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Luke Shaw's first-half own goal handed Barcelona the advantage as Manchester United suffered a frustrating 1-0 defeat in their Champions League quarter-final first leg at Old Trafford.
The United left-back gave Barca a deserved lead on 12 minutes when he deflected Luis Suarez's header into his own net, with the goal confirmed following a VAR review.
United responded well to the early setback, halting Barca's dominance on the ball, but their cause was undermined by a toothless attacking display which failed to yield a single shot on target in the Champions League for the first time since 2005.
Having overcome a two-goal deficit to knock out Paris Saint-Germain in the last-16, United need to produce another heroic comeback to progress to the semi-finals when they travel to the Nou Camp on April 16.
Player ratings
Man Utd: De Gea (7), Young (4), Smalling (7), Lindelof (6), Shaw (6), Dalot (7), McTominay (7), Fred (6), Pogba (6), Lukaku (4), Rashford (6).
Subs: Lingard (n/a), Martial (6).
Barcelona: Ter Stegen (7), Semedo (8), Pique (8), Lenglet (5), Alba (7), Busquets (6), Rakitic (7), Arthur (6), Suarez (7), Coutinho (6), Messi (7).
Subs: Vidal (5), S. Roberto (6), Alena (n/a).
Man of the Match: Gerard Pique
Marcus Rashford's fiercely-struck free-kick flashed wide inside four minutes but Barca were dominant in possession and it was not long before their precise passing unlocked the United defence.
Lionel Messi gathered Sergio Busquet's ball over the top and cleverly crossed to the back post for Suarez, whose header deflected in off Shaw. The goal was initially ruled out for offside but the relief inside Old Trafford was short-lived as a brief consultation with VAR found no infringement and the goal was allowed to stand.
Lionel Messi was kept quiet by Manchester United
United prevented Barca from building momentum after their opener, pressing their opponents high, and the hosts had claims for a penalty rightly rejected when Scott McTominay went to ground under a challenge from Gerard Pique on the half hour.
Another incisive Barcelona move nearly yielded a second goal on 36 minutes, but David de Gea produced a fine save with his feet to deny Philippe Coutinho after he was released in behind by Suarez.
Team news
Marcus Rashford replaced Jesse Lingard in Manchester United’s only change from the win over Watford. Lionel Messi lined up in a formidable front three alongside Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho for Barcelona, whose only change for the victory at Atletico Madrid saw Nelson Semedo replace Sergi Roberto.
United should have drawn level four minutes before half-time when Rashford's cross from the right found Diogo Dalot unmarked at the back post, but the Portuguese got caught in two minds and sent an aimless header across the face of the exposed Barca goal.
United lacked the clinical edge in front of goal and Rashford sliced horribly wide after goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen's punched clearance landed at the striker's feet within six minutes of the restart.
After Suarez rifled a shot into the side-netting, Ernesto Valverde introduced Arturo Vidal and Sergi Roberto, and the latter nearly had an immediate impact as his mazy run into the area was halted just as he prepared to pull the trigger by a vital challenge from Shaw.
Barca upped the tempo in search of a potentially crucial second, but United prevented further damage, living to fight another day ahead of next Tuesday's return leg in Catalonia.
KEY STATS
Manchester United have lost three consecutive home Champions League knockout stage games for the first time.
This was Barcelona's fourth Champions League victory against Manchester United, with each one coming in a different stadium (Camp Nou, Stadio Olimpico, Wembley and Old Trafford).
Manchester United have lost four of their last six Champions League home games, as many as they had in their previous 71 at Old Trafford in the competition (W51 D16 L4).
Manchester United failed to have a single shot on target in a Champions League game for the first time since March 2005, in a 0-1 loss at AC Milan.
Barcelona have won five of their last seven away games against English opponents in the Champions League (D1 L1), as many as they had in their first 17 such games in the competition (W5 D5 L7).
Luke Shaw's own goal was the eighth Manchester United have scored in the Champions League - no side has netted more in the history of the competition.
Six of Barcelona’s Champions League goals this season have been own goals. Only Lionel Messi has scored more for them.
Manchester United had no shots on target for the first time in a home Champions League match since Opta records began in 2003. They have scored only once in five Champions League games at Old Trafford this season.
The managers
— Ole Gunnar Solskjaer:
"Going to the Nou Camp is going to be a challenge. It would be a greater achievement [than the comeback against PSG]. With the history of Barcelona, they are not used to losing at home, but we can do it, no doubt about it. We know we can carry a goal threat. Whoever is playing up front, we have to provide a bit more ammunition for them."
