Bruno Fernandes speaks: ““It was a good game,” he says. “The Europa League is always difficult to play. It doesn’t matter who you play against. We know Granada have quality - they can create something. We did well. We controlled the game and had a lot of the ball. We kept the ball moving. The result shows that.”

On the prospect of facing Roma: “Every team will give you problems,” he tells BT Sport. “They have a good organisation defensively, they can create problems offensively. Some of their players have played in England. We know what we have to do. If we do the right things, we will have our chances to win the game.”

Hats off to United. But first, mega-hats off to Granada, who have defied the odds in getting this far. A team assembled for less than €8m has done themselves proud in their first European adventure. They played well tonight but couldn’t find that cutting edge up front.

Europa League semi-final first legs

• Man United v Roma (29 April)
• Villarreal v Arsenal (29 April)

United are through to the semi-final: It was pretty routine for United, even if Granada did squander several decent chances against a team that never really had to come out of second gear. They will play Roma in the last four, while Arsenal will face Villarreal.

90 min: A brilliant save from point-blank range from De Gea, who somehow keeps out a header from point-blank range from Herrera.

89 min: Granada corner. The ball’s swung into the United penalty area and cleared at the near post.

87 min: Close but no cigar again for Granada, as Victor Diaz is teed up but shoots straight at De Gea form distance.

81 min: Manchester U|nited double-substitution: Amad Diallo (on for his senior debut) and Brandon Williams on for Mason Greenwood and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

78 min: As you can probably imagine with Manchester United three goals to the good on aggregate, the tie is petering out. United are going to help it peter out even more by making another double-substitution whenever the opportunity arises.

74 min: There was a long break in play there as Fred received treatment for an injury and the referee brandished a couple of yellow cards in the general direction of a group of players. I think Yangel Herrera got one of them but I can’t be sure.

72 min: Manchester United substitution: Bruno Fernandes off, Juan Mata on. Dan James on for Edinson Cavani. Granada substitution: Carlos Neva off, Victor Diaz on.

69 min: Twenty minutes remain and Granada need three goals to take the tie to extra time. They’ve had a few decent chances but need to start putting them away. Yangel Herrera tries a shot from the edge of the United penalty area but his effort is blocked.

66 min: Another Granada chance goes to waste as German scuffs a shot wide of the far post after a curled free-kick drops from wide on the right breaks his way.

63 min: The game is something of a non-event at this stage, with Granada plugging away gamely despite knowing the task of scoring four goals against superior opposition is beyond them. Manchester United are comfortably keeping them at arm’s length.

60 min: German gets booked, either for a late tackle on Fernandes, or for handling the ball as he slid through the Portuguese with his arms outstretched.

55 min: Edinson Cavani shoulders the ball wide of the far post after giving his man the slip but failing to make proper contact with his head from around the penalty sport. A let-off for Granada.

52 min: Half-time substitution that escaped me: Roberto Soldado off, Luis Suarez (not that one) on.

49 min: Chances at either end, as Jorge Molina heads into the hands of David De Gea, via a deflectino off the face of Aaron wan Bissaka. Moments later, Greenwood fires straight at Rui Silva, having been teed up by Donny van de Beek.

48 min: Off topic but more important than anything that’s going on at Old Trafford. Excellent work from Arsenal, who are battering Slavia Prague in their second leg ...

45 min: Lovely play from United. Paul Pogba sort of donkey-kicks the ball down the touchline, whereupon Cavani heads the ball inside to Pogba who had run to receive the return pass. He lays it off to Fernandes for the shot and the Portuguese elects to try to pick out of Cavani on the edge of the six-yard box instead and the ball bounces wide. A waste, but very impressive from Pogba.

43 min: Mason Greenwood blasts a shot well wide from the edge of the Granada penalty area. He went for power rather than finesse.

40 min: Pogba tries to send Greenwood on his way up the right flank with a ball from deep, but the youngster is unable to shake off his marker.

39 min: Fernandes pulls a shot well wide of the far post after being teed up on the edge of the Granada penalty area by Cavani.

38 min: Pogba is limping following a collision with Kenedy.

36 min: It’s nice and relaxed for United, who are three goals to the good across the tie. They’re keeping Granada at arms length but the Spanish team have had a couple of decent chances. Paul Pogba runs at their defence, plays the ball to Cavani but is unable to collect the return pass.

34 min: Good tackle from Jesus Vallejo, who slides in to prevent Mason Greenwood getting away down the right wing.

32 min: Bruno Fernades volleys over from a tight angle after connecting with a ball over the top from Nemanja Matic. It wasn’t a terrible effort.

28 min: Manchester United throw-in, deep in their own half after Darwin Machis fails to keep the ball in play. Granada substitution: Maxime Gonalons off with a shoulder injury, 38-year-old Jorge Molina on. It’s a striker on for a central midfielder.

