Granada v Manchester United: Europa League quarter-final – live!

4.54pm EDT 16:54

Full time: Granada 0-2 Manchester United

Peep peep! That’s a very good night’s work for Manchester United. The game was rubbish, in truth, but United can live with that after such a favourable result. Marcus Rashford scored a classy goal in the first half and Bruno Fernandes added another penalty in the last minute. Granada struggled to lay a glove on United: their only shots on target long-range efforts from Kenedy. United didn’t have many attempts either, but they made theirs count.

Updated at 4.56pm EDT

4.51pm EDT 16:51

90+3 min That second goal makes a big difference to the second leg. It means Solskjaer should – should – be able to start with Fernandes and Rashford on the bench, which is important as they are both in need of a rest.

4.50pm EDT 16:50

Fernandes clipped it towards the bottom-left corner. Silva went the right way and got hands on it, but the ball slithered through his hands. That’s a very rare example of a goalkeeping error at a penalty.

4.49pm EDT 16:49

GOAL! Granada 0-2 Manchester United (Fernandes 90 pen)

Bruno Fernandes scores – just!

Bruno Fernandes converts the penalty. Photograph: Fran Santiago/Getty Images

Updated at 4.56pm EDT

4.48pm EDT 16:48

89 min: PENALTY TO UNITED! Brice has been penalised for fouling Fernandes off the ball. Everyone was waiting for a Telles cross, and Fernandes went over after a shove to the face by Brice. It looks a bit soft but it was also stupid from Brice, and it’s not going to be overturned by VAR.

Updated at 4.52pm EDT

4.47pm EDT 16:47

88 min If it stays like this it will be Manchester United’s 11th clean sheet in the last 17 games. They’ve needed them, as the goals have dried up a wee bit, 9-0 victories notwithstanding.

4.45pm EDT 16:45

86 min And Granada have brought on Luis Suarez (no, stop it) and Yan Brice for Gonalons and Soldado.

Updated at 4.45pm EDT

4.44pm EDT 16:44

85 min Donny van de Beek has come on to replace Mason Greenwood.

4.43pm EDT 16:43

84 min Matic is booked for leading with the arm and brushing the face of Puertas.

4.42pm EDT 16:42

83 min: Good save from Silva! James did really well, dummying to shoot before reversing a pass to Fernandes. His shot from close range was smothered by Silva. Actually, scratch all that: replays showed Fernandes was offside, so it wouldn’t have counted.

4.40pm EDT 16:40

81 min Mathis’s long-range shot deflects behind for a corner. There have only been four shots on target in the whole game: three from Kenedy and the goal from Rashford.

Updated at 4.40pm EDT

4.39pm EDT 16:39

79 min United waste a couple of minutes by passing the ball around in defence and midfield. It’s been a really slow game, the antonym of that deranged thriller between Bayern and PSG last night.

4.33pm EDT 16:33

75 min And two more changes for Granada: Dimitri Foulquier and the talented Venezuelan Darwin Machis replace Kenedy and Neva

Updated at 4.34pm EDT

4.32pm EDT 16:32

74 min Another change for United: Pogba off, Matic on. Pogba had a 6.5/10 kind of game.

4.32pm EDT 16:32

73 min James surges promisingly down the left but then overhits his cross.

4.31pm EDT 16:31

73 min “They may be plucky underdogs, but Granada are a cynical disgrace,” says Duncan Edwards. “I’ve counted at least three times them complaining to the ref about nonexistent elbowing.”

Some of their tackling has been surprisingly brusque as well. They’ve clearly decided the English don’t like it up ’em.

Angel Montoro grapples with Scott Mctominay. Photograph: Álex Cámara/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock

Updated at 4.39pm EDT

4.30pm EDT 16:30

72 min: Harry Maguire is out of the second leg as well – he’s been booked for a foul on Soldado. That means United will be without Shaw, Maguire and McTominay next week.

4.29pm EDT 16:29

70 min Herrera breaks forward dangerously but slightly overhits his pass to Neva, whose cross deflects behind off Lindelof. Had the pass been softer, Neva would have been able to shoot first time.

4.27pm EDT 16:27

69 min Granada had a good spell either side of half-time. Since then, however, United have kept them at arm’s length. You never really know in the peculiar world of behind-closed-doors football, but you’d think Granada need at least a draw tonight if they are to have a serious chance of going through next week.

4.26pm EDT 16:26

68 min “Watching football without fans in the ground is kind of like an Imitation of Life, wouldn’t you say?” says Peter Oh. “I’d go as far as saying that I’ve been Losing My Religion.”

4.25pm EDT 16:25

67 min For the third time tonight, a sweet long-range strike from Kenedy is too close to de Gea. He has been lively though.

4.25pm EDT 16:25

65 min Another Manchester United change: Edinson Cavani replaces the goalscorer Marcus Rashford, who is presumably being protected with Sunday’s revenge mission at Spurs in mind.

4.23pm EDT 16:23

64 min “I’ve a friend who, how can I say it nicely, really does not want to like Rashford,” says Hiruy Gulilat. “This just makes me a defender of Rashford, without pay! And that control before the goal is not making it easy for him.”

4.21pm EDT 16:21

63 min I shan’t tell you what’s happening in the other quarter-finals in case you plan to watch any games on delay. But if you want to know the latest scores, this link is your friend.

