'Avoiding calamity' - national media make 'pointless' Manchester United point after Rangers win

Manchester United earned a dramatic 2-1 win over Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Ruben Amorim's team took the lead after a mistake from former United goalkeeper Jack Butland early in the second half. The visitors then thought they had snatched a late draw after a fine finish from Cyriel Dessers followed Harry Maguire's mistake.

But Bruno Fernandes came to United's rescue in stoppage time, with Amorim's side now on the brink of qualifying for the knockout stages. The Reds sit fourth in the table with their final league phase match away at Steaua Bucuresti on January 30. United are next in action away at Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday evening (kick-off: 7pm). Below, the national media have had their say on Thursday's win over Rangers.

Paul Hirst of The Times wrote: "Will Manchester United ever win a match in a routine manner? Is a steady, 2-0 win not within their capabilities, even against inferior opponents?

"The answer is, of course, no. Not at this stage of life under Ruben Amorim anyway. The Portuguese knows that himself. That is why he said last week that the rest of the season would be a rollercoaster.

"This was certainly a game that fitted that description. They chuckled when Jack Butland punched the ball into his own net to give United the lead. They despaired when Harry Maguire failed to deal with a simple ball over the top in the 88th minute and Cyriel Dessers blasted the ball past Altay Bayindir."

Jamie Jackson of The Guardian wrote: "Winning is the only cast-iron way to control the message in football. So after Ruben Amorim’s various recent rhetorical wrong turns this added-time, sixth victory of a chequered 16-game Manchester United reign was needed.

"On 88 minutes it seemed very far