
Fletcher Moss, in south Manchester near the river Mersey, sounds like a firm of solicitors. In reality, this little football club is in the business of producing bundles of talent for Manchester United – and the occasional hero. It delivered a new one: 18-year-old Marcus Rashford.

There are photographs of him in Fletcher Moss’s distinctive blue and white yoked colours with his new United team-mate, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson. Wes Brown, Danny Welbeck and Ravel Morrison also came through those ranks. But none will have enjoyed a debut quite as memorable as Rashford’s; two goals – the important ones, no less – as Manchester United swept into the Europa League’s last 16 with a convincing, pressure-releasing 5-1 win over Danish champions Midtjylland.

Rashford began the night as a battlefield promotion and ended it at the head of a victory parade. He was quite magnificent, patient when chances were few in the first half, explosive and clinical at just the point when United needed a matchwinner. This is exactly what his tutors have been demanding of him this season. A little less Cristiano Ronaldo, a little more Ruud van Nistelrooy. Rashford was a support striker, a No 10, the scorer of wonder goals, but not the type who decided the match. Then he was converted to a No 9. His first goal for the Under 21s in his new position came as recently as December. On Thursday, he played it as if to the manor born.

Debutant Marcus Rashford celebrates after scoring his second goal of the night on what was an impressive night for the teenager

Debutant Rashford celebrates after scoring on his Manchester United debut — the 18-year-old was originally named on the bench

Rashford showed his composure to slot the ball home to level the scoreline on aggregate in front of Manchester United's home fans

Memphis Depay (left) celebrates with Manchester United new boy Rashford after the teenager scored his first goal of the evening

MATCH FACTS MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): Romero 6; Varela 6.5, Carrick 6, Blind 6, Riley 6 (Rojo 79mins, 6); Schneiderlin 7.5, Herrera 6.5 (Poole 90+1); Lingard (A.Pereira 86), Mata 6, Depay 8.5; Rashford 9 Subs not used: J.Pereira, McNair, Love Goals: Bodurov OG 32, Rashford 63, 75, Herrera 87, Memphis 90 Booked: Lingard MIDTJYLLAND (4-1-4-1): Andersen 6; Romer 3, Hansen 5, Bodurov 4.5, Novak 5; Sparv 6; Hassan 5 (Kadlec 67, 5), Poulsen 5.5, Olsson 5 (Pusic 79, 6), Sisto 6.5; Urena 5 (Onuachu 46, 6) Subs not used: Dahlin, Banggaard, Bak Nielsen, Royer Goal: Sisto 27 Booked: Novak, Hansen Sent off: Romer (second yellow) Referee: Istvan Vad (Hungary) Ratings by Chris Wheeler Advertisement

Both of Rashford’s goals – the second that brought United level on aggregate and the third that took them ahead, before the roof fell in on Midtjylland – came from close range. They were of a type that Anthony Martial, who Rashford replaced at short notice, would have wanted to score. Except Martial hasn’t scored two goals in a game for United since facing Southampton in September – indeed, he has only scored two goals since January 2 – and Rashford has done it on his debut. In a season of disappointment, the fans just love the happy diversion of a local boy made good, and United’s lengthy injury list could even give Rashford a run in the team. Who can deny that he has earned it? What more could he have done to take his chance?

Martial was United’s latest pre-match calamity. Having lost David de Gea in the warm-up in the first leg, Martial limped away here. That United ended up recruiting a teenager for his debut in such an important game should have exposed Louis van Gaal’s folly, going into this season with such a small squad. Instead, Rashford proved a lifesaver, maybe even a jobsaver, with Van Gaal increasingly seeing victory in this tournament as United’s best route to the Champions League next season.

If that happens – and there is some way to go – Rashford’s role will be immense, even if he does not start another European game. He was outstanding here, never downhearted by an absence of opportunity, quick, direct, everything United have been missing this season. The scoreline makes it look as if the outcome was never in doubt. But it was. Midtjylland scored first, and in that moment led 3-1 on aggregate. United had dominated until that point but, even so, it was a scare. Credit to them, then – particularly the young players, including Joe Riley playing only his second game – for responding so well to the challenge. Maybe senior players with more baggage would have buckled. Youth, and Rashford in particular, tend to see the opportunity instead. From the 16th minute, when he forced a good save from Midtjylland goalkeeper Mikkel Andersen, Rashford looked ready to take the game on.

Even so, to go behind was a shock. United had been hugely on top when Midtjylland scored from their first real attack. It was dismal defending from Manchester United, mind you, Morgan Schneiderlin failing to put any pressure on Midtjylland’s possession in midfield, striker Marco Urena finding Pione Sisto who followed up an impressive performance in the away leg with a real attention-grabber here.

He left Daley Blind for dead, Michael Carrick went to ground far too easily and Sisto fired low into the far corner, out of reach of goalkeeper Sergio Romero. He celebrated by pointing to the name on the back of his shirt. Nobody is going to be forgetting it any time soon. Bad news for Slaven Bilic, who had rather hoped to make Sisto an early summer signing for West Ham. He may face more than a little competition now.

