Robert Lewandowski can consider himself hard done by. The Bayern Munich striker would almost certainly have won his maiden Ballon d'Or in 2020, only for France Football to decide not to hand out the award due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, world football's most prestigious individual accolade is back up for grabs this year, with the ceremony set to take place on Monday.

Lewandowski, who scooped The Best FIFA Men's Player award for 2020 and has had another sensational year for Bayern, is among the favourites on a 30-man shortlist.

Will it finally be his time, or will old voting habits die hard to put Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi in pole position? Using Opta data, Stats Perform assesses the credentials of the Ballon d'Or favourites.

Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich, Poland)

Has anybody outperformed Bayern star Lewandowski in 2021?  While there was no repeat of the treble-winning heroics of the 2019-20 campaign, he has been in astounding form and last season broke Gerd Muller's 49-year record for goals scored in a single Bundesliga campaign, netting 41 as Die Roten were crowned champions for a ninth straight campaign.

With 25 to his name already across all competitions this term, Lewandowski leads the way for goals from players in Europe's top five leagues, nine clear of anyone else. When taking the whole year so far into account, Lewandowski has netted 53 times in 41 games, putting him 16 clear of nearest challengers Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Unsurprisingly, his scoring rate – a goal every 65 minutes – is comfortably the best of any player to net 10 or more in 2021.

Lionel Messi (PSG, Argentina)

It has been a momentous year for Messi. He finally achieved success on the international stage, leading Argentina to a Copa America triumph. Following that, he was expected to sign a fresh deal at Barcelona, but we all know how that turned out. Now at Paris Saint-Germain, the 34-year-old marked his final season in Spain with one last trophy, the 2020-21 Copa del Rey. 

Across 39 appearances in 2021 for Barca and PSG combined, Messi has 32 goals, nine assists and 81   chances created. But it is Messi's triumph with Argentina that really puts him in the running for a seventh Ballon d'Or.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Portugal)

Like Messi, Ronaldo – a five-time Ballon d'Or winner – made a big move of his own in 2021, returning to Manchester United after three seasons at Juventus. The 36-year-old has already scored 10 goals in his second spell at Old Trafford. While the team's struggles are well known – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer losing his job after last week's dismal defeat at Watford – Ronaldo's strike against Villarreal on Tuesday took him to 799 career goals for club and country, a remarkable feat.

While it has not been the finest year at club level for Ronaldo, with Juve missing out on the Serie A title, albeit winning the Coppa Italia, he did become the record goalscorer in men's international football, scoring his 110th and 111th goals in a double against the Republic of Ireland in September to overtake Ali Daei (109); the forward now has 115. His agent, Jorge Mendes, told France Football: "All these achievements, which represent the greatest performance in football history, should be pivotal in awarding the trophy, as he continues to demonstrate that he is, without doubt, the best world football player of all time."

Karim Benzema (Real Madrid, France)

Since Ronaldo departed Real Madrid in 2018, Benzema has stepped up to become Los Blancos' talisman. Although a LaLiga title evaded Madrid last season, it has been another fantastic year for Benzema. He earned a recall to the France squad for Euro 2020 and, despite the team's disappointing campaign, his stellar performances caught the eye, before he excelled again in World Cup qualifying and the Nations League Finals.

Indeed, Benzema's goal against Finland last week made him the first France player to score in four successive matches since he did so himself in five games between November 2013 and June 2014. There is no doubting he is a serious contender for this year's award.

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, Egypt)

Liverpool star Salah cannot be ignored. Jurgen Klopp has labelled the Egypt forward as the world's best player and, based on the season so far, it would be hard to argue too much with that suggestion, with Lewandowski the only player across Europe's top five leagues to be directly involved in more goals (27) than Salah (24) to this point.

Only four players have topped Salah's goals tally of 32   in 2021, although Liverpool's failure to retain their Premier League crown last season probably counts against the 29-year-old when it comes to this prize.

Kylian Mbappe (PSG, France)

While players in their thirties dominate the bookmakers' list of favourites, could this be the year that Mbappe steals the crown? The 22-year-old could well have left PSG in August, but the Ligue 1 giants held firm despite three bids from Madrid, who seem likely to get their man on a free transfer at the end of the campaign.

