United 2 Marseille 1

United are through to the Champions League quarter-finals thanks to a close-range couple from Javier Hernandez - but it was a far from comfortable night for the Reds after conceding a late away goal at Old Trafford.

Wes Brown's unfortunate own goal created an anxious last eight minutes but Sir Alex Ferguson's men held out to win 2-1 and book a place in the last-eight draw alongside the likes of Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s pre-match promise to go for it was reflected in his line-up as Nani and Ryan Giggs returned to the flanks and Paul Scholes was restored in the centre. The bench also had a strong emphasis on attack with the marauding midfield stars of Saturday’s FA Cup win over Arsenal, Rafael and Fabio, plus Antonio Valencia and Dimitar Berbatov among the seven subs. The defence, however, was not the expected quartet with a calf problem forcing Nemanja Vidic to join Rio Ferdinand on the sidelines.
Marseille, meanwhile, had top scorer Andre-Pierre Gignac back – he missed the first leg in France. Ex-United defender Gabriel Heinze started for the visitors in central defence, perhaps a safer haven than at left-back where Nani stretched him a fortnight ago.

The Reds engineered the perfect start from the opposite wing – United’s left. Rooney fed Ryan Giggs, scurried forward to collect the return pass and then drilled a low ball into the six-yard box for Hernandez to gleefully tap home.

Marseille’s stunned defenders appealed in vain for offside as the Reds raced away to celebrate the Mexican’s 15th goal for the club, his first in Europe since the winner in Valencia in late September.

Gignac had a golden opportunity to equalise three minutes later when a flick over the top found him in the area behind Smalling and Brown; fortunately Marseille’s number 10 rushed his big moment and missed the target comfortably.

Smalling was sharper when Gignac next ventured into his territory, showing great body strength to shield and keep the ball much to the Frenchman’s frustration.

The duel between Hernandez and Heinze had top billing in the early part of the match, however. The United striker clattered into his opponent for the game’s first yellow card and was then sent sprawling by a retaliatory challenge moments later.

The Argentine centre-back escaped a caution for his foul, but he was almost punished for his defending again; instead Hernandez headed Rooney’s lofted pass into the hands of Steve Mandanda. When the keeper’s poor clearance, straight to Nani, gave United another sniff at goal, Rooney spurned the chance to shoot and Marseille escaped.