4.20pm EDT 16:20

62 min Fernandes’s corner is headed over by Pogba at the far post. There were plenty of bodies around, but it still looked like a decent chance.

4.19pm EDT 16:19

60 min Maguire sells himself near the halfway line and is beaten by Herrera. Granada have a two-on-two attack as a result but Lindelof’s positioning is excellent and he blocks Herrera’s pass towards Soldado.

4.17pm EDT 16:17

58 min Maguire rumbles forward from the halfway line, beats Gonalons with some extravagant sleight of hip and rifles a long-range shot not far wide. He really should do that more often.

Updated at 4.18pm EDT

4.16pm EDT 16:16

58 min We’re all friends here, so let us speak frankly: so far, this has been a dog of a game.

4.13pm EDT 16:13

54 min Fernandes’s deep free-kick hits the head of Maguire at the far post and ricochets to safety. I’m pretty sure Maguire was unsighted, as otherwise it would have been a decent chance.

4.13pm EDT 16:13

54 min Duarte’s night is over. He limps off, German runs on to replace him.

4.11pm EDT 16:11

53 min Duarte is going to try to continue, though he’s limping heavily.

4.10pm EDT 16:10

51 min Domingos Duarte boots James up in the air – and injures himself in the process. I don’t think he’s going to be able to continue. Either way, he won’t be playing next week: he was booked for that agricultural hack at James, his third yellow card of the tournament.

Domingos Duarte goes in hard on Daniel James. Photograph: Gonzalo Arroyo/UEFA/Getty Images

Updated at 4.16pm EDT

4.09pm EDT 16:09

50 min The next corner is headed away by McTominay, but only as far as Kenedy on the left edge of the box. He whistles a good shot towards goal, but it’s too close to de Gea.

4.08pm EDT 16:08

49 min Granada have won five or six corners either side of half-time. Make that six or seven, with Montoro’s near-post corner headed behind for another by Pogba…

4.07pm EDT 16:07

47 min United have switched their front players: James to the left, Rashford central, Greenwood on the right.

4.04pm EDT 16:04

United have made a half-time substitution – Alex Telles is on for Luke Shaw.

4.04pm EDT 16:04

That goal was Rashford’s 20th of the season, to go with 22 in 2019-20. Those are really decent numbers for a wide forward in a team that are good but not great.

Updated at 4.04pm EDT

4.02pm EDT 16:02

“Putting aside magnificent art-pop for a second, Rashford’s first touch for the goal was absolutely filthy, and shouldn’t be shown without some kind of warning message,” says Matt Dony. “It was pre-watershed!”

If that’s an excuse to link to something I wrote ten years ago, then I don’t know what is!

The Joy of Six: football first touches | Rob Smyth

4.00pm EDT 16:00

“Hi Rob,” says David Wall. “What is the weather like in Spain this evening? I imagine it’s noticeably warmer than it has been in Manchester over the past week so it’ll be important for United’s players to replenish their Electrolyte levels at half time. If not then there’s a risk of a couple of Daysleepers in the defence as they’ll tire later in the game. With them having the lead in the away leg of the tie will Solskjaer be asking for more Drive in the second half, or will be an Apologist for taking a more defensive approach?”

I hope you’re proud of yourself, Matt Dony.

3.51pm EDT 15:51

Half time: Granada 0-1 Manchester United

Peep peep! Mason Greenwood had half a chance to double the lead just before the break, but tried one stepover too many and was dispossessed. As it is, Marcus Rashford’s expertly taken goal has put United in control of the tie. It was a forgettable half, very sluggish, though Granada started to attack with more aggression after going behind. See you soon for the second half.

3.47pm EDT 15:47

45 min This is Granada’s best spell. They’ve been quite aggressive at times, particularly with Rashford and Fernandes, and I suspect we’ll see more of that after half-time.

3.46pm EDT 15:46

44 min A nice corner routine from Granada. Montoro clips it outside the area to Kenedy, who cuts across a sweet volley that is comfortably saved by de Gea. It was straight at him, but a really good strike.

3.44pm EDT 15:44

43 min “R.E.M. songs, is it, Martyn Crooks?” says Matt Dony. “United a goal up and looking to go through to the Great Beyond of the semi-finals. Granada have got players who could make a difference, though, if they tune themselves in. What’s The Frequency, Kenedy?”

Alexa!

3.43pm EDT 15:43

42 min Luke Shaw is also out of the second leg: he has been booked for fouling Puertas.

3.43pm EDT 15:43

41 min Montoro angle sthe resulting free-kick towards Herrera, whose volleyed cross hits the outside of the post! De Gea had it covered, I think, although the movement of his hands wasn’t entirely convincing. Moments later, Soldado drags a half chance wide of the near post.

3.40pm EDT 15:40

40 min McTominay is booked for a foul on Puertas. That means he’ll miss the second leg.

3.40pm EDT 15:40

39 min United have had 71 per cent of the possession. Rashford’s goal is the only shot on target at either end.

3.39pm EDT 15:39

38 min A nice move from Granada ends with Dias flashing an excellent ball across the six-yard box.

3.37pm EDT 15:37

35 min Fernandes’s long-range shot deflects behind for a corner. Nothing comes of it. The game has been a stinker, in truth, but United won’t care now they have taken the lead.

3.35pm EDT 15:35

33 min Rashford’s angled run and finish were good, but the key to the goal was that velvety first touch.