Manchester United vs. Feyenoord: Score, Reaction from 2016 Europa League Match

Manchester United returned to form with a comfortable 4-0 win over Feyenoord in the UEFA Europa League at Old Trafford on Thursday, putting them back on track to reach the knockout phase of the competition. 

Wayne Rooney opened the scoring in the first half, before a Juan Mata tap-in, a Brad Jones own goal and a late Jesse Lingard curler sealed the three points for United, who sit one point behind Fenerbahce in Group A and two ahead of their Dutch visitors with one game remaining.

The hosts were positive and attacked well throughout, with Rooney, Mata and Henrikh Mkhitaryan enjoying starring roles, while Feyenoord offered little at the other end save for one good chance.

Mkhitaryan made just his second start for the Red Devils, and the hosts began brightly with some early possession culminating in a looped header over the bar from Paul Pogba, as he rose to meet Antonio Valencia's cross inside two minutes.

Soon after, Rooney almost sent Mkhitaryan clean through after the pair linked up well on the edge of the area, but the England captain's final ball was a touch heavy.

Football writer Liam Canning and ESPN's Alex Shaw hailed the Armenian's impressive start:

United came close when Pogba's venomous drive from distance was tipped over the bar. From the resulting corner, Michael Carrick had his own effort from outside the area blocked on the goal line by Dirk Kuyt.

Feyenoord's first attack of note came in the 26th minute and almost resulted in a goal—after Eljero Elia jinked past Phil Jones, goalkeeper Sergio Romero stopped Nicolai Jorgensen's powerful close-range effort and then showed tremendous reactions to keep out Kuyt's rebound with his leg.

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The hosts broke the deadlock in the 35th minute when Rooney fed the ball to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who returned it to him with a delightful through ball, and the striker—given the benefit of the doubt by the linesman—deftly lifted the ball over the onrushing Jones.

As Squawka Football noted, Rooney reached a significant landmark with the goal:

Five minutes into the second half, Feyenoord were fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men when Mkhitaryan picked up the ball in his own half and surged forward, beating three defenders before Jens Toornstra fouled him on the edge of the area. The referee ignored United's pleas and waved play on.

Two minutes later, Mata almost caught Jones off guard with a brilliant lob from 20 yards, but the Australian was just about able to recover to tip his effort over.

Mkhitaryan continued to impress as he embarked on another driving run forward, but he could only fire into the side-netting after playing a neat one-two with Ibrahimovic.

United grabbed a deserved second in the 69th minute when the Swede found Rooney on the right, and the 31-year-old carved open the visitors' defence with a lovely reverse pass, leaving Mata with a simple tap-in.

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Hesham Bilal-Hafiz of the Manchester Evening News hailed the duo:

Six minutes later, the game was well and truly put to bed when Jones turned in Ibrahimovic's cutback from the byline. 

Substitute Lingard rounded out the scoring in injury time when he beat Jones with a low curling effort from 18 yards.

The Red Devils will travel to FC Zorya Luhansk in their final game needing only a point to ensure their progression, while Feyenoord will host Fenerbahce and need to win—and hope United slip—to qualify.

If United can replicate their performance here, they should sail through, and the game might also serve as a turning point in their season if the influential Mkhitaryan is rewarded with more game time in the coming weeks, such was his impact.

Post-Match Reaction

United manager Jose Mourinho reflected positively on the performance and his side's clinical edge, per Eurosport Sverige:

Meanwhile, captain Rooney vowed there is more good form to come when he spoke to BT Sport's Des Kelly (h/t BBC Sport's Tom Rostance): "It was a good win, we are pleased to get four goals. The second goal killed the game, at 1-0 you never know what can happen. It's a great feeling to score goals for this club, I am pleased and there is plenty more to come."