Manchester United playmaker Juan Mata squandered an opportunity to put his side in the lead by missing a first-half penalty

Midtjylland No 70 Filip Novak celebrates in front of Mata after the former Chelsea man missed from the penalty spot

Pione Sisto (left) celebrates in front of the Old Trafford faithful after putting his side in the lead within the opening 27 minutes

Sisto opens the lead for away side Midtjylland after wriggling his way past United's makeshift defence before shooting at goal

WHO IS THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK AT OLD TRAFFORD? Who is Marcus Rashford? Rashford is an 18-year-old Mancunian who can either lead the line or play in a second-striker role. United beat rivals Manchester City to sign him from junior club Fletcher Moss in 2014 and Rashford was just 18 months when United lifted the Champions League in 1999. Judging by his two goals last night, he looks like he can finish... He topped the scoring charts for United’s Under 18s with 13 goals in 25 games last season and is a handy set-piece taker — scoring a fine free-kick against Tottenham in the FA Youth Cup. He’s even done it in Europe, scoring a brace at PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Youth League earlier this season. What do they think of him at Old Trafford? Rashford has an admirer in United academy director Nicky Butt, who said: ‘Marcus is explosive, he’s a very talented boy but a good, hard worker as well. He’s a good lad to have in the side because he puts a shift in for the team.’ Advertisement

It was vital that United responded immediately, and they did. Midtjylland continued to defend too deep for manager Jess Thorup’s liking and in the 32nd minute it cost them. Memphis Depay got in around the back on the left, and centre half Nikolay Bodurov turned his cross into his own net. It had been coming. United’s next attack saw Midtjylland scrambling wildly and failing to clear, the general air of chaos fittingly finished with a Schneiderlin overhead kick that travelled just wide.

A Schneiderlin header hit a post, before United got the breakthrough that should have established a half-time lead. Andre Romer lunged in on Ander Herrera and Hungarian referee Istvan Vad had no option but to award a penalty. Up stepped Mata, but his low effort to the left was weak and Andersen tipped it round, to the delight of the visitors in the away corner.

EUROPA LEAGUE LAST 16 Anderlecht, Athletic Bilbao, Basle, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, Braga, Fenerbahce, Lazio, Liverpool, Manchester United, Sevilla, Shakhtar Donetsk, Sparta Prague, Tottenham, Valencia, Villarreal Join Sportsmail on Friday afternoon for live coverage of the Europa League draw which begins at 12pm. Advertisement

The second half, however, saw a patched together United team pulling together and pulling through, and Rashford’s performance in particular was a joy to behold. His first goal, bringing the tie level 3-3 on aggregate, came after 63 minutes came when Mata cut a ball back, after Midtjylland defender Romer mistakenly slowed, thinking it was going out.

In came Rashford, sharper and faster than anyone in the area, to finish smartly past Andersen. His next, taking United ahead, was a finish from close range from a Guillermo Varela cross – a glorified tap-in for the likes of Van Nistelrooy, although very high class in both execution and creation. It was exactly what United had wanted to see from the young man. Even Van Gaal smiled, punching the arm of his assistant Ryan Giggs in ‘told you’ fashion; or maybe it was Giggs who had done the telling.

United now rampant, Midtjylland collapsed. Ander Herrera converted the fourth from the penalty spot after 87 minutes, following a handball by Kian Hansen, blocking Depay’s shot. Romer was then sent off for his second bookable offence, and Depay finally found his range from 20 yards and scored a fifth after 90 minutes. It did not dilute that Rashford was the hero of the night. He won’t forget this one in a hurry. He shouldn’t have to wait too long for the next, either.

Michael Carrick (left) and Ander Herrera (centre) look dejected as Mata aims to get proceedings back underway after Midtjylland's goal

Mata (left) and debutant Rashford (right) rush to get play back underway following Nikolay Bodurov's first-half own goal

Midtjylland goalkeeper Mikkel Andersen (centre) looks dismayed after seeing team-mate Bodurov score an own goal in the 32nd minute

Morgan Schneiderlin goes close to scoring for Manchester United with a superb acrobatic effort during the first half at Old Trafford

Hungarian referee Istvan Vad awarded Manchester United a penalty after Ander Herrera was fouled by Midtjylland's Kian Hansen

Mata's tame penalty was turned around for a corner as Andersen managed to get a hand on to the Spanish playmaker's effort

Jesse Lingard (centre) receives a yellow card after he was penalised for diving in an attempt to win a second-half penalty

Herrera leaps in the air after making no mistake from the penalty spot to put his side 4-1 up on the night at Old Trafford

Depay (centre) runs away in celebration after he capped an impressive performance with a goal of his own against the Danish side

Rashford (far left on back row) was handed his Manchester United debut following an injury to star striker Anthony Martial

Rashford made his senior Manchester United debut wearing the No 39 shirt, the 18-year-old led the line in Martial's absence

Here's how the Manchester United new boy scored his first senior goal for the Red Devils - click HERE for more of our brilliant Match Zone

Rashford was left off of Manchester United's official programme despite going on to score two goals for the Red Devils

Martial sustained a hamstring injury while warming up ahead of the crucial Round of 32 second leg fixture against Midtjylland

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal (centre) watches on alongside assistants Albert Stuivenberg (left) and Ryan Giggs (right)

(Left to right) Wayne Rooney, Chris Smalling, Matteo Darmian, Sam Johnstone and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson sit in the stands