25 min: A brilliant block tackle from Maxime Gonalons, who wins possession for Granada on the edge of the final third then plays the ball wide to Kenedy. The Brazilian is promptly dispossessed.

23 min: On the touchline, Donny Van De Beek is warming up for Manchester United. Is Ole Gunner Solskjær going to hook Paul Pogba before he gets sent off?

20 min: From the free-kick, Yangel Herrera blows a wonderful chance to pull a goal back for Granada. He got in behind Herrera to steer a free header from seven yards just wide of the right post. He should have scored!!!

19 min: Roberto Soldado gets booked for dissent. He appeared to be asking for a second yellow for Pogba, who had just tackled Yangel Herrera from behind. Pogba needs to watch his step here.

18 min: Granada throw-in, deep in Manchester United territory. Carlos Neva and Roberto Soldado combine down by the touchline but the hosts clear.

17 min: Paul Pogba gets booked for catching Granada skipper German with his elbow as he tried to hold him off. That looked a little harsh.

15 min: Fred plays the ball high behind Granada’s high line for Mason Greenwood to chase, but overcooks his pass. Rui Silva dashes out of his penalty area and beats the United striker to the ball.

13 min: Kenedy, the Brazilian winger on loan at Granada from Chelsea, picks up the ball on the right wing but is unable to get a cross into Roberto Soldado. Granada are doing OK, despite their horror-start.

10 min: Granada right-back Dimitri Foulquier sends a cross into the Manchester United penalty area. It’s put out for a corner, which Bruno Fernandes hacks clear at the near post. United win a free-kick in their own penalty area.

8 min: Granada corner. Yangel Herrera rises to steer a header just wide of the bottom right-hand corner. De Gea was beaten.

5 min: Granada attack on the counter, their effort comes to naught and then Manchester United surge forward. With Mason Greenwood haring through the centre in acres of space, Edinson Cavani’s pass from the inside left is too near Granada goalkeeper Rui Silva.

3 min: Foulquier belts the ball out of play for a Manchester United throw-in, deep in Granada territory.

Not long now: The teams are out on the pitch, United led by Paul Pogba and Granada led by German. The Spanish visitors have been patronised to within an inch of their lives by several memebrs of the BT Sport matchday team, who don’t give them a prayer.

That’s fair enough because they probably don’t have a prayer. However, one suspects that in the Mastermind chair, neither Jake Humphrey nor Paul Scholes would be able to point to the beautiful city on a map of Spain, let alone tell you anything about how far its football team has come in recent years.

That Manchester United team ...

David De Gea starts in goal, as he did in the first leg, while Axel Tuanzebe and Victor Lindelof are in the heart of United’s defence. Despite speculation that 18-year-old winger Amad Diallo, who arrived at Manchester United from Atalanta in January for a fee that could rise to £37m, might start tonight the Ivorian is on the bench.

Diego Martinez speaks: “There’s things we can take advantage of, because the way we played in certain facets of the game last week was good,” said Granada’s coach. “We need to be more efficient and play with personality during the 90 minutes plus that there’ll be. We need to play with intelligence, understanding that we need to play a perfect game and that’s what we want to do.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjær speaks: “We have got a great foundation, but we have to win,” said Manchester United’s manager. “They will give everything they have got. Momentum is big in football. It is a quarter-final in Europe and Granada need to score goals. We have seen them against Barcelona, Real Madrid, how dangerous they can be. We have to play a good game and not give them those opportunities.”

Asked if his squad’s mentality has changed under his watch, Ollie had this to say. “It is not up to me to say if their mentality has changed. Our job has been to get the best out of the players, that is different in every coaching style. I can feel change in the confidence. When I started rebuilding this squad we had a few months, seasons, to learn. They have learned on the job. Now we want to win a trophy, go as far as we can.”

Tonight’s match officials

• Referee: István Kovács
• Assistant referees: Vasile Florin Marinescu and Ovidiu Artene
• Fourth official: Sandro Schärer
• VAR: Bastian Dankert

Early team news

Manchester United have a trio of players sitting out this second leg on the Naughty Step, with Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw all suspended. Eric Bailly is back in Manchester after a month in his native Ivory Coast with Covid but will not fill in for Maguire tonight as Ole Gunnar Solskjær says he is not ready. The lesser-spotted Axel Tuanzebe will make a rare appearance. Marcus Rashford and Dan James are both doubtful for tonight’s game, while Ole has hinted several fringe players will get a run-out.

For Granada, central defender Domingos Duarte and midfielder Yan Eteki are both suspended, while central defender Neyder Lozano, midfielder Luis Milla and right-winger Quini are all injured. Having been suspended for Granada’s La Liga win over Valladolid over the weekend, Roberto Soldado will be fresh and rearing to go for the Spanish side.