Villarreal vs Manchester United score: Ronaldo, Sancho late Champions League goals lead to Carrick debut win

Portuguese and English superstars deliver in Spain to top Group F

Manchester United got off to a winning start under Michael Carrick with Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho scoring inside the final 12 minutes to secure a 2-0 win at Estadio de la Ceramica.

It had needed an excellent David De Gea to keep the visitors in it at 0-0 before late strikes by the Portugal and England internationals to send the Red Devils three points clear at the provisional UEFA Champions League Group F summit with Atalanta and Young Boys still to play.

The Swiss outfit are United's final opponents in the pool while Villarreal take on the Italians in the last round of games which will likely decide who advances with the managerless Premier League giants.

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Some takeaways.

Sancho scores

After a difficult start to life at Old Trafford, the England international featured and scored. Expectations were high when he arrived this summer before the former Borussia Dortmund man's struggles under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Perhaps this goal will finally see the 21-year-old start to turn things around.

Carrick calls

The caretaker was rewarded for some bold moves such as benching Bruno Fernandes and starting Sancho, Donny van de Beek and Anthony Martial with a coherent United display which looked better in spells than anything produced under predecessor Solskjaer of late. Sancho scored while Fernandes came off the bench to provide that extra insurance towards the end of the match.

Ronaldo regularity

The Portugal international once again answered the call of his teammates and provided the all-important opening goal 12 minutes from time. Without the 36-year-old Ronaldo, United might not find themselves advancing to the knockout phase as he has scored at least once in every game so far.

Champions cruise

What could have been a messy and drawn out process like last season's drop down into the Europa League has turned into a fairly straightforward exercise. United are now through, it is just a question of whether it will be alongside Atalanta or Villarreal.

[Nov 23, 2021 at 2:49 pm ET · Jonathan Johnson]

United win

It is all over in Spain and United win 2-0. It was tight before Carrick's men pulled away late on through Ronaldo and Sancho. By no means perfect, but the Red Devils will take that after the past few days they have had.

[Nov 23, 2021 at 2:41 pm ET · Jonathan Johnson]

Double delight

United make it two! Sancho with his first goal since joining the club over the summer.