Lukaku shines as United brush Basel aside
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
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Romelu Lukaku and Marouane Fellaini both scored then combined to set up a third goal as Manchester United returned to the UEFA Champions League with a routine 3-0 victory at home to Basel.
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Goals from Marouane Fellaini, Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford ensured Manchester United's return to the UEFA Champions League started successfully at Old Trafford.
José Mourinho's men sent out a statement of intent as they eased to a 3-0 success against Basel in their Group A opener. The hosts suffered an early setback when Paul Pogba limped off with a hamstring injury but his replacement Fellaini made a quick impact, towering above the Basel defence to head in Ashley Young's 35th-minute cross.
United pulled away after the interval, doubling their lead when another delivery from wide, this time by Daley Blind, found Lukaku rushing in to plant a firm header past Tomáš Vaclík. Another substitute completed the scoring as Rashford calmly swept in the third after Lukaku and Fellaini had carved open the visitors down the right channel.
Key player: Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United)
Reporter's view: Simon Hart (@UEFAcomSimonH)
This was a solid start from United on their UEFA Champions League return and it underlined two truths about Mourinho's side: that Fellaini is a player of undeniable value to United and that in Lukaku they have a virtual guarantee of goals. It's now six in six for the Belgian since his summer arrival, though it took an earlier header from Fellaini to break the deadlock as he made a big impact on the game after replacing the injured Pogba. A word too for Young, creator of the first goal with his quick feet, on his first appearance since May.