Four things we learnt from Man United's 2-1 win over Rangers
Bruno Fernandes celebrates his winning goal (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
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Manchester United put their Premier League troubles behind them to beat Rangers 2-1 at Old Trafford in the UEFA Europa League. 

The hosts took the lead in the second half after Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland diverted Bruno Fernandes' in-swinging corner into his own net. 

However, Cyriel Dessers caused an upset, capitalising on a Harry Maguire mistake and firing past Altay Bayındır to equalise late on. 

The visitors looked to have secured a crucial point until Fernandes latched on to Lisandro Martinez's lofted pass, volleying in from close range.

United are now unbeaten after seven matches in Europe and have moved up to fourth in the league phase. 

A positive result away to Steaua Bucharest next week will ensure they finish in the top eight and bypass the play-off round.

Here are the key takeaways from the contest.

  • Captain Fernandes steps up again

Over the years, Fernandes has rescued the Reds with moments of magic. Despite question marks over his leadership in recent weeks, the Portugal international yet again showed his quality and got his side over the line with an emphatic winner in the dying moments. 

The 30-year-old began the game in a slightly deeper role, pairing with Toby Collyer in central midfield. Throughout the match, Fernandes dictated proceedings and combined well with the in-form Amad Diallo.

In the second half, his presence in the final third became more notable as the Red Devils looked to find the opener. The playmaker played a significant role in the first goal, however it was his close-range volley, which grabbed all of the headlines. 

Ahead of kick-off, there was speculation that this would be Alejandro Garnacho's last game in red and white. The Argentine has been heavily linked with a move away, due to the club's delicate financial situation. 

Garnacho has struggled for starts under new manager Ruben Amorim with the likes of Chelsea and Napoli monitoring his situation closely. However, the 20-year-old did not play like his head had been turned and he was United's most creative outlet for large periods.

In the first half, Garnacho beat his man on numerous occasions and also delivered some dangerous crosses into the box. He continued to impress in the second half, hitting the post from close range and testing Butland with a powerful effort late on.

It remains to be seen if Garnacho will play at Old Trafford again, however, the youngster dismissed claims that he was unable to fit into Amorim's system with this well-rounded performance.

  • Collyer shows his class on European debut 

Toby Collyer's position in the United central midfield pecking order has risen in recent weeks. The academy graduate is now preferred to veteran Casemiro and subsequently, he made his first European start against the Scottish giants. 

The central midfield showed great composure when progressing the ball and picking his passes under pressure. Collyer also made history by becoming the first Manchester United midfielder since 2003-04 to record over 50 passes on their first appearance at Old Trafford in a major European competition, while also maintaining a pass accuracy of at least 94%.

The midfielder received a standing ovation when he was taken off in the second half and he looks set for more regular minutes in the next few weeks. 

Despite an improved performance under the lights at Old Trafford, Amorim's side still looked vulnerable defensively. In the opening 20 minutes, the hosts survived a couple of scares with Rangers posing a threat during transitions. 

The United back five did not have a lot to deal with in the second half, but there was still a sense of nervousness when the visitors entered the final third. With just a few minutes of normal time remaining, the Red Devils were heading towards their first clean sheet in the 12 matches. 

However, a long ball got the better of Maguire and Dessers' instinctive finish wiped out the clean sheet and put United's chances of automatic progression to the next round in doubt. Although Fernandes came to the rescue late on, Amorim will be disappointed with how his side continue to make costly individual mistakes each week.