjecture.if you want to deal in facts,you've never witnessed Liverpool FC winning the premier league
Just now
Could that be because after years of taunting United fans about a tragedy without any remorse,being involved in 2 tragedies your fans suddenly realised it's not nice being on the end of hateful taunts.
If the two tragedies did not take placein the 80's to LFC supporters then I'm pretty sure the Munich chants would still be going strong
Whoever brings up such things, no matter which club you support, you should be ashamed of yourselves.
Why are you so interested in Man Utd? You talk about them so much, it's truly flattering but not wanted attention.
Try living in the real world, not in a historic sepia toned one where LFC' s history is, along with the changes to the back pass rule.
Have you won England's top prize since then ?
Utd won, weren't great but did the main thing, get 3 points
12 Sept 2017 23:04
I've not said anything at all to say I'm glad of the tragedies,what a stupid remark you are making.
I have said that Liverpool fans taunted United fans over a tragedy for years,it was only after experiencing 2 tragedies themselves and being on the end of some vile chants that they now realise it's not nice to be on the end of hateful chants
Just now
@68 "Fellaini was excellent as was Ashley Young" that's like saying "Suarez and Messi were excellent" against Accrington Stanley
A bit like saying Aguero and Sane were excellent against Liverpool then