And that’s that! United did enough to see off a much-improved Benfica in a highly entertaining game. They’ve not quite made it to the knockout stage yet, CSKA Moscow having won in Basel, but they’re as good as there, having claimed 12 points out of 12 so far and requiring just one more to get through. A good night’s work for Jose Mourinho, who throws a friendly arm around his opposite number Rui Vitoria and wanders off to warm applause. Seems the home support enjoyed that, just as he’d hoped. Benfica, for the record, are out.

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90 min: Blind and Douglas slam into each other in the 1970s style. No holds barred, no quarter given. Ooyah, oof. That will have hurt. But there are no histrionics, and both men are quickly up and about again.

89 min: Jonas channels his inner Jim Baxter, playing keepy-uppy to the left of the United goal. He eventually gets fed up and flicks a cross towards Salvio, on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box. Salvio rises to bang a header on goal, but de Gea claims without too much fuss. Lovely skill from Jonas, though. It’s been a very entertaining match, from start to finish.

87 min: Salvio skitters with purpose down the right, reaches the byline, and slams a low cross through the six-yard box. Seferovic didn’t anticipate in the middle. Bailly hacks out for a corner, and nothing comes of the set piece.

86 min: Mkhitaryan splits Benfica in two with a glorious pass down the inside-left channel. Rashford is in space at the left-hand corner of the box. He squares a pass for Lukaku, who winds up to shoot first time. The effort is blocked. Nothing quite going Lukaku’s way right now.

84 min: Rashford goes for goal, 30 yards up the left wing. Ambitious. But to be fair, he’s earned the right.

82 min: That CSKA Moscow goal means United still need a point to qualify. Meanwhile a corner for Benfica which very nearly ends up with Rashford skating off towards goal from the halfway line. But not quite.

80 min: Jonas comes on for Pizzi. And here’s a scoreline: CSKA have turned it around in Basel, and they’re now leading 2-1!

Lukaku prepares to tee up the ball and take the kick. Herrera takes the ball off him and shapes to take responsibility himself. Finally Blind snatches it off Herrera, and lashes a simple one down the middle. Slightly farcical scenes, but United will care not a jot: they’ll be in the knockout stages tonight unless Moscow find a winner in Basel.

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77 min: Rashford makes an instant impact. He zips past Samaris, enters the area, beats Ruben Dias on the outside, and is then clattered by Samaris, coming back for more. Happy 20th birthday to this amazing young man!

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75 min: Both teams make a change. Seferovic replaces Jimenez for Benfica; the excellent Martial makes way for the birthday boy Rashford.

73 min: McTominay makes his way into the box from the right, but can’t quite get a shot away. He’s been impressive this evening. Benfica go up the other end, Salvio getting better down the inside-right channel and earning a corner off Blind (even if it looked as though he had the last touch). Fortunately for fans of all that’s right and proper, the dodgy corner comes to nothing.

71 min: Lukaku wanders in off the right flank and exchanges passes with Mkhitaryan on the edge of the box. He’s free in the box, but his chipped shot is turned round the post by Svilar, who was quickly up in the striker’s grille. And Lukaku is miles offside anyway. Sad thing is, looking at the replay, Mkhitaryan’s pinged pass was for Martial, who was coming through the middle and was very much onside. But Lukaku took the shot on. Martial throws his hands in the air, a picture of frustration.

69 min: Mkhitaryan strides down the middle of the pitch in the proactive style. It’s a barnstorming run. He’s tugged back by Salvio in the most cynical fashion. That Adidas fabric doesn’t half stretch. Salvio is booked, and doesn’t bother complaining.

67 min: United have lost control of the midfield, and Mourinho has seen enough. Mata is replaced by Herrera. Meanwhile CSKA have equalised in Basel: it’s 1-1. As things stand, United are still going through tonight.

66 min: Benfica started this half slowly, but they’re fully in the game again now. They’re dominating possession. And they’ve unnerved United. Bailly plays a preposterous square ball towards Smalling, 30 yards from goal. Jimenez nips in to steal it, and curls a shot past de Gea and onto the outside of the left-hand post! Goal kick. The margins have been fine tonight.

