• Manager happy with performance but says team had chances to score more • Matchwinner Marcus Rashford may be among players to miss Arsenal fixture

José Mourinho praised Manchester United’s display against Celta Vigo but bemoaned their missed chances after their 1-0 win in the Europa League semi-final, first leg here.

Marcus Rashford’s fine 67th-minute free-kick sealed United’s vital away victory but Mourinho again saw his side pass up several chances to make them firmer favourites to reach the final following next week’s return leg. Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Jesse Lingard were the main culprits, particularly in the first half. Mourinho said: “I’m very pleased with the performance but not pleased with the result. At half-time it should be already, I don’t want to say three, but two, and the result is open and I think we did enough to have the result closed. So next week a big match at Old Trafford. We played well enough to have the result closed but we have to go and play at Old Trafford.

Marcus Rashford gives Manchester United crucial away win over Celta Vigo Read more

“In the first half, Sergio [Romero] had a couple of very important saves and the way we started the game and controlled the game in the first half, I think we deserve a better result. But the opposition was difficult, the match was difficult, the stadium was difficult, so I cannot be happier with the players and their work.”

Mourinho then threw down the gauntlet to United’s support at Old Trafford for next Thursday’s second leg. “Let’s hope Old Trafford want us to win because when Old Trafford wants it we win,” he said.

“1-0 is really a short result. It could have been better, and seeing Celta’s trajectory in the Europa League, they definitely deserve respect for the away match.”

Mourinho picked out Rashford for particular praise, after his match-winning goal. “He’s a 19-year-old kid but he’s a 19-year-old kid in love with football,” the Portuguese said. “A kid that finishes a training session and stays half an hour more every day to take free-kicks and to wait for the opportunity. His mentality. He works, he works, he works. He’s very mature and let’s forget the age because what matters is not age [but] the quality.

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“The free-kick is work. The free-kick is really well taken, and the goalkeeper has no chance with it. He worked really hard and caused them problems. He had a fantastic shot in the first half, and then that beautiful save.”

While Ashley Young, a late substitute, limped off, Rashford was also replaced towards the end and each player’s availability for Sunday’s trip to Arsenal may be a doubt. Regarding Rashford, Mourinho said: “He started the game already with a little problem and obviously with the running he was feeling [this].” Mourinho’s prime focus is now winning the Europa League for Champions League qualification and, with that in mind, he will rest players at Arsenal.

“It’s what I have to do,” he said. “The players that are in accumulation, the players that have lots of minutes, because we played nine matches in April and this one, so 10 matches in four and a half weeks, the players in accumulation, they are not going to play next weekend.”