Manchester United became the only side across the Champions League and Europa League to go unbeaten in the league phase, concluding the group stage campaign with a 2-0 win at Steaua Bucharest.
The Red Devils dominated proceedings, but were unable to break the deadlock in the first half.
Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo were introduced at halftime and the dynamic duo made an instant impact.
Diogo Dalot opened the scoring with a close-range finish, after some tidy work from Kobbie Mainoo, who impressed in a more advanced role.
The 19-year-old then got himself on the scoresheet, with a superb finish after Garnacho picked him out.
United have now progressed directly to the last 16, by-passing the play-off round, where they will face one of Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, AZ Alkmaar or Midtjylland.
Here are the key takeaways from the contest.
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Mainoo impresses in new role
Mainoo has struggled to discover his consistent form from last term, with injuries and the managerial change clearly affecting his performances. Since Ruben Amorim has taken over in the United dugout, the youngster has struggled to cement his position in the starting lineup.
The England international has started most games alongside Manuel Ugarte, but has struggled to cope with the intensity of defending. Against Fulham, Mainoo was brought on in a more advanced position and he excelled particularly in the final third.
Mainoo had less defensive responsibilities and had the licence to advance further up the field. Subsequently, he was rewarded with a start against Steaua Bucharest.
Mainoo was at his scintillating best in this contest, grabbing a goal and an assist from this number ten position. Amorim will likely deploy the Englishman in this new role at the weekend following his man of the match display.
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Garnacho makes the impact off the bench
Garnacho was in the headlines in the build-up of this contest with reports suggesting his exit from Old Trafford was imminent. The Argentine was named on the bench for this Europa League clash, which intensified these rumours.
In the first half, the visitors lacked pace and power in the final third and Amorim tried to resolve this by bringing on Diallo and Garnacho at half-time. The pair made an instant impact with Garnacho hitting the post also immediately after his introduction.
The 20-year-old added a sense of purpose and directness to United's possession play. He played an instrumental role in Mainoo's goal, cutting it back to him in the penalty area where the wonderkid coolly picked his spot.
Since his exile from the match day squad before the Manchester derby, Garnacho has responded extremely well on the pitch and is beginning to cement his position in Amorim's setup.
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Martinez provides passing masterclass
Lisandro Martinez has dismissed doubts regarding his suitability to Amorim's style of play with some impressive performances in recent weeks. The ball-playing defender put in a man of the match performance against Fulham and continued to thrive in this midweek encounter.
Martinez displayed his exceptional passing range throughout the contest. The 27-year-old used intricate passes to find his teammates, break through the opposition lines and carve the Steaua Bucharest defence wide open.
His clipped pass to Mainoo in the first half was the highlight of his impressive passing display.
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Momentum building
After a turbulent start to life in Manchester, Amorim has begun to make his mark on this team. In January, the Red Devils have played seven matches, winning five, drawing one and losing just once.
Against Steaua Bucharest, Amorim's men produced one of the best performances of the season by dominating possession and creating numerous chances. For the first time this season, United have three consecutive wins, as well as back-to-back away clean sheets.
The Reds have a favourable run of fixtures coming up and with potential signings arriving in January, Amorim will be hoping his side can build on this momentum.
