Manchester United beat Rangers 2-1 in an entertaining Europa League clash at Old Trafford.
Bruno Fernandes’ late strike sealed victory in dramatic fashion under the lights at the Theater of Dreams, after the visitors had equalized minutes earlier.
The game started with United having the lion’s share of the ball, but Rangers proved dangerous on the counter.
Alejandro Garnacho threatened early on, charging past a defender but Jack Butland successfully saved him.
Rangers, despite their limited time on the ball, created promising chances, with Ridvan Yilmaz forcing a smart save from Altay Bayindir and Nicolas Raskin’s header denying Garnach at the other end.
United thought they had taken the lead in the 24th minute when Matthijs de Ligt headed home from a corner, but the goal was disallowed for a foul in stoppage time.
Bruno’s late winner secures all three points! ➕3️⃣#MUFC || #UEL
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 23, 2025
Both sides continued to trade chances, with Rangers’ Cyriel Dessers looking sharp and Amad Diallo testing Butland, but the first half ended goalless.
The match was interrupted at the beginning of the second half under bizarre circumstances.
In the 52nd minute, the otherwise great Butland made a costly mistake, misjudging Christian Eriksen’s corner attempt and sending the ball into his own net.
United seemed to take control after this, creating several opportunities to extend their lead. Garnacho hit the post from close range and Harry Maguire missed a free header from Eriksen’s second combination.
The Rangers, however, refused to give up. Philippe Clement’s team switched to a more attacking formation, and it later paid off.
In the 88th minute, James Tavernier delivered an incredibly long pass to Dessers, who controlled it brilliantly before firing a shot past Bayindir into the bottom corner, causing pandemonium among the traveling fans.
With the game seemingly headed for a tie, United’s captain stepped up in the final moments.
After the Rangers attack broke down, United moved forward. Lisandro Martinez crossed perfectly from the left, and Fernandes cut into the box to knock low past Butland in the 92nd minute.
It was Fernandes’ first goal in this season’s Europa League and a fitting way to mark his 50th appearance in the competition.
The win lifted Manchester United to fourth in the Europa League table, keeping alive their qualification hopes, while Rangers, in 13th, were left to rue missed opportunities and a moment of brilliance from the United captain.
