Manchester United sealed their spot in the group stages of the 2015-16 Champions League courtesy of an emphatic 7-1 aggregate victory over Club Brugge this evening.
The visitors went into the second leg at the Jan Breydel Stadion with a 3-1 lead, and the tie was well and truly beyond Brugge by the hour mark courtesy of a hat-trick from Wayne Rooney.
Ander Herrera added the fourth and final goal of the night for United, although Javier Hernandez should have extended their advantage further when he missed a penalty, before blazing a glorious late chance over the top from close range.
Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at whether United deserved to win so comfortably in Bruges.
Match statistics
CLUB BRUGGE
Shots: 10
On target: 1
Possession: 34%
Corners: 2
Fouls: 11
MAN UTD
Shots: 22
On target: 7
Possession: 66%
Corners: 4
Fouls: 7
Was the result fair?
Absolutely. All of the pre-match statistics pointed at this being a tough test for United, but they blew Brugge away this evening and the four-goal difference between the two sides does not flatter Louis van Gaal's men at all. Indeed, it should have been even more emphatic on the night, with Rooney missing a really good chance to claim his fourth and Hernandez guilty of two more missed opportunities late on. It would be no exaggeration to suggest that the visitors could have had seven or eight goals tonight alone.
In fairness to Brugge, they made a game of it in the first half and will perhaps feel that they should have gone into the break level on the night after Abdoulay Diaby squandered a great chance. They put United under some heavy pressure in the final five minutes of the half, but that was the only time that they were on top throughout the whole game - perhaps even throughout the whole tie. At all other times, United had a measure of control over proceedings, and certainly after the second goal tonight they were utterly dominant.
Brugge appeared to throw caution to the wind for a 15-minute spell after that goal, and United looked like scoring every single time they came forward. The visiting attackers always seemed to be in acres of space, and it was no surprise that they added two more goals during that period. The Marouane Fellaini goal towards the end of the first leg seemed important at the time, but the way both sides performed tonight, there was only ever one winner. United deserve their win tonight, and the 7-1 aggregate scoreline doesn't flatter them at all either.
Club Brugge's performance
For a team that had not been beaten in 10 European home matches before tonight, this was a woeful display from Brugge. Throughout the first leg they flattered to deceive in attack, always seeming like they carried a threat but ultimately only managing one shot on target. It was more of the same tonight, at least in the first half. United led 1-0 at the break and, while a Brugge comeback was highly unlikely at that point, there was still the feeling that they had a goal in them.
Once again, though, they ended the match with only one shot on target, and Michel Preud'homme may be thankful that it ended at only 4-0. Their second-half display was truly abysmal, with their defence being cut open at will until United decided to take their foot off the pedal a little. In attack they struck the crossbar with one spectacular volley from Hans Vanaken, but other than that Sergio Romero had very little to do in the United goal as the visitors tore their hosts apart at the other end of the field.
Even with Fellaini's late header in the first leg, Brugge were still in this tie at the halfway stage. However, with the exception of a bright five-minute spell at the end of the first half, when they really should have scored, they never looked like being able to claw back the deficit. Preud'homme said before the match that his side needed a "miracle" to progress, and that somewhat defeatist attitude was clear to see at times. As soon as United's second goal went in, their heads dropped and they seemed to give up defensively. They can have no complaints at being so soundly beaten here.
Man Utd's performance
The Champions League certainly seems to be bringing out the best in United this season. Having put in their most positive display of the campaign in the first leg, they then topped that tonight with a dominant performance that went almost as well as they could have hoped for. They began exactly as they needed to, controlling possession early on to quieten down the home crowd and set the tempo of the match. Rooney's first was well taken, and they should have had a second when Memphis Depay took too long to decide whether to pass or shoot in a two-on-one situation.
United were perhaps a touch fortunate to still be ahead at the break considering the flurry of late openings for Brugge just before half time, but they soon regained control after the interval and it was one-way traffic from that point on. Rooney's second sparked a level of dominance that is rare to see at this level, with United looking capable of adding to their lead every time they got the ball. They did get two more in the next 15 minutes, and it should have been even better for them but for a good save from Sinan Bolat to deny Rooney.
Perhaps the only black mark on the performance tonight was Hernandez's two misses late on, but the positives far outweigh any negatives. Rooney ended his drought in the best possible way, they showed good game management to control the tempo and pounce when Brugge were at their most vulnerable, and defensively they are still yet to see an opposition player score past them this season. Bigger tests are to come in the Champions League proper, but United are back where they belong and will be looking forward to tomorrow's draw. Next on the agenda for Van Gaal is transferring this sort of form over to the Premier League.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Wayne Rooney: What a way to answer your critics. Despite calls for him to be playing up front during his stint in midfield last season, 10 games without a goal had led to suggestions that the United and England skipper was not an out-and-out striker after all. However, he ended his longest barren spell in front of goal since 2007 in style this evening, bagging his first European hat-trick since his debut for the club.
His run of 878 goalless minutes came to an end in the first half, but he looked like a striker full of confidence as he dinked the ball over the keeper. His second goal saw him tap home after a slick team move, while the third was another calm finish to clinch the match ball. His all-round performance, aside from just the goals, was better this evening too, and he will be looking to kick-start his season from tonight now.
Biggest gaffe
It was going to take something special to wrestle this dubious honour from either Diaby, for his miss at the end of the first half, or the Brugge defending in general. Hernandez duly obliged late on, though, when he skied the ball from just a few yards out, with the goal gaping in front of him. You may not see a worse miss this season, and it even tops his penalty, which saw him slip, hit the ball twice and put it well wide. Not the best cameo appearance for the Mexican.
Referee performance
Antonio Mateu is one of the top referees in Europe and, for the most part, he had a very good game tonight. The award of the penalty against Oscar Duarte was harsh, however, with the Costa Rican nodding the ball onto his own arm inside the box. Justice was served by Hernandez's miss, but the Spanish official did get that one wrong.
What next?
Brugge: Brugge will be hoping to bounce back and kick-start their Pro League season when they host Standard Liege on Sunday.
Man Utd: United are also in action on Sunday as two of the six unbeaten teams left in the Premier League go head to head, with Swansea City their hosts at the Liberty Stadium.
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