In the meantime, Mbappe is forming a formidable front three with Messi and Neymar, whose own Ballon d'Or hopes seem extremely slim. Mbappe missed the decisive penalty as France slipped out of Euro 2020, but his 37 goals from 47 appearances for PSG across all competitions in 2021 tell their own story, while his shot conversion rate of 24.3 per cent betters that of Salah, Benzema, Messi and Ronaldo.

Jorginho (Chelsea, Italy)

An outsider for the award, perhaps, but nevertheless a player who has been widely tipped, Chelsea midfielder Jorginho played a pivotal role the Blues' Champions League triumph and then Italy's Euro 2020 success, although he did miss a penalty in the final shoot-out against England. In fact, he has now missed his past three spot-kicks for Italy, after having scored each of his first six taken for the Azzurri.

Jorginho has already scooped the UEFA Men's Player of the Year award, and it is not too long ago that another deep-lying playmaker in Luka Modric won the Ballon d'Or, even if the competition this time around seems a little too stacked.

N'Golo Kante (Chelsea, France)

Might Jorginho's Chelsea midfield partner have a shout? Kante is still dominating midfields with his boundless energy five years on from his title triumph with Leicester City. He was already an elite performer before Thomas Tuchel's arrival at Stamford Bridge, but he seems to have gone up another level since the German coach came in.

Across all competitions in 2021, Kante boasts a tackle success rate of 63.2 per cent and has made 193 recoveries. Freed by a box-to-box role in Tuchel's system, Kante has won 151 of 277 duels and registered an impressive 42 interceptions.

It has been a turbulent period for Manchester United, but they appear on the cusp of solving one issue.

With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gone, struggling United need a new manager and while Mauricio Pochettino seems to be the dream appointment, the Red Devils are reportedly closing in on a short-term solution.

Ralf Rangnick.

TOP STORY – UNITED TURN TO RANGNICK ON SHORT-TERM BASIS

Manchester United are set to appoint former RB Leipzig boss Ralf Rangnick as interim manager, according to The Athletic, ESPN and widespread reports.

After sacking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, United outlined their plan to install an interim boss until the end of the season amid reported long-term interest in Paris Saint-Germain's Mauricio Pochettino and Ajax head coach Erik ten Hag.

There had been reports United could turn to Pochettino immediately but a deal to prise the former Tottenham boss from Paris proved difficult.

Instead, United have offered Rangnick a six-month contract at Old Trafford, where the 63-year-old German is set to take up a consultancy role once his interim tenure ends.

Rangnick is currently head of sports and development at Russian outfit Lokomotiv Moscow.

ROUND-UP

- Calciomercato claims Chelsea are plotting a move for Italy star Federico Chiesa, who is still on loan from Fiorentina. Juventus are set to sign Chiesa permanently at the end of the season, though he is wanted by a host of clubs, including Bayern Munich and Liverpool.

- United have emerged as a possible destination for in-demand Fiorentina forward Dusan Vlahovic, reports the Daily Mail. Vlahovic is wanted by Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, Juve, Inter, Arsenal, Tottenham and Bayern but the Red Devils are believed to have joined the race.

- Barcelona could sell Memphis Depay to help in their efforts to prise Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, per El Nacional. Depay only joined Barca on a free transfer at the start of the season, but the financially stricken LaLiga giants are among the long list of Haaland admirers. Haaland has been linked with City, United, Real Madrid, Bayern, Liverpool, Chelsea, Juve and PSG.

- Fabrizio Romano claims Stefano Pioli will sign a new contract with Milan on Friday. The Rossoneri head coach is set to extend his deal until June 2023, with the option of a further season.

Manchester United star Marcus Rashford insisted former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer deserves the ultimate respect, despite his sacking at Old Trafford.

United dismissed Solskjaer following last week's humiliating 4-1 Premier League loss at lowly Watford, the club's fifth defeat in seven league matches.

Solskjaer had been on the brink after an embarrassing 5-0 rout at the hands of rivals Liverpool, while United were outplayed by defending champions and neighbours Manchester City 2-0 prior to the international break.