MAN OF THE MATCH
Scott McTominay (Manchester United) Where are you and what have you done with Scott McTominay? This was another performance of eyecatching authority from a player who looked mediocre at best under Jose Mourinho. He was dynamic without the ball, which wasn’t such a big surprise, and a revelation with it.
KEY MOMENTS
13’ - GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 0-1 BARCELONA (Shaw own goal) Barcelona take the lead with the help of VAR. The goal was originally disallowed for offside, but that was the wrong decision and it was eventually given. Busquets clipped a ball over the top to Messi, who miscontrolled it on the run but recovered to loft a cross to the far post. Suarez - who was offside in the build up but not from Messi's cross - headed the ball back across goal, where it hit Luke Shaw and dribbled over the line. Suarez will want the goal but I'm not sure his header was going in until it hit Shaw.
36’ - FINE SAVE BY DE GEA! A nothing ball forward from Lenglet was diverted back towards his own goal by Lindelof. Suarez held it up superbly, backing into Smalling, and laid it back for Coutinho to whistle a fine low shot towards goal from 15 yards. De Gea thrust out his left leg to make a superb reaction save.
40’ - WHAT A CHANCE FOR DALOT! It should be 1-1. Rashford, on the right, hit a brilliant booming cross beyond the far post, where the unmarked Dalot had a simple headed chance from six yards. He looked terrified at the prospect of scoring, however, and headed tamely back across the face of goal to nobody.
52’ - CHANCE FOR RASHFORD! Young's cross is punched feebly by Ter Stegen to Rashford 12 yards from goal. He shapes to volley but can't get over the ball and slices it off the side of his leg. In hindsight, he should have had a touch and then hit it.
65’ - GOOD CHANCE FOR SUAREZ! A long spell of Barcelona possession ends with Semedo playing a neat reverse pass into the area for Suarez, who smashes it into the side netting from a tightish angle. He should have done better.
66’ - GOOD SAVE FROM DE GEA! Jordi Alba's fierce low shot from a very tight angle is kicked away by De Gea.
TALKING POINT
Should Sergio Busquets have been sent off?
The match finished with the referee awarding yellow cards to Vidal, Lingard and Smalling for very little. Had he imposed the same standard earlier in the game, Busquets would have received at least three yellow cards in the first half alone. As it was, he walked the line between yellow and red card as only he can.
Luke Shaw's first-half own goal handed Barcelona the advantage as Manchester United suffered a frustrating 1-0 defeat in their Champions League quarter-final first leg at Old Trafford.
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| Luis Suarez celebrates after Luke Shaw's own goal |
The United left-back gave Barca a deserved lead on 12 minutes when he deflected Luis Suarez's header into his own net, with the goal confirmed following a VAR review.
United responded well to the early setback, halting Barca's dominance on the ball, but their cause was undermined by a toothless attacking display which failed to yield a single shot on target in the Champions League for the first time since 2005.
Having overcome a two-goal deficit to knock out Paris Saint-Germain in the last-16, United need to produce another heroic comeback to progress to the semi-finals when they travel to the Nou Camp on April 16.
Player ratings
Man Utd: De Gea (7), Young (4), Smalling (7), Lindelof (6), Shaw (6), Dalot (7), McTominay (7), Fred (6), Pogba (6), Lukaku (4), Rashford (6).
Subs: Lingard (n/a), Martial (6).
Barcelona: Ter Stegen (7), Semedo (8), Pique (8), Lenglet (5), Alba (7), Busquets (6), Rakitic (7), Arthur (6), Suarez (7), Coutinho (6), Messi (7).
Subs: Vidal (5), S. Roberto (6), Alena (n/a).
Man of the Match: Gerard Pique
Marcus Rashford's fiercely-struck free-kick flashed wide inside four minutes but Barca were dominant in possession and it was not long before their precise passing unlocked the United defence.
Lionel Messi gathered Sergio Busquet's ball over the top and cleverly crossed to the back post for Suarez, whose header deflected in off Shaw. The goal was initially ruled out for offside but the relief inside Old Trafford was short-lived as a brief consultation with VAR found no infringement and the goal was allowed to stand.
Lionel Messi was kept quiet by Manchester United
United prevented Barca from building momentum after their opener, pressing their opponents high, and the hosts had claims for a penalty rightly rejected when Scott McTominay went to ground under a challenge from Gerard Pique on the half hour.
Another incisive Barcelona move nearly yielded a second goal on 36 minutes, but David de Gea produced a fine save with his feet to deny Philippe Coutinho after he was released in behind by Suarez.
