This was a test of character for Manchester United and despite the celebrations sparked by reaching the Europa League final, this was a performance and a defeat that exposed bad habits.

We should not be too harsh. United are in the final and are certainly good enough to win it, but having been challenged to win the second leg as well as the first, they failed.

Perhaps this was the kind thing to do. The Italians were humiliated in the first leg, thrashed 6-2, an embarrassing scoreline that made a mockery of the fact that semi-finals are supposed to be tight and tense.

United, though, switched off, relaxed and although they still prevailed in Rome, it was disappointing.

Manchester United have been soft for too long. A side that flatter to deceive, excellent at times, infuriating at others.

When they have slipped into their comfort zone, United have consistently underwhelmed. It has been a chink, a loose thread that has been pulled too many times.

Solskajer has grown tired of warning them, but they were at it again here. Having scored again in Rome to make it 7-2 on aggregate, United stopped playing, stopped concentrating and were punished.

Roma scored twice in the second half and should have had more. United were flimsy and flaky, everything Solskjaer did not want to see.

This performance, particularly in the second half, will have annoyed Solskajer,  even if he hides it. Even after Edinson Cavani had scored his second to equalise, Roma were allowed to score a third.

United have played so many games in this condensed campaign it would have made sense to give Bruno Fernandes a break. The Portugal international has played 33 games for United and another eight for his country. He is a world-class player, but did not have to play here.

The tie was won, but Solskajer wanted to see how his side would react in a one-off game. He wants a team with a ruthless streak, one who want to crush the opposition, regardless of the situation.

Roma needed to score four goals and stop United scoring again to turn this semi-final around. It always looked beyond them.

They started strongly, pouring forward, looking for the early strike that might make United nervous.

Bryan Cristante and Gianluca Mancini forced good saves from David de Gea.

Soaking up Roma’s early pressure, the visitors were increasingly threatening in attack, Fred’s through ball finding the run of Cavani.

He had missed chances he will feel he should have taken earlier in the half, but this time finished with accuracy, a low shot into the bottom corner. United simply must keep him this summer.

Mason Greenwood could have made it two before Henrikh Mkhitaryan forced another save from De Gea, but Roma knew it was over.

Still Solskjaer continued to demand more, Fernandes going close with a shot from the edge of the area before half-time.

Arron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw were replaced at the start of the second half and Roma’s two goals briefly made things exciting, Edin Dzeko and Cristante putting them in.

Had United conceded again then it would have got really interesting as Roma appeared able to cut through them at will, but De Gea made another couple of saves, Mkhitaryan missed a good chance and hit the post.

Cavani’s goal came as they took even more risks, United making the most of the space left at the back to score their second.

Roma though scored a deserved third, making it five in two games conceded.

Teams with leaky defences do not tend to win cup finals. United defence remains a concern.

© Telegraph Media Group Limited 2021

 

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]