Man United and Arsenal youth shine in Europa League

PARIS: Teenager Mason Greenwood again grabbed his chances for Manchester United, scoring twice in a 4-0 thrashing of AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League on Thursday.

Earlier Arsenal came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Standard Liege and also make sure of a place in the last 32 as Group F winners. With Wolves, who crushed Besiktas 4-0, also advancing, English clubs ended with a full house in Europe with the three Europa League entries following the Premier League’s four Champions League teams into the knockout rounds.

Spanish clubs also completed a full set when Getafe joined already-qualified Sevilla and Espanyol by scoring three times in the last 14 minutes to beat Krasnodar 3-0 in a showdown for second place in Group C.

However, Bundesliga leaders Borussia Moenchengladbach and Italian power Lazio made surprising exits. At Old Trafford, in a battle for top spot in Group L, Alkmaar matched a youthful United side until the 53rd minute when veteran Ashley Young smashed the home team ahead.

Greenwood pounced on a loose ball to snap the second into the corner of the net. After Greenwood was fouled, Juan Mata converted a penalty. Then the Spaniard set up Greenwood for another crisp low left-footer inside the post.

Alexandre Lacazette and Bukayo Saka were on target in the space of three second-half minutes as Arsenal survived a scare to win their group. They lived on their nerves as Eintracht Frankfurt were poised to knock them off top spot when the Germans led Guimaraes 2-1.

However, the Portuguese side, already eliminated, scored twice in the last five minutes to claim a 3-2 win. Liege took the lead just after half-time when a speculative Samuel Bastien shot took a huge deflection.

The goal meant Arsenal had failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 13 matches in all competitions. It got worse after 69 minutes when Selim Amallah made it 2-0 off another deflection as Liege looked for the unlikely scoreline of 5-0 which would put them through and Arsenal out.

However, Lacazette calmed Arsenal nerves after 78 minutes when he headed in a cross from Saka. Three minutes later, the impressive Saka levelled with a fine finish from the edge of the box. Gladbach conceded in the 91st minute to lose 2-1 to Istanbul Basaksehir and crashed out.