Manchester United vs. CSKA Moscow: Winners and Losers from Champions League
Manchester United moved to the top of Group B in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday with a 1-0 win over CSKA Moscow at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils ended their scoreless run of 404 minutes in the 79th minute as Wayne Rooney nodded home a Jesse Lingard cross.
The victory was a well-deserved result for the hosts, who put a ton of pressure on the organized CSKA Moscow back line before it finally broke late in the second half.
United lead Group B on seven points, but they are only one point ahead of Wolfsburg and PSV entering Matchday 5 while CSKA Moscow are in fourth place on four points.
Here's a look at our winners and losers from United's victory on Matchday 4.
Winner: Jesse Lingard
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Wayne Rooney may receive a spot in the headlines for his goal on Tuesday, but the real star of the match for Manchester United was Jesse Lingard.
From the outset, Lingard was a constant threat in attack for a United side that lacked creativity in the middle of the field for most of the contest.
Lingard was finally rewarded for his efforts on the left wing in the 79th minute, when he played a ball across the box to the head of Rooney in the buildup to the only tally of the game.
Given his strong performance on the continental stage on Tuesday, we should see more of Lingard moving forward as United try to build on their win over CSKA Moscow.
Loser: Anthony Martial
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Anthony Martial did not have a terrible game as the lone forward in the United formation, but he will be overshadowed by Rooney's showing up top in the final 25 minutes of the match while the Frenchman was on the bench.
Martial made his way to the bench in the 66th minute with a loud round of boos ringing throughout Old Trafford due to the change made by manager Louis van Gaal. Substitute Marouane Fellaini didn't do much in his second-half stint on the pitch.
Because Martial was sacrificed for the lanky aerial threat in Fellaini, Van Gaal shifted Rooney to the lone striker role, where he thrived and eventually scored from.
Martial's place in the team is not under threat yet, but if Rooney gets hot in front of goal and Martial's production drops off, there could be realignment down the road in Van Gaal's setup.
Winner: Wayne Rooney
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Speaking of Rooney, he delivered in a major fashion on Tuesday night with his 79th-minute strike.
The goal ended United's goal drought of 404 minutes that dated back to Matchday 3's trip to Russia, and it helped them avoid a fourth consecutive 0-0 result in all competitions.
While he is not free from the criticism he's received of late, Rooney did take a good first step in regaining the trust of those who have doubted him over the last few weeks.
However, in order to fully quash the critics, the English forward must use Tuesday's goal as a springboard to more strikes in the near future. The perfect scenario for the forward to do just that presents itself on Saturday as United host West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League.
Loser: Igor Akinfeev
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Igor Akinfeev's dubious record in goal continued on Tuesday as he failed to record a clean sheet for the 35th Champions League consecutive match, per soccer journalist Archie Rhind-Tutt.
The extension of Akinfeev's concession streak came at the worst possible time for the leaders of the Russian Premier League as they put in a valiant defensive performance for the first 78 minutes of the contest.
Now with two games remaining in Group B, CSKA Moscow find themselves in last place on four points. The good news for Akinfeev is he and his teammates will host third-place Wolfsburg on Matchday 5 in an attempt to get back into the knockout-round qualification positions.
However, if CSKA Moscow's Champions League campaign goes downhill over the next few weeks, we may return to the late United goal as a turning point in their European season.
Winner: Chris Smalling
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Chris Smalling didn't have to make too many key plays on Tuesday night thanks to United's dominance in the possession battle, but he made one vital clearance in the 78th minute.
Just one minute before Rooney struck for the game-winning goal on the other side of the pitch, Smalling dove in front of a Seydou Doumbia shot after Ashley Young slipped on his way to the ball.
If Smalling did not recover in time and clear the rebound off David De Gea's left-handed save, the mood at Old Trafford would've turned sour, and United may have become too desperate moving forward and conceded another late goal.
But thanks to Smalling's key involvement, United kept the game scoreless, went down the field and scored and moved into first in the Group B table after four matches .
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
