In the end a comfortable win for Manchester United as goals from Marouane Fellaini, Romelu Lukaku, and Marcus Rashford sees off the Swiss champions.... but Jose Mourinho will be acutely aware that this is nowhere near the finished article.
Let's keep those negative thoughts at bay, though... Manchester United are back in the Champions League, and they're back in it with a win.
89' Elyounoussi has looked sprightly this half and attempts a wild hoick from twenty five yards - and why not - but the ball sails into the Manchester evening
88' United win a corner and inexplicably play it short. The ploy almost sets Lingard in behind the defence down that right flank, but Zuffi does well to read the intent of Mkhitaryan's pass
86' OH WHAT A CHANCE Oberlin! A superb Zuffi ball in evades everyone in red and finds Oberlin all by his lonesome in the six yard box but he can't get any sort of contact with his attempted header
Oh what lovely football from Manchester United. A supreme one-touch pass from Lukaku lets Fellaini in on the right side of the box where he places it back into the box... it nutmegs an unwitting Mkhitaryan on it's way to Rashford's feet and the young man bounces it off the ground and up over the keeper... Stretford End couldn't be happier
82' OH! OH! Talaunt Xhaka gets into the book for what is called a professional foul - he smashed into Mhitaryan just as the Armenian was getting onto his scooter and leading a counter attack
81' Rashford and Blind combine down the left, but opt for the cautious route and United seem content to knock the ball around... till Matic gives the ball straight to Bua with a horribly lazy pass. Fellaini does supremely well to charge back and win back possession.
80' De Gea is closed down by the fresh-off-the-bench Oberlin, but it's a throw in for United and Blind does well to move the action a good forty yards upfield.
78' OOOO! Bua drops in deep and plays an interesting looking ball that is just a mite overhit for Steffen. At the other end of the field Rashford gets on the ball and lures Lang into giving away a foul that he himself will take
76' Changes all round! Riveros is off for Oberlin (LWB for CF, there) and Rashford trots on for Juan Mata. Just when the Basel defence though things were going to get a bit slower
75' Young, who has had an exceptional match, skins two defenders before Balanta is forced to drag him down in the unceremonious manner - Young saw that coming and he was already on his way down as the defender closed in. Correct free kick nonetheless. Which isn't a great one.
72' OOOO a clever Lingard ball is found by an equally clever Blind ball and United ping the ball around the edge of Basel's box... till Fellaini rams into Xhaka, and releases the pressure
70' Substitution for United as Lingard is brought on for Martial... who plays the standard 70 minutes Mourinho seems to have allotted for his wide forwards this season
69' The impressive Balanta steps out of defence in the Beckenbauer style before playing in Elyounoussi who's cross into the box is just too tall for Kevin Bua
67' That leads to freekick that leads to a corner that leads to a superb left-footed shot at goal (post a lovely shimmy of the hips) that the goalie does well to push around the post for a corner.
66' OH OH OH MARTIAL! Fellaini does superbly to steal in on the right flank, get behind the defence and pull it back to the middle - where Martial can only place it wide from an awkward position.
64' Martial goes on a rampage down the left but he's well seen off by Akanji. Old Trafford rarely needs more invitation to break out their Tony Martial chant and they do so with great gusto
63' OH CHANCE FOR BASEL! That was some sublime football from Basel! Steffen plays in Elyounoussi - and the tricky winger shakes of Lindelof (if he'd gone down there he'd have won a penalty, for sure) before cutting back inside, staying on his feet and whacking a shot at goal that takes every bit of De Gea's exemplary reflexes and athleticism to keep out
62' OH CHANCE FOR UNITED! Lukaku gets on the head of Mkhitaryan's impeccable freekick and he smashes it into the ground... it lacks the necessary direction to make its way past Vaclik
61' OH DE GEA! A carelessly misplaced pass out from the Spanish keeper gifts possession to Elyounoussi but the Norwegian can't muscle his way past Matic - no shame in that - Young then steals the ball and sets Martial off on a gallop which ends with a Lang tackle and a Lang yellow card.
60' OH SMALLING! Van Wolfswinkel swung a boot at the ball in a hopeful attempt, and Smalling had to be alert to head it away in front of goal with De Gea stranded at the other end
59' Zuffi floats in a delicious ball, but Blind makes up for his error by heading it away in front of Lang's flying boot. Just the kind of bravery and commitment that will impress Mourinho, let me assure you
58' Yellow card for Daley Blind as he goes sliding in on Steffen just as the winger looked like he was going to escape down the touchline. A decent chance to send a ball into the box
55' Basel are still playing some decent football and are hogging the ball right now, but they look a touch taken aback after that sucker punch of a goal
Ah! Just as Basel looked to be on the up, the counter is played short and Blind plays in the most exquisite of passes that Lukaku absolutely hammers into the back of the net. First Champions League goal for the big Belgian.
50' Balanta does superbly to spring away from FOUR United shirts and set Basel off... the Swiss have come out with real purpose... and they are playing much the better football at the moment!
49' OH! CHANCE AGAIN FOR BASEL! Lovely football this from the Swiss Champions... Xhaka floats in a lovely ball that Wolfswinkel really should be fighting Lindelof tooth and nail over... instead, he meekly watches on as the Swede sweeps it clear from inside his own six-yard box.
Manchester United lead Basel by 1 goal to 0 thanks to a Marouane Fellaini header (from an Ashley Young cross)... United have played some sublime football but Basel grew into the match as the half wore on... sets up nicely for the second half.
47' Interesting looking Basel counter brings the half to an end as Elyounoussi's superb cross creates a measure of panic in the United box.. till Young clears with the most agricultural of hoicks clear
45' Taulant Xhaka finds himself surrounded by three United shirts and does well to win a free-kick of one of them, Mata. At the other end, Lindelof does equally well to win a foul off Lang in the corner flag
43' Mkhitaryan, oh Mkhitaryan... the Armenian nutmegs Riveros before back-flicking his way past Balanta but overdoes the solo dribble... Lukaku charges into a recovery tackle and gets the ball - but his pass is a touch awry.
42' OH! CHANCE! Mkhitaryan swings in a delectable ball that finds Fellaini isolated against Balanta. The big Belgian wins the header easily and tries to knock it down for Lukaku, but his compatriot is a touch on his heels and Suchy beats him to the punch
40' OOO! Steffen does well to nip the ball of Matic - a case of the hunted becoming the hunter, there - before feeding Elyounousi down the right... he tries a Robben-esque cut in and shot that doesn't get past a determined Smalling charge-down
38' OOOOH! CHANCE FOR BASEL! EL YONOUSI STEALS IN AT THE FAR POST AND ZUFFI FLOATS ONE THAT HE REALLY SHOULD BURY. The midfielder, though, can only manage a tame header into the hands of De Gea.
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In the end a comfortable win for Manchester United as goals from Marouane Fellaini, Romelu Lukaku, and Marcus Rashford sees off the Swiss champions.... but Jose Mourinho will be acutely aware that this is nowhere near the finished article.
Let's keep those negative thoughts at bay, though... Manchester United are back in the Champions League, and they're back in it with a win.
That's all from me, Anirudh Menon signing out
Toodle-ooo!