Europa League: Amorim hails ‘perfect captain’ Fernandes as Man United march on

Portuguese playmaker’s hat-trick inspires win over Real Sociedad as Tottenham and Rangers also advance to quarter-finals

Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United, left, scores his third goal against Real Sociedad. EPA

Ruben Amorim hailed “perfect captain” Bruno Fernandes after his hat-trick inspired Manchester United to a 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad and a place in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

United dominated their Spanish opponents to advance 5-2 on aggregate following last week's 1-1 draw in San Sebastian.

Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring from the spot for La Real, but Fernandes kept his cool to score a pair of penalties before netting a third goal after substitute Jon Aramburu was sent off for the visitors.

Diogo Dalot completed a win that provides a welcome boost and set up a quarter-final clash against Lyon, with Fernandes dreaming of lifting another trophy.

“When we need it, he’s always there,” Amorim said of the Portugal playmaker.

“In the set-pieces, he can change position, he can bring the ball forward, he can score goals, he can make transitions, like he showed today in the last 10 minutes of the game.

“He can defend so it’s a perfect captain for our team, and we need to help him to win titles, because he deserves a lot.”

It keeps alive United's hopes of winning a trophy this season and, realistically, of securing European football again next season, given their domestic struggles.

Sociedad's season also hinged on European glory amid a disappointing La Liga campaign and Imanol Alguacil was left infuriated by the performance of Benoit Bastien.

The French official awarded United three penalties, although the final spot-kick was overturned, and sent-off Aramburu early in the second half.

"There is frustration, anger! A stadium like this, a stage like this, does not deserve a refereeing performance like this," said Alguacil. "All we wanted was a fair and equal referee."

Wilson Odobert of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring his team's third goal. Getty Images

Postecoglou hails Tottenham 'leaders'

Ange Postecoglou saluted his "leaders" after Tottenham kept their season alive with a 3-2 aggregate win over AZ Alkmaar to reach the Europa League quarter-finals.

The pressure was on Spurs and Postecoglou after a 1-0 loss in the last-16 first leg in Alkmaar, but the Australian’s big call to start Wilson Odobert paid off with the 20-year-old scoring in each half to open his account for the club.

Tottenham vice-captain James Maddison, on the day before Thomas Tuchel names his first England squad, struck at the start of the second half in a fine display to lift the gloom hanging over the club despite Peer Koopmeiners’ 63rd-minute goal briefly bringing the tie back level.

Defeat would have all but ended Spurs’ campaign with nine weeks of the season still to go after a difficult winter period where they were hampered by injuries, but this 3-1 success sets up a last-eight tie with Eintracht Frankfurt next month.

Postecoglou started his leadership group of Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, Maddison and captain Son Heung-min for the first time since October 19 and they all responded with strong displays on a crucial night for the club.

“I think all those four leaders felt like it’s their time now. It’s been really tough for them, it’s been really tough for all of us, the whole club but particularly the players,” Postecoglou said.

“It’s the first time – somebody said – since October we’ve had our four leaders on the park; Vicario, Romero, Maddison and Sonny. So much this year we’ve relied on one or two of those, but to have all four of them out there makes a difference for us.

“I thought they all led the team well. We did look more like ourselves, but we’ve still got levels to go, because I still think players like Romero, Micky [van de Ven] and Wilson and Dom [Solanke] and all these guys are still building their way up to match fitness and match sharpness.

“With the quarter-final being three-and-a-half weeks away, there’s an opportunity for us to get these guys up to speed for that game.”

Rangers players celebrate with goalkeeper Jack Butland after his shoot-out heroics. AFP

Rangers hold nerve in shoot-out

Barry Ferguson praised his Rangers players for showing the character that has been questioned this season after they edged past Fenerbahce following an epic Europa League clash.

Rangers suffered a fourth consecutive defeat at Ibrox but set up a quarter-final against Athletic Bilbao after Jack Butland saved two penalties in a 3-2 shoot-out triumph.

Goals in each half of the 90 minutes from Sebastian Szymanski had wiped out Rangers’ 3-1 first-leg lead after Ferguson’s men missed chances to put the tie beyond the Turkish side.

There were near further misses at either end before and during extra-time and Rangers kept their season alive in the shoot-out.

Interim head coach Ferguson said: “I actually thought we played well. The two goals we could have done better but the one thing I have to say, and it’s been levelled against the players, they showed character.

“It’s easy to feel sorry for yourself but they kept going. And obviously you get into the penalty situation and I thought we handled that very well.

“The main objective was to make sure I got this club into the last eight and that’s something we have done.”

Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho said: "We deserved to win over 90 minutes, we deserved to win after 120 minutes, we were the best team by far.

"We did everything to win. The ref and the VAR decided that we should go to penalties.

"Congratulations to Rangers but I think my team deserves everything from me, from our supporters and even from Turkey as a country."