Team news
Marcus Rashford replaced Jesse Lingard in Manchester United’s only change from the win over Watford. Lionel Messi lined up in a formidable front three alongside Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho for Barcelona, whose only change for the victory at Atletico Madrid saw Nelson Semedo replace Sergi Roberto.
United should have drawn level four minutes before half-time when Rashford's cross from the right found Diogo Dalot unmarked at the back post, but the Portuguese got caught in two minds and sent an aimless header across the face of the exposed Barca goal.
United lacked the clinical edge in front of goal and Rashford sliced horribly wide after goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen's punched clearance landed at the striker's feet within six minutes of the restart.
After Suarez rifled a shot into the side-netting, Ernesto Valverde introduced Arturo Vidal and Sergi Roberto, and the latter nearly had an immediate impact as his mazy run into the area was halted just as he prepared to pull the trigger by a vital challenge from Shaw.
Barca upped the tempo in search of a potentially crucial second, but United prevented further damage, living to fight another day ahead of next Tuesday's return leg in Catalonia.
KEY STATS
Manchester United have lost three consecutive home Champions League knockout stage games for the first time.
This was Barcelona's fourth Champions League victory against Manchester United, with each one coming in a different stadium (Camp Nou, Stadio Olimpico, Wembley and Old Trafford).
Manchester United have lost four of their last six Champions League home games, as many as they had in their previous 71 at Old Trafford in the competition (W51 D16 L4).
Manchester United failed to have a single shot on target in a Champions League game for the first time since March 2005, in a 0-1 loss at AC Milan.
Barcelona have won five of their last seven away games against English opponents in the Champions League (D1 L1), as many as they had in their first 17 such games in the competition (W5 D5 L7).
Luke Shaw's own goal was the eighth Manchester United have scored in the Champions League - no side has netted more in the history of the competition.
Six of Barcelona’s Champions League goals this season have been own goals. Only Lionel Messi has scored more for them.
Manchester United had no shots on target for the first time in a home Champions League match since Opta records began in 2003. They have scored only once in five Champions League games at Old Trafford this season.
The managers
— Ole Gunnar Solskjaer:
"Going to the Nou Camp is going to be a challenge. It would be a greater achievement [than the comeback against PSG]. With the history of Barcelona, they are not used to losing at home, but we can do it, no doubt about it. We know we can carry a goal threat. Whoever is playing up front, we have to provide a bit more ammunition for them."
MAN OF THE MATCH
Scott McTominay (Manchester United) Where are you and what have you done with Scott McTominay? This was another performance of eyecatching authority from a player who looked mediocre at best under Jose Mourinho. He was dynamic without the ball, which wasn’t such a big surprise, and a revelation with it.
KEY MOMENTS
13’ - GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 0-1 BARCELONA (Shaw own goal) Barcelona take the lead with the help of VAR. The goal was originally disallowed for offside, but that was the wrong decision and it was eventually given. Busquets clipped a ball over the top to Messi, who miscontrolled it on the run but recovered to loft a cross to the far post. Suarez - who was offside in the build up but not from Messi's cross - headed the ball back across goal, where it hit Luke Shaw and dribbled over the line. Suarez will want the goal but I'm not sure his header was going in until it hit Shaw.
36’ - FINE SAVE BY DE GEA! A nothing ball forward from Lenglet was diverted back towards his own goal by Lindelof. Suarez held it up superbly, backing into Smalling, and laid it back for Coutinho to whistle a fine low shot towards goal from 15 yards. De Gea thrust out his left leg to make a superb reaction save.
40’ - WHAT A CHANCE FOR DALOT! It should be 1-1. Rashford, on the right, hit a brilliant booming cross beyond the far post, where the unmarked Dalot had a simple headed chance from six yards. He looked terrified at the prospect of scoring, however, and headed tamely back across the face of goal to nobody.
52’ - CHANCE FOR RASHFORD! Young's cross is punched feebly by Ter Stegen to Rashford 12 yards from goal. He shapes to volley but can't get over the ball and slices it off the side of his leg. In hindsight, he should have had a touch and then hit it.
65’ - GOOD CHANCE FOR SUAREZ! A long spell of Barcelona possession ends with Semedo playing a neat reverse pass into the area for Suarez, who smashes it into the side netting from a tightish angle. He should have done better.
66’ - GOOD SAVE FROM DE GEA! Jordi Alba's fierce low shot from a very tight angle is kicked away by De Gea.
TALKING POINT
Should Sergio Busquets have been sent off?
The match finished with the referee awarding yellow cards to Vidal, Lingard and Smalling for very little. Had he imposed the same standard earlier in the game, Busquets would have received at least three yellow cards in the first half alone. As it was, he walked the line between yellow and red card as only he can.
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