Martial strikes late against Lask then United finally offload Alexis Sánchez

Manchester United stuttered while keeping Lask at arm’s length in a last-16 second leg that was the very definition of a non-event given their five-goal advantage from the first game. They will not care, though, as thoughts for Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s side turn to Monday’s quarter-final against Copenhagen, the Danish champions, in Cologne.

That is a straight knockout tie, as will be the remainder of the Europa League competition United won three years ago in Stockholm. For the manager and his emerging sideit now represents a golden chance to claim their first trophy and that will be the focus when they arrive in Germany.

A talking point was the substitution of Jesse Lingard after 63 minutes, a little after he equalised for United – and the player later admitted unhappiness. “I felt like I could score more today but obviously it’s the manager’s decision and I stand by that,” he said. This was put to Solskjær. “He has to stand by the manager whatever decision he makes. I’d be disappointed if he was happy,” he said.

Related: Manchester United v LASK: Europa League last 16, second leg – live!

Solskjær also straight-batted the question of whether Lingard has a future at United. “There’s a good player [there] – he knows what we want from him,” he replied.

There were nine changes from the side who clinched third place in the Premier League at Leicester but only two from the 5-0 win at Lask in March. Solskjær said this was the reason for United’s disjointed play. “It is that sharpness you lack when you don’t play regularly, some haven’t played since lockdown. For me it was a good exercise, it’s job done, minutes under the belt and on to Cologne,” he said.

Timothy Fosu-Mensah, whose combination with Juan Mata along the right showed flashes of promise, hit one ball straight out for a goal-kick that was United in microcosm for the opening hour or so as they sleepwalked: a Peter Michorl free-kick smacked at Scott McTominay was as much a wake-up call as some clumsy Harry Maguire defending – an air-header – moments before in his area.

The captain’s aerial prowess in the opposition box also faltered when Mata dropped a rare United corner on to his head – he failed to force Alexander Schlager into action in Lask’s goal. Soporific was a fair adjective to characterise the game as the interval neared. That the Austrian side had not made United pay showed how toothless they were in attack. For a team assembled on a budget akin to a League Two side it was understandable.

A Fosu-Mensah burst behind the Lask defence just before half-time was his side’s best moment, though his cross only found Schlager’s gloves. As the second half began, United had their first attempt on target though Odion Ighalo’s shot again found only Schlager.

There was surprise when Lask did, at last, score. This came after Fosu-Mensah scrambled Reinhold Ranftl’s cross out for a corner. Fosu-Mensah again cleared but only to Philipp Wiesinger, who fired a 20-yard bullet past Sergio Romero.

Stung, United equalised instantly. A Juan Mata pass sprung Lingard, who after taking a relative age finished with the aid of a Philipp Wiesinger boot as the No 6’s attempt to help Schlager misfired badly. Solskjær then took off Lingard and Fred for Andreas Pereira and Paul Pogba.

Lask were 6-1 behind on aggregate and were left with 25 minutes chasing a United side finally on top.

Tahith Chong was given the last 20 minutes by the manager, the 20-year-old replacing Brandon Williams in a first outing at left-back. As might be expected a contest that had never truly started petered out – a definition true, too, of the United career of Alexis Sánchez, who is to join Internazionale imminently on a free transfer.

Solskjær said: “I believe so and I can confirm that. Alexis has had a good time over there [on loan], he’s a good player and we wish him all the best.”

By the end the 18-year-old Teden Mengi had made his bow in United colours and a fellow substitute, Anthony Martial, scored his 23rd goal of the season to clinch victory.

Victor Lindelof was not in the match-day 23, however. “Victor should be OK to travel. It’s great to get Eric [Bailly] through a game again, he’s had his ups and downs with injuries,” Solskjær said.