Injured Parisians hurt Ole’s United

| | Manchester
  • 0

Injured Parisians hurt Ole’s United

Thursday, 14 February 2019 | AFP | Manchester

Injured Parisians hurt Ole’s United

Kimpembe and Mbappe score within seven minutes to help PSG beat Red Devils 2-0 and end Solskjaer unbeaten run

Manchester United caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted his side were shown how much they still have to improve after being swept aside by an injury-hit Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie on Tuesday.

Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe struck in a seven-minute spell just before the hour mark as PSG displayed their credentials to finally become champions of Europe for the first time, especially once they get the world's most expensive player Neymar and Edinson Cavani back from injury.

After a run of 10 wins and one draw in 11 games since Solskjaer replaced the sacked Jose Mourinho in December, a first defeat for the Norwegian is a reality check for United's revival and they have a mountain to climb when the sides meet again for the second leg on March 6.

The English giants will also have to cope without Paul Pogba in three weeks' time as he was sent off a minute from time to round off a terrible night for the hosts.

Di Maria silences

PSG showed they still retain plenty of world class talent despite their big name absentees as United struggled to contain the slick passing of Thomas Tuchel's men in midfield and the pace of Mbappe in attack.

Angel di Maria was roundly booed by the home support on his return to Old Trafford after an unhappy one-season spell with United after signing for a then club record £60 million in 2014.

But the Argentine silenced his detractors by setting up both goals and also mocked the throwing of a beer bottle at him by pretending to drink from it.

For all PSG's injury problems, a double blow also rocked United in the seconds before half-time and at the break as Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial limped off to be replaced by Alexis Sanchez and Juan Mata.

The home side never recovered their composure as PSG produced a stunning second-half display to all but book their place in the last eight despite David de Gea's best efforts in the United goal.

Kimpembe was left completely unmarked to side-foot home Di Maria's corner from point-blank range on 53 minutes.

A brilliant team goal then doubled United's trouble soon after when Mbappe was again too quick for Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly to meet Di Maria's low cross.

"The first goal is always going to be important and the way we concede it is disappointing," added Solskjaer.

"The second goal was quality by them. The ground he (Mbappe) makes up that boy to get in the box, to all the strikers that want to be poachers that's how to get in the box."

Thereafter only De Gea stood in the visitors' way as he stayed big to block Mbappe's attempted chip as he bore down on goal again before Juan Bernat's rising drive was then diverted wide.

And any hope of a United comeback in Paris suffered another huge blow when Pogba was dismissed late on for catching Dani Alves with a raised boot.

Sunday Edition

CAA PASSPORT TO FREEDOM

24 March 2024 | Kumar Chellappan | Agenda

CHENNAI EXPRESS IN GURUGRAM

24 March 2024 | Pawan Soni | Agenda

The Way of Bengal

24 March 2024 | Shobori Ganguli | Agenda

The Pizza Philosopher

24 March 2024 | Shobori Ganguli | Agenda

Astroturf | Lord Shiva calls for all-inclusiveness

24 March 2024 | Bharat Bhushan Padmadeo | Agenda

Interconnected narrative l Forest conservation l Agriculture l Food security

24 March 2024 | BKP Sinha/ Arvind K jha | Agenda