Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes scored a last-gasp winner to secure a much needed 2-1 victory over Rangers in the Europa League group stage at Old Trafford.
The win lifted United to fourth in the standings on 15 points going into the last round of matches and in a strong position to reach the knockout phase.
It was a welcome result for manager Ruben Amorim who had said after Sunday’s defeat to Brighton that his team was “the worst, maybe, in the history” of the storied club.
While United’s Premier League campaign still looks dire, with the 20-time English champions 13th in the standings, their Europa League fate is in their own hands going into next week’s game against FCSB in Romania.
On Thursday, United dominated the early stages with Argentine striker Alejandro Garnacho firing in a couple of good shots and the hosts thought they had taken the lead when Matthijs de Ligt headed home from a corner, but the goal was disallowed due to a foul by Leny Yoro on Rangers defender Davy Propper.
Rangers also posed a threat and a long-range attempt from Hamza Igamane was brilliantly saved by United goalkeeper Altay Bayındır.
The deadlock was broken early in the second half when Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland misjudged Christian Eriksen's corner and sent the ball into his own net.
Substitute Cyril Dessers gave the visitors real hope of a point two minutes from time when he latched onto James Tavernier's through ball and unleashed a left-footed shot into the far corner of the net.
Rangers joy was short-lived though, as Fernandes struck in stoppage time to seal his side's fourth successive victory in the competition, with former manager Alex Ferguson celebrating in the stands.
"I think we started well and then we lost control of the game because of some bad decisions but the lads did well," United manager Ruben Amorim told TNT Sports.
"We are not playing our best but we regrouped from the last game. I know the opponent is different. It wasn't as fast. You can see the connections. I think we need to be more clinical in the right moments because that can help us a lot," he added.
Amorim called the victory "truly needed" amid their domestic struggles.
"We didn't deserve that draw at the moment, it was fair for us to win the game, a game we knew is tough," Amorim said.
"We started well, the pace of the game helped us because it's different and you could feel it, we tried to do things, we were better with the ball, sometimes we control it well...and sometimes we lose control, but I think we created the best chances to win the game and we deserved to win.
"This was a victory that we truly needed in this moment."
Son shines for Spurs
Tottenham also got some respite from their Premier League woes as a Son Heung-min double helped Spurs secure a 3-2 win at Hoffenheim to put them on course for the knockout rounds.
Goals from Son and James Maddison lifted Spurs up to provisional fourth in the revamped league phase of European club football's second-tier competition.
It also took some pressure off manager Ange Postecoglou with his injury-ravaged team arriving in Germany after failing to win their last six Premier League games.
Postecoglou had promised to win silverware for the first time for the London side since 2008 in his second season as boss.
With Spurs struggling in 15th behind Liverpool at home, that leaves the Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup to fulfil his promise.
A win against Swedish outfit Elfsborg in their closing league phase game at home next week will give them an automatic ticket to the next round.
"I told them to enjoy it," Postecoglou told TNT Sports.
"Winning away in Europe, it's a significant victory for us and gives us a good foothold to get into those top eight spots which will give us a week off," the Australian added.
There was, however, some more bad news on the injury front as it was revealed that striker Dominic Solanke is likely to be out for around six weeks because of a knee injury.
Solanke sustained the injury in training last week and missed the Premier League game against Everton on Sunday and Thursday's Europa League win.
“With Dom, the information now is that we are looking at around the six-week mark," Postecoglou said. “No surgery. Maybe we can get him back a little bit earlier, just see how he progresses. But, at this stage, it’s saying around six weeks."