Ex-United forward Solskjaer took charge from Jose Mourinho initially on an interim basis in December 2018 and oversaw a marked improvement in performance while dispelling the toxic atmosphere that developed during the Portuguese's final weeks at the club.

Solskjaer led United to sixth in his first half-season at the helm, before finishing third in 2019-20 and second in 2020-21, while his team enjoyed an English league record run of 29 away games without defeat.

However, he failed to win a trophy, reaching just one final, going down on penalties to Villarreal in the Europa League last term.

Rashford leapt to the defence of Solskjaer days after his sacking as United reportedly close in on the short-term appointment of Ralf Rangnick until the end of the season, telling BBC: "Ole's Man United at heart, nobody could ever say that he's not.

"For me, the respect that he deserves is huge, not just from us, from the fans as well.

"When Bruno [Fernandes] was on the pitch [at Watford] telling the fans that it's not just him, it's all of us, that's important as well.

"I feel like fans sometimes blame the manager. The manager can't play for us, he can set us up in the best way that he thinks possible.

"Our job is to do them instructions, do what we're good at as well and try to win games. It didn't happen for us in that game, but it's not right to blame the manager.

"I was happy that Bruno did that because it sends a message that even though things weren't going for us, Ole and team, we still respect him.

"Respect is a big thing, it goes a long way and Ole will never lose my respect."

United are eighth in the table and 12 points behind leaders Chelsea ahead of Sunday's trip to Stamford Bridge.

Michael Carrick insists he is fully focused on preparing Manchester United for Sunday's game against Chelsea, with the Red Devils reportedly on the brink of appointing Ralf Rangnick.

According to reports, the 63-year-old is set to take over the reins at Old Trafford as interim manager for the remainder of this season, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer having been dismissed after last weekend's 4-1 defeat at Watford.

The Red Devils are believed to have agreed terms with Rangnick and Lokomotiv Moscow, where he is serving as their head of sports and development.

Carrick, who was assistant to Solskjaer, oversaw United's 2-0 win over Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday, and will remain in charge for this weekend's showdown with Premier League leaders Chelsea.

And the former midfielder, who played over 450 times and won five Premier League titles at Old Trafford, has his sights firmly set on the trip to Stamford Bridge.

"My future is the next two or three days – that's as far as I'm prepared to look," he said. "That's the right way to go about it. 

"Football is that type of business – you never know what's around the corner at the best of times. All my energy is on Sunday.

"I'll control what I can control. How do I prepare the team for the next game? Everything else is not for me to worry about or get involved with."

"I'm literally just looking at this next game, a huge game. Whatever happens after that we'll have to wait and see.

"I didn't put myself in this position, but to be involved in a big game like this – as a player or coach – it's a hugely challenging game. 

“Playing against Chelsea, they were always our big rivals when I first got here. I've got a history with them, but we thrive on that competition."

Rangnick's first game at the helm would be the home Premier League clash with Arsenal next week.

The German has managed five clubs in the Bundesliga and guided Schalke to a second-place finish in 2004-05.

He also steered them to glory in the DFB-Pokal six years later, as well as the Champions League semi-finals.

Mauricio Pochettino remains Manchester United's top target, according to reports.

It may be some time before the Paris Saint-Germain boss ends up at Old Trafford, though. 

United appear set to finish this season with an interim manager before making a permanent move for the sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's long-term successor.
 

TOP STORY – UNITED FOCUSED ON INTERIM MANAGER OPTIONS

All indications are that Mauricio Pochettino will end up at Manchester United eventually, but it could take several months.

The Daily Star reports Pochettino will have to wait six months – through to the end of this season – before jumping from Paris Saint-Germain to Old Trafford.

The report says United have not made any official overtures to PSG and are focused on finding an interim boss instead, with hopes of appointing one by mid-December.

Julen Lopetegui and Ernesto Valverde are among the candidates for that role, claims the Daily Star, while the Mirror says Ralf Rangnick, Paulo Fonseca, Lucien Favre and Rudi Garcia also are in the mix, along with caretaker manager Michael Carrick.

