Tonight is the first leg of the Last 16 clash in the Europa League between Manchester United and AC Milan.
In the previous round Manchester United beat Real Sociedad 4-0 on aggregate where AC Milan knocked out Crvena zvezda after drawing 3-3 and going through on away goals.
In Manchester United’s most recent game, they won the Manchester derby against Manchester City 2-0. The Red Devils have made four changes to the team that won that game at the weekend with Eric Bailly, Alex Telles, Nemanja Matić and Mason Greenwood coming into the side replacing Victor Lindelöf, Luke Shaw, Fred and Marcus Rashford.
AC Milan beat Verona 2-0 to keep up their title challenge in Serie A. Stefano Pioli has made two changes to the side that won at the weekend. Simon Kjær and Brahim Díaz have been bought into the side, with Alessio Romagnoli and Samu Castillejo making way. Milan are missing their main striker and former Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimović due to injury.
Diogo Dalot is currently on loan from Manchester United to AC Milan. The Portuguese player has played 35 games for Manchester United in all competitions before going to the Rossoneri at the start of the season. Dalot was able to score in AC Milan’s last game against Verona which helped his side to victory.
Embed from Getty ImagesBoth sides will be coming out soon for the start of the game at Old Trafford. Manchester United have won the Europa League once in their history winning the competition back in 2017 where as AC Milan has never won the cup before.
KICK OFF: AC Milan has kicked off the game.
4th min: First few minutes of the game has been played in the Manchester United half. AC Milan are doing well putting the United players under pressure early on in the game.
5th min: AC Milan put the ball in the back of the net but the linesman flag is raised. Good finish from Rafael Leão to beat Henderson but the goal doesn’t count. AC Milan will be happy with how they have started in the game. Ole Gunnar Solskjær will want his side to improve soon or they may go a goal down.
8th min: Anthony Martial got Manchester United’s first shot on goal in the game. The French forward was able to control the ball with his chest and then hit the ball on the volley. The shot forced a save from the AC Milan captain Gianluigi Donnarumma in the Milan goal.
11th min: GOAL FOR AC MILAN! Franck Kessié has scored a stunner for his side. The AC Milan midfielder was able to receive the ball from a throw in and volley the ball into the back of the net.
13th min: GOAL DISALLOWED DUE TO VAR! Seems very harsh not to give that goal as the ball seems to slightly brush the arm of Kessié before he put the ball in the back of the net. Milan will be disappointed with the goal getting disallowed as it would have been a very important away goal.
15th min: So far in the game Milan has dominated the game and had the ball in the back of the net twice but both were disallowed. Manchester United will need to wake up soon or they will be a goal down soon.
18th min: YELLOW CARD FOR MILAN. Alexis Saelemaekers picks up the first yellow card of the evening as he trips up Telles near the Milan penalty area.
22nd min: So far Manchester United have struggled to create many chances. They are going to be looking at Bruno Fernandes to create an opportunity for their team.
25th min: Rade Krunić was able to get inside the Manchester United penalty area with the ball but couldn’t get a clean shot on goal as Henderson was able to make a simple save.
30th min: Another chance for AC Milan this time for Alexis Saelemaekers who’s shot went straight at Henderson in the Manchester United goal.
33rd min: United have been able to get behind the Milan defence a few times in the last few minutes which they haven’t done at all during the game. So far, they have looked like the team that drew to Crystal Palace not the team that beat Manchester City.
37th min: The English side are growing in confidence as they are putting the pressure back on Milan. They are starting to dictate the tempo of the game after a fairly lacklustre start.
38th min: MANCHESTER UNITED HIT THE POST! Maguire has missed an open goal from a yard out. Fernandes flicked a header towards the back post to his captain and the ball hit Maguire in the shin and then the post. Huge chance for Manchester United and Maguire, he hangs his head in shame for missing such an easy opportunity.
40th min: Five minutes left in the half as Milan will be the happier of the two sides. However the Italian side will want to score an away goal today or they will be under pressure in the second leg if Manchester United score one.
45th min: One minute of added time in the first half.
HALF TIME
The first half at Old Trafford has finished. The main talking point is Kessie’s goal getting disallowed by VAR. It seems a very harsh decision for not giving Kessie the goal as it doesn’t even look like the ball touched his arm. Maguire should have scored for his side but he missed an open goal from a yard out. Manchester United will need to play better in the second half if they are going to get anything from this game.
Half time substitution for Manchester United as Amad Diallo is off for Martial.
KICK OFF: Manchester United has started the second half.
50th min: GOAL FOR MANCHESTER UNITED! The substitute Diallo has scored after coming on at half time. Bruno Fernandes who played a beautiful pass and found Diallo was able to flick the ball over Donnarumma’s head. Great start to the second half for Manchester United as Diallo scores his first goal for Manchester United.
53rd min: Now AC Milan will be under pressure because they haven’t been able to score an away goal yet in this tie.
55th min: YELLOW CARD FOR MANCHESTER UNITED. Scott McTominay picks up a yellow card for impeding Donnarumma and preventing a AC Milan counter attack.
58th min: First chance for AC Milan in the second half falls to Kessie who was able to volley the ball towards the Manchester United goal. Henderson did well to get down low and make the save. The English goalkeeper has performed well playing in place of the regular first team goalkeeper David De Gea.
60th min: 30 minutes left in the game as Manchester United are winning 1-0. Milan will feel like they need to score or they will have a lot of work to do in the second leg.
64th min: Chance for Milan after a brilliant cross from Davide Calabria on the right side of the pitch to Krunić. Unfortunately for Milan the Bosnian couldn’t get his header on target as the ball went wide of the goal.
69th min: Substitutions for AC Milan. Sandro Tonali and Samu Castillejo are on for Brahim Díaz and Alexis Saelemaekers.
72nd min: Another big miss from Manchester United as Mason Greenwood did well putting the ball into the box for Daniel James, but his shot went wide of the goal. Another huge miss for Manchester United after Maguire’s miss in the first half.
74th min: Substitutions for Manchester United. Luke Shaw, Brandon Williams and Fred on for Bruno Fernandes, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James.
74th min: Substitution for Milan. Pierre Kalulu replaces Davide Calabria.
78th min: Manchester United seem comfortable at the moment in defence as Milan don’t seem like they are going to score anytime soon.
83rd min: McTominay is very lucky to still be on the pitch. The Scottish midfielder bought down a Milan player outside of the penalty area. With McTominay already being on a yellow card, Milan players was asking the referee about a potential red card but the referee waved them away.
86th min: AC Milan was able to get in behind the United defence but Kalulu failed to find Rafael Leão in the penalty area as Milan wastes another opportunity.
90th min: THREE MINUTES OFF ADDED TIME.
92nd min: GOAL FOR AC MILAN! Huge goal in the tie as Milan scores a late away goal in the tie. Kjær was the man for the visitors who scored a header from a corner. Henderson will feel like he should have saved the shot as the ball went over his head.
FULL TIME: Manchester United 1 AC Milan 1
AC Milan will be happy with how they performed tonight and were the better side on the night and able to get a late away goal and get themselves right back in this tie. Manchester United thought Diallo’s goal was enough to secure the win for the second leg but that late goal form Kjær changes the mood completely for both sides.
The second leg between the two side will take place next week at the San Siro where one of the sides will progress to the Quarter Finals in the Europa League.
