Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists cup success not reliable indicator of progress, ahead of AC Milan Europa League clash

Norwegian, whose team drew 1-1 in first leg, believes Premier League improvement is better sign of where club is at

MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: Dean Henderson - 5: Beat away several first-half Milan efforts, the best from Saelemaekers. Looked to be heading for another clean sheet, but poor for their goal and that’s what he’ll be remembered on this occasion. He’s done well overall since coming in for De Gea, but that was his first mistake. Getty

Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 6: Scarcely involved in the first half. Beaten by Krunic in another Milan attack which they couldn’t capitalise on. Reuters

Eric Bailly - 6: Did OK. Defence dropped too deep for Milan’s goal – and paid for it. Getty

Harry Maguire - 6: Missed sitter in first half when he shinned the ball onto the back post from a Telles’ cross from two yards out. Vocal in telling his teammates to stop giving the ball away but as he said after “I should have scored, but that’s why I’m a defender and not a forward.” AFP

Alex Telles - 7: Understudy to Luke Shaw, but dependable and lively. Overhit a freekick, crossed to Maguire. Shifted to back three as United switched tactics in the heavy rain. Held firm under Milan pressure … until the late blow. AFP

Scott McTominay - 6: Switched play and found Fernandes with one fine first-half pass but didn’t control game in first. Booked and then very fortunate to stay on the field for another foul on in last 10 minutes against an injury-hit Milan side. Getty

Nemanja Matic - 6: Slow in possession in the first half. Blocked a shot from Dias and effective in tight areas, but United need far more tempo and intensity in the second leg. EPA

Daniel James - 6: Like his team, came alive at the start of the second half. Couldn’t get his feet ready to put the ball into an open goal from a Greenwood cross on the fast, wet surface. Should have done better with that one. AFP

Bruno Fernandes - 7: Struggled to find space between Milan’s lines in the first half. Flicked a header towards Maguire from which the defender should have scored. Ball in behind the opposition defence which dropped in for Amad was moment of the match. Came off in last 20 minutes, thinking his work was done. If only. AP

Anthony Martial - 5: No repeat of his best performance of the season in Sunday’s Manchester derby. Wonderful strike on eight minutes, but little else in the first half against a superior Milan. Needs to be back on-form in the second leg. EPA

Mason Greenwood - 5: Quiet first half. Moved to centre-forward after half time after Martial went off and was better for it as United improved. Clever cross for James but while service to him was poor, centre-forwards for Manchester United really need to be having shots on target in games at Old Trafford. Greenwood didn’t have one. AFP

SUBS: Amad Diallo - (On for Martial 46') 7: Went right side of attack and scored in less than three minutes. Perfect run onto Fernandes' pass to make a back header over the goalkeeper and give United the lead. Incredible start and taken with such confidence for his first ever United goal. AFP

Brandon Williams - (On for Wan-Bissaka 74') 5: Made an impact in Europa League last season, but now more peripheral. AFP

Fred - (On for Fernandes 73') 5: Brought on as United went defensive to try and keep out Milan. Getty

Luke Shaw - (On for James 74') 5: Man of the moment came on as a central defender, then shifted left as United changed tactics to try and hold onto the lead. It didn’t work. Reuters

AC MILAN RATINGS: Gianluigi Donnarumma - 6: Called into action early on when he tipped Anthony Martial’s ambitious effort over the bar. Later palmed away a low James cross with an out-stretched arm, although the offside flag went up anyway, but was beaten all end’s up by Diallo’s fabulous header. Reuters

Davide Calabria - 7: A lung-busting evening’s work from the Italy international who surged forward at every opportunity as Milan looked to take the game to the home side. He showed he had the legs at the other end too when he charged after the rapid James to rescue what looked like a dangerous situation. Reuters

Simon Kjaer - 7: The experienced Dane often proved too strong for Martial and he easily shrugged the Frenchman off the ball as he looked to dart in behind. He couldn’t stop the excellent run of Diallo to finally break the deadlock, but he headed in a dramatic leveller in stoppage time. EPA

Fikayo Tomori - 7: On-loan Chelsea defender Tomori caught the eye with a fine display for the Blues at Ajax early last season and was largely untroubled in this contest. He was caught out by Diallo’s perfectly-timed run, but he stopped Greenwood in his tracks with one excellent last-ditch tackle. EPA