64 min: Benfica make a change. Eliseu comes on for Grimaldo.

62 min: Jimenez races down the inside-right channel and threatens to break clear of Bailly. The defender does very well to hold him up, and pushes him out towards the right wing. Jimenez, who had been hopeful of getting a shot away, settles for a deep cross towards Pizzi. It’s no good. United were light at the back there; a chance spurned by the visitors.

60 min: Plenty of Benfica possession. A good couple of minutes’ worth in the United half. Pass, pass, passity, pass. And suddenly Goncalves spins away from Smalling down the inside-right channel and threads a shot towards the bottom left. It’s on target, and it looks like it’s going in, but de Gea somehow fingertips it round the post at full stretch. What a shot, and a save to match! The corner comes to nought.

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57 min: Jimenez drops a shoulder, 20 yards from goal, shifting gently from left to right and curling one towards the bottom right. The unflappable de Gea is behind it all the way.

55 min: So having given Martial the big sell, he gets into a couple of decent positions down the left and messes both of them up in spectacular style. First he breaks clear from a Benfica thicket only to wildly slash an effort into the Stretford End. Then he’s sent scampering into the box by Lukaku, but instead of taking a shot from a similar position to his game-winning one against Spurs the other day, tries to beat Ruben Dias with a trick on the outside. The ball clanks off his shin and out of play.

53 min: Benfica were bright and impressive in the first period; they’re not on it in the second so far. Goncalves tries to get something moving with a power dribble down the left, cutting inside and shaping to shoot, but he hesitates and the chance to get something sailing goalwards is gone.

51 min: Martial opens Benfica up down the right with a delicious little backheel. Darmian goes romping towards the byline, then cuts back for Mata, who lashes wildly over. Martial has been the best player on the pitch by a country mile.

49 min: All a little bit scrappy since the restart. The travelling Benfica fans sound like they’re enjoying themselves, despite the scoreline.

47 min: Martial makes another determined run down the left, and slips the ball inside for Lukaku, who has options around him, or a chance to advance on the box and shoot. He takes a heavy touch and loses possession. A slight groan from the Old Trafford faithful. Nothing major, but you can bet Jose’s ears pricked up.

You want second-half action? We got second-half action! Benfica get the ball rolling again. United have replaced Lingard, who injured his ribs early in that first half, with Mkhitaryan.

Half-time admin:

The whistle goes for the end of the first half. The unfortunate Svilar allows himself a wry smile as he walks off to the dressing room, then looks up at the heavens in a semi-accusatory manner. You can hardly blame him. But United won’t care, and nor should they: they have a precious lead! And with Basel leading CSKA 1-0 at half time, they’re closing in on a place in the knockout stage!

45 min +1: A deflated Benfica allow Lukaku to burst through the middle, clear on goal! He looks to gently lift the ball over Svilar, who gets in the way magnificently, the ball sailing out for a corner. A wonderful save to add to his bittersweet collection.

Another nightmare for the young keeper, though he can’t be blamed for this. Matic, 25 yards out, extends a long leg and lashes a pearler towards the bottom right. Svilar has it covered if it’s on target. But it’s not. The ball hits the base of the right-hand post, out onto the fully-extended Svilar’s back, and into the net. Svilar has been excellent this half; he’ll be wondering what he’s done to deserve this! Great shot from Matic, mind.

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44 min: Martial bursts down the left and earns a corner off a panting Salvio. Blind takes. Smalling fouls. Mourinho stands on the touchline frowning enigmatically.

42 min: Lukaku bustles through the middle of the park and lays off to Martial on the left, just inside the Benfica area. Martial’s first touch isn’t all that, forcing him further to the left, and he blazes hysterically over the bar.

40 min: Lingard has a crack from the edge of the Benfica box. It’s deflected and looks like going out for a corner, well wide to the right of goal. But Svilar sprints to make up loads of ground, and saves the ball going out for the set piece. After his nightmare in Lisbon, it’s going pretty well this week for the young man.