It was never a question of if or when Manchester United would finally secure progression to the knockout stages of this season’s Champions League, only how.

Jose Mourinho’s players began the night knowing that only a cataclysmic defeat by seven goals or more to this CSKA Moscow side would see them eliminated.

Still, it looked for a while as though they would only limp over the line. Alan Dzagoev’s opener against the run of play - only the third goal scored by the opposition at Old Trafford this season - threatened to spoil the evening, but two second-half strikes in as many minutes, one each from Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford, made sure of a winning return to the last 16.

Manchester United vs CSKA Moscow player ratings Show all 11 1 /11 Manchester United vs CSKA Moscow player ratings Manchester United vs CSKA Moscow player ratings Sergio Romero - 7 Helpless for CSKA’s goal. Prevented Alan Dzagoev from scoring a late equaliser. Manchester United vs CSKA Moscow player ratings Victor Lindelof - 7 Didn’t need to be as impressive as he was against Watford and Arsenal but this was another good performance. Manchester United vs CSKA Moscow player ratings Chris Smalling - 7 Should’ve equalised for United but put his header wide at the far post before Lukaku and Rashford spared his blushes. Manchester United vs CSKA Moscow player ratings Daley Blind - 6 His first outing of the season in a back three and wasn’t troubled. Manchester United vs CSKA Moscow player ratings Antonio Valencia - 6 A solid display by the skipper before he was substituted in the second half with Sunday’s Manchester derby in mind. Manchester United vs CSKA Moscow player ratings Ander Herrera - 6 An all-action display by the Spaniard but he lacks Paul Pogba’s quality, which could hinder United in Sunday’s derby. Manchester United vs CSKA Moscow player ratings Paul Pogba - 7 Not his best overall display in recent weeks but provided a lovely assist for Lukaku’s equaliser. Manchester United vs CSKA Moscow player ratings Luke Shaw - 7 Superb going forward in the first half but lost his runner in the build-up to the visitors’ opener. Struggled with his fitness towards the end of the match. Manchester United vs CSKA Moscow player ratings Juan Mata - 8 Capable of producing magical moments and did so numerous times tonight, most notably setting Rashford up for the game’s winning goal. Manchester United vs CSKA Moscow player ratings Romelu Lukaku - 7 The Belgian’s energy has improved in recent matches and he took his goal well. Manchester United vs CSKA Moscow player ratings Marcus Rashford - 8 Caused big problems for CSKA all night and ended his goal drought with a superb left-footed strike.

With their place in the next round all but guaranteed before kick-off, United struggled for urgency in the opening stages, though the ever-enthusiastic Rashford twice went close early on. The teenager hit the upright three minutes in then after a quarter of an hour saw another placed effort saved.

Luke Shaw also caught the eye. The full-back, making his first start for the club in 219 days, appeared eager to seize this rare chance to impress and hit a hooked shot that Igor Akinfeev could only parry. The loose ball fell to Lukaku’s feet mere yards from the goalline, but the Belgian scuffed his effort and Akinfeev gathered.

Paul Pogba was busy reminding Old Trafford what they will be missing in Sunday’s derby, too. United’s three liveliest players almost opened the scoring when the midfielder slipped in Shaw, who sent a first-time across the face of CSKA’s goal. Rashford was a fraction too late to connect at the far post.

Marcus Rashford put United ahead shortly after Lukaku's equaliser (Getty)

Yet it seemed typical of Shaw’s United career so far that at the end of 45 promising minutes, it was his error that allowed the visitors to go ahead. The full-back failed to track a run by his overlapping opposite number Mario Fernandes, who darted in behind and crossed from the byline. The ball broke to Vitinho, whose goal-bound shot deflected in off the back of Dzagoev.

United appealed for what seemed a clear offside, but Daley Blind, positioned off the pitch after a failed sliding challenge, had played the scorer on.

Chris Smalling brushes off a tackle to maintain possession (Getty)

The half-time scoreline did not reflect United’s dominance but it did hint at their complacency. CSKA had barely enjoyed a clear sight of Sergio Romero’s goal prior to the opener and their porous defence should have punished, but United set about putting that right once the two sides re-emerged.

Pogba’s ambitious passing had been one of the highlights of the first half and shortly after the hour mark, it finally bore fruit. The Frenchman glided a ball over the top of CSKA’s defence and, with pinpoint accuracy, delivered it onto the boot of Lukaku. The striker jostled with Viktor Vasin then volleyed past Akinfeev to score a much-needed goal, only his second in 13 appearances.

Play had barely re-started by the time Rashford put United ahead. Two minutes after Lukaku’s leveller, his strike partner was on the receiving end of a delightful Juan Mata dink that wiped out two CSKA defenders. Rashford waited for the Spaniard’s pass to drop kindly before drilling into the far corner, out of Akinfeev’s reach.

If United's place in the next round had not been certain at the start of the night, it was now. It is only the second time since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement that United have reached this stage of Champions League, and the first since David Moyes’ fateful year in charge. Yet even after making hard work of what should have been a routine win, there will be hope that under Mourinho, United are finally ready to compete with the elite again.

Manchester United (3-5-2): Romero; Lindelof, Smalling, Blind; Valencia (Tuanzebe 72), Pogba, Herrera (McTominay 66), Shaw; Mata, Lukaku (Martial 74), Rashford.

Substitutes not used: Joel, Lingard, Young, Darmian.

CSKA Moscow (3-4-3): Akinfeev; Berezutski, Vasin, Ignashevich; Fernandes, Golovin, Kuchaev, Nababkin (Khosonov 90+1); Vitinho (Zhamaletdinov 82), Chalov (Gordyushenko 66), Dzagoev.

Substitutes not used: Pomazun, Makarov, Olanare.

Referee: G Rochhi (Italy)