ROUND-UP

- United and Newcastle are the top contenders to sign Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid, according to The Sun.

- Liverpool and Barcelona are eyeing a move for Christian Pulisic, reports El Nacional, but Chelsea's €50million price tag would be too much for Barca and the Blues prefer not to sell the USA international to another Premier League club.

- Chelsea are interested in adding defender Attila Szalai from Fenerbahce, says Football Insider.

- Adama Traore could be on the move in January as Wolves are prepared to listen to offers for the 25-year-old, Football Insider reports.

Mauricio Pochettino refused to shut down rumours he could become the next Manchester United manager after Paris Saint-Germain lost to Manchester City.

The Ligue 1 leaders took the lead at the Etihad Stadium but goals from Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus secured a 2-1 victory for City and top spot in Champions League Group A.

The match has been overshadowed by speculation over Pochettino's future, with the former Tottenham boss said to be one of United's top targets to succeed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as manager.

Despite insisting before the game that he was committed to PSG, talk has persisted that the Argentine is keen to return to his family in England and would relish the chance to take over at Old Trafford.

Speaking after his side's defeat in Manchester, Pochettino declined to rule out the prospect of leaving for United.

"The players are well aware of the situation," he said, as per L'Equipe.

"There are rumours in this environment, some positive, some negative. Now is not the time to talk about it.

"We have to improve in all aspects, all areas. We are improving. I'm happy with the process. There are things that are better now than a month ago. Little by little, the team will improve."

City looked the stronger side for much of the contest, finishing with 2.09 expected goals to the visitors' 1.04.

They had 16 shots to PSG's seven and 37 touches in their opponents' box while conceding only 10 as they largely limited the impact of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Pochettino accepted his side were second-best in the first half but felt the game was under their control when they held the lead.

"There were two halves," he said. "They started better. They were very aggressive in pressing. There were some good things but others that need to be improved.

"At 0-0 at half-time, we were able to solve some problems. We had the game under control at 1-0. I'm disappointed with the result. You have to progress every day."

You won't often find a meeting of two Champions League heavyweights in which the 90 minutes on the pitch are a sideshow, but they were in Manchester City's 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain.

For one thing, RB Leipzig were 4-0 up half-time against Club Brugge, making the result at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday largely redundant: both these teams knew they would be into the last 16 should Leipzig win.

The game was therefore a sub-plot, albeit of the calibre of the Succession writers' room. The main story related to a wholly different dysfunctional dynasty, the pre-match discourse dominated by Mauricio Pochettino and Manchester United's latest post-Ferguson search for a manager. You have to hand it to United for making one of their rivals' biggest games of the season more about them. Noisy neighbours, indeed.

Pochettino, we are led to believe, has misgivings about staying as PSG head coach, despite insisting this week that he was enjoying life at the club. With his family still in London and an uncomfortable feeling around Parc des Princes, the former Tottenham boss, it is said, would be greatly interested in a return to England via United.

It definitely looked like PSG minds were elsewhere in the first half. Their plans were upset by the loss of Marco Verratti and Georginio Wijnaldum to late injuries, while Sergio Ramos is still a spectator, and they were distinctly second best against the Premier League champions despite the 0-0 scoreline.

While the glittering trident of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe showed only the odd spark, City's forwards shone brightly, Riyad Mahrez setting the tone with every magnificent first touch. Ilkay Gundogan hit the post when he should have scored; Marquinhos led a penalty-box blockade, the captain and Achraf Hakimi each stopping goal-bound efforts.

There, at least, Pochettino deserves credit. With Ander Herrera, Idrissa Gueye and Leandro Paredes screening the back four, it was hard for City to test Keylor Navas despite 'MNM' guarding their own defenders about as well as a chocolate shell protects a peanut. Keeping it tight and trusting his stars to improvise is not a method for which Pochettino is renowned; it's straight out of the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer playbook, one that brought him four wins over Pep Guardiola in all competitions as United manager.

But it got PSG their lead five minutes into the second half. Messi's cross was deflected to Mbappe and he blasted through Ederson's legs. It was his 29th Champions League goal in 50 games, a tally bettered only by two French players in history and one you suspect he will easily surpass.