Diogo Dalot - 7: Started against his parent club in an intriguing addition to an already fascinating encounter and produced a couple of dangerous crosses from the left, including a fizzed effort that was blocked by McTominay. Getty

Soualiho Meite - 6: Another Milan loan signing, was steady first-half but struggled to contain the impressive Fernandes after the break as United started to enjoy more success in spells. Reuters

Franck Kessie - 8: A rock in the middle of the park. Was at the heart of Milan’s best attacking play and rifled a spectacular effort beyond the leap of Henderson and into the corner, only for VAR to chalk off the goal again, this time for handball. Looked very harsh. Reuters

Alexis Saelemaekers - 8: A tenacious performance in midfield. Picked up a slightly harsh booking inside just 16 minutes when Telles took a tumble. Moments earlier, he almost found Tomori who couldn’t quite connect with the Belgian’s searching ball across goal. Asked questions of the United defence throughout. AFP

Brahim Diaz - 7: A lively start from the ex-Manchester City man who is proving to be another crafty loan signing. He unpicked United’s defence when he cleverly slipped in Calabria, but the defender couldn't get a shot away. Withdrawn for the final 20 minutes after a quieter second half. Reuters

Rade Krunic - 7: Put himself in all the right areas but his finishing was wasteful. Saw a first-half effort deflect into the thankful arms of Henderson when he probably should have hit it first time; and his reaction suggested he knew it too. Blazed a decent chance over after the restart before impressively getting a yard on Wan-Bissaka, only to power his header wide. AP

Rafael Leao - 6: Issued the hosts an early warning when he raced onto Calabria’s punt over the top before smashing past Henderson, but United were bailed out by the offside flag. He let the hosts off the hook again late on with a complete air shot when he went for the glory finish. AFP

SUBS: Sandro Tonali (On for Diaz 69') 6: Exciting 20-year-old prospect didn’t manage to make much of an impact, although he did manage to wind up Shaw when he hit the deck a little theatrically. Reuters

Samu Castillejo - (On for Saelemaekers 69') 5: Didn't see much of the ball and made little impact. Getty

Pierre Kalulu - (On for Calabria 74' 6: An energetic cameo from the young defender. Getty

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists that winning a trophy is not necessarily a good indication of progress ahead of his side's Europa League last-16 second-leg against AC Milan, insisting the club is improving every day.

The jury is still out on Solskjaer, now into his third season at United, with the club having not won a trophy since their 2017 Europa League success when Jose Mourinho was in charge.

However, after finishing sixth and third in the Premier League under Solskjaer, United sit second in the English top-flight standings this season, and the Norwegian feels domestic improvement shows where the club is at.

"I think that you have to say that when you see the culture of what is happening every day I feel a lot of improvement in the everyday routine, everyday work that we do," Solskjaer said.

"The boys have taken on board what we want. We are 12 points ahead of where we were in the league last season. Of course we are always looking to win trophies, but as we have said, sometimes a trophy can hide what else is happening at a club.

"It is the league position where you see if you are progressing really. In some cup competitions you can be lucky or unlucky."

Solskjaer was in a confident mood ahead of the clash against Milan in the San Siro on Thursday, despite United having been held to a 1-1 draw in the first leg.

"We need to perform at our best level," he added. "They are a physical side with loads of energy, but these are the sort of games that we need to challenge and see if we can really reach the next level."

The return of recent absentees David de Gea, Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani for the trip to Milan has given Solskjaer a boost, but the United manager insisted none are guaranteed to start the match.

"There are a couple that we need to assess if they are available," Solskjaer said. "Anthony Martial is a definite no-go. Apart from that we are assessing the rest as we speak. Some might travel still needing to confirm they are available still."

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Gallery: United train ahead of Milan game

Manchester United players Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani during training ahead of the Europa League match against AC Milan on Thursday. Getty

United midifelders Fred and Bruno Fernandes during training. Getty

United attacker Marcus Rashford during training ahead of their Europa League clash with AC Milan. Getty

United defender Victor Lindelof during training. Getty

United's Paul Pogba and Alex Telles. Getty

United attacker Mason Greenwood at training. Getty

Harry Maguire at Manchester United training. Getty

Edinson Cavani and Amad at Manchester United training. Getty