PSG began to threaten a second on the break, but after Herrera was lost to injury, Raheem Sterling stabbed in at the far post after Rodri brilliantly played in Kyle Walker. It was no less than City deserved and few would have begrudged them their winner, Gabriel Jesus steering the ball in from Bernardo Silva's lay-off after Mahrez was given space to cross from the right for what felt like the 37th time. It was a great antidote to their 2-0 loss in Paris, where City did everything with the ball except put it between the goal posts before Messi spectacularly killed the contest.

And that's perhaps the key takeaway from this not-quite-dead-rubber. The two most lavish projects in football history have followed disparate routes: while one is carried by individual stars, the other is powered by the magic of its manager. Neither has yet led to the Champions League trophy, but on this evidence, it's the men in sky blue who will be challenging this season.

City, incontrovertibly, are Guardiola's City. This is not Pochettino's PSG. And as long as that is the case, the talk of discontent will continue, and the shadow of Old Trafford will loom large in the City of Light.

Emerging Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic has a long list of admirers.

The 21-year-old netted 21 Serie A goals last season.

Vlahovic scored a double in Fiorentina's 4-3 win over Milan last weekend too.

TOP STORY – NEWCASTLE STILL KEEN ON VLAHOVIC

Cashed-up Newcastle United will still pursue hot property forward Dusan Vlahovic despite Fiorentina's €80million (£67m) asking price according to Corriere Fiorentina.

The bottom-of-the-table Premier League club are determined to land the Serbian who has also attracted interest from Juventus.

Juventus want Vlahovic in January and are still front-runners to land the 21-year-old, who has already netted 12 goals this term.

 ROUND-UP

- Sky Germany reports that Borussia Dortmund are preparing a new contract offer for Erling Haaland to keep him at the club, amid interest from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City.

- Barcelona are considering moves for either of Chelsea pair Timo Werner or Hakim Ziyech as an alternative to Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling claims ESPN.

- Liverpool, Leicester City and Newcastle are all monitoring Olympiacos' 20-year-old midfielder Aguibou Camara reports The Sun.

- Milan have entered the pursuit to sign Arsenal's Alexandre Lacazette claims Calciomercato. Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Newcastle are all interested.

Manchester United caretaker manager Michael Carrick hailed Cristiano Ronaldo after the Red Devils superstar made more Champions League history in the 2-0 victory over Villarreal.

Ronaldo became the first player to score in the first five matches of a European Cup/Champions League campaign for an English team as United qualified for the last 16 courtesy of Tuesday's Group F win at Villarreal.

In the first match of the post-Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era, with interim boss Carrick on the sidelines following the Norwegian's sacking, Ronaldo broke the deadlock 12 minutes from the end for his 799th career goal before team-mate Jadon Sancho sealed the victory at the death away from home.

Ronaldo's strike against Villarreal was the third time he has scored the match-winning goal in the final 15 minutes of a Champions League match this season – the most a single player has ever done so in a single season in the competition (excluding extra time).

The 36-year-old has also scored six goals for United in this season's Champions League; only Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2004-05 (eight) has ever scored more for an English club in a single group phase of the competition.

Carrick – who became the first English manager to win his first match in charge of United (excluding second spells) since 1931 – heaped praise on Ronaldo post-game, telling reporters: "There's not much more I can really say about Cristiano that hasn't been said over quite a number of years.

"It's what he does in the big games and the big moments when you need a goal and you need that little bit of something he's there to deliver. And he's got such a kind of cold, calculated mentality that he's so calm when he gets that and he doesn't snatch at the chances. That's what he's been gifted with. I say gifted with, he's worked very hard at being as good as he is, so delighted to obviously have him and not surprised at all that he managed to come up with a goal for us tonight.

"He played mixed positions. We started him off on the left to put Anthony [Martial] through the middle. And just as the flexibility we have as a forward line, the chopping and changing positions at times, but I thought whatever position they ended up, they defended responsibly and disciplined.

"That [helps] us look a much stronger team and helped an awful lot. In the end, you get your rewards. Like I said before, for Jadon, it's the same thing. If you work well as a team and you put the full package together, you end up getting your rewards and we did tonight."

It has been a turbulent time for United, who had only won two of their previous eight games heading into the matchday five fixture.

Sancho – a big-money signing from Borussia Dortmund at the start of the season – scored his first ever United goal in what was his 15th appearance and from his 11th attempted shot in all competitions.

Carrick added: "I think he'll be better off tonight after playing how he played tonight. The goal for everyone is the obvious one, I think. And for Jadon himself, it'll give him a massive boost.

"It was a big goal for him. But I thought his performance overall, I know how much Jadon likes the ball at his feet and he wants it where he's happiest. You see the smile on his face when he's got the ball on his feet and he's trying to make things happen. But actually, the most pleasant thing for me is the effort and the application that he put on and off the ball. 

"And at times he wasn't seeing a lot of the ball, but he was doing a job and he was playing a big part in the team's performance. In the end, that's what happens. You get your rewards and you kind of get what you deserve and you earn it. So I was delighted for Jadon, kind of epitomised the team's performance, really of how much we had to dig in. Grit and determination at certain times.

"But actually how much we enjoyed the ball as well at other times. So I was delighted for Jadon. It's obviously up to Jadon out of what happens next and how he kicks on because he's got all the talent in the world and he'll have all our support, that's for sure."

Ajax head coach and rumoured Manchester United target Erik ten Hag said "it's always nice when you are linked to clubs with this status", though the Dutchman stressed his commitment to the Eredivisie champions.

Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly the favourite to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who was sacked on Sunday following a humiliating 4-1 Premier League rout at Watford.

However, Ten Hag is believed to be United's second choice to fill the United vacancy should the Red Devils miss out on Pochettino.

Ajax's Ten Hag has impressed in his time in Amsterdam, where he has delivered two Eredivisie titles and embarked on a memorable run to the 2018-19 Champions League semi-finals.

Ten Hag's men have been the entertainers of Europe this term, dazzling their way into the Champions League round of 16, while topping the Eredivisie ahead of rivals PSV on goal difference.

Having fielded questions about United's reported interest after Sunday's 5-0 demolition of RKC Waalwijk, Ten Hag was again quizzed by reporters on the eve of Wednesday's Champions League clash with Besiktas.

"It's always nice when you are linked to clubs with this status," the 51-year-old Ten Hag – previously linked to Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Newcastle United – said during a news conference in Istanbul.

Ten Hag added: "I am busy with Ajax. No one contacted me, I can confirm this. I want to win titles here.

"If we approach this game like you do [the media], we will have a very difficult night," he said.

Ajax will be looking to become only the second Dutch outfit to win their opening five games of a European Cup/Champions League campaign, after Feyenoord in 1971-72.

The Amsterdam club have produced more shots from high turnovers (11) – sequences that start within 40 metres of the opponent's goal – than any other team in the 2021-22 Champions League.

Ten Hag's high-pressing side have also scored two goals following high turnovers; one of only two teams to have netted more than once from these situations (along with Real Madrid, two).

Cristiano Ronaldo insisted Manchester United "will never stop fighting" after the superstar sent the embattled giants through to the Champions League knockouts following another record-breaking performance.

Ronaldo became the first player to score in the first five matches of a European Cup/Champions League campaign for an English team as United qualified for the last 16 courtesy of Tuesday's 2-0 Group F win over Villarreal.

In the first match of the post-Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era, with interim boss Michael Carrick on the sidelines, Ronaldo broke the deadlock 12 minutes from the end for his 799th career goal before team-mate Jadon Sancho sealed the victory at the death away from home.

It has been a turbulent time for United, who had only won two of their previous eight games heading into the matchday five fixture, and Ronaldo revelled in the display.

"Always great to play in Spain, amazing to win in Spain, satisfying to score in Spain, a country where I always felt special," Ronaldo wrote via social media, with United reportedly targeting Paris Saint-Germain head coach Mauricio Pochettino as Solskjaer's permanent replacement.

"Congrats to the lads for a great victory that puts us where we belong!

"We are Man. United and we will never stop fighting for this club! Let's go, Devils!"

Ronaldo's strike against Villarreal was the third time he has scored the match-winning goal in the final 15 minutes of a Champions League match this season – the most a single player has ever done so in a single season in the competition (excluding extra time).

The 36-year-old has also scored six goals for United in this season's Champions League; only Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2004-05 (eight) has ever scored more for an English club in a single group phase of the competition.

United captain Harry Maguire told BT Sport: "It's massive for our season. It was tough and edgy in the first half.

"It was important to stay in the game and I thought the lads who came off the bench really helped us push on and the second-half performance was really good. The emphasis was getting a result.

"Coming away from home in Europe you have to be solid. We got what we deserved in the end because of the chances we created. We want to be on the front foot and aggressive and in the first half maybe we played with too much fear.

"But we spoke about that and the first goal came from pressure. Ronaldo has been brilliant. We need to get back to being solid because if we do that we have every chance to win games when we have him up front."

Manchester United caretaker manager Michael Carrick was thrilled for Jadon Sancho after the winger ended his long wait for a goal in the win over Villarreal.

In their first match since the departure of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the Red Devils secured a 2-0 victory in Spain on Tuesday that sealed their place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Cristiano Ronaldo broke the deadlock after Fred had applied pressure following a goal kick, and Sancho made certain of the win with an emphatic finish at the end of a flowing counter-attack in the 90th minute.

Sancho had previously gone 14 appearances and 10 shots without finding the net for United since his move from Borussia Dortmund in the transfer window.

The result meant Carrick became the first English manager to win his first game in charge of the club since Walter Crickmer back in 1931, and the former midfielder was delighted with the manner in which his players battled for victory.

"In some ways, it was the best way to win for me," he told BT Sport. "We had to show some character, we had to dig in, had to fight.

"The game looked at times like it was drifting away from us, after half-time, and we got back together again and the subs made a massive impact.

"That's all I could hope for: the boys gave everything.

"Fred's done fantastic. He won that ball back, which we want him to, we look for that. When Ronaldo gets that chance, he puts it away.

"To finish it off with Jadon was brilliant. I know how much Jadon loves the ball at his feet and trying to make things happen, it's where he's happiest, but I thought the other side of the game, he put in a real effort defensively when we needed it. It was a big night for him."

Villarreal enjoyed the better of the chances in the first hour and David de Gea had to make a handful of saves, including a brilliant one-handed stop to deny Manu Trigueros.

Carrick felt it was always likely his side would have to adopt a more cautious approach given the game was just three days on from the chastening 4-1 Premier League loss to Watford that spelled the end of Solskjaer's time in charge.

"We came here to win the game. I believed we would, I believed we were ready for it," Carrick said.

"It wasn't an easy game, by the way. It was a tough game, they're a good team, and for those who don't watch them that much and don't see it, they're a good team, they make you work.

"I thought the boys had to dig in at times and show a little bit of everything, so I was delighted with the way it ended up.

"Let's be honest: I don't think we could have come out and hoped to play pretty football from the word go. When you've suffered results-wise and you're not in a great vein of form individually and as a team, it's not easy to come out and let everything click."

It remains unclear how long Carrick will take charge of the first team, with United exploring interim appointments until the end of the season as well as longer-term targets that reportedly include Mauricio Pochettino.

Carrick was keen to pay tribute to Solskjaer after a troubled few days at Old Trafford.

"I have enjoyed it, I must admit. I enjoyed the whole thing. It's not been an easy couple of days at the club," he added.

"That result almost feels like it was for Ole. I can't get away from that. But we had a job to do, and when I was there, and things needed to be taken care of, I was happy to do it. Thankfully, it all went to plan in the end."

Manchester United qualified for the Champions League last 16 by beating Villarreal 2-0 in the first match of the post-Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era on Tuesday.

With Solskjaer having departed as manager after the 4-1 embarrassment at Watford last weekend, Michael Carrick was tasked with leading the Red Devils in their fifth Champions League group game of the season.

After a largely uneventful 77 minutes at Estadio de la Ceramica, in which Manu Trigueros and Jadon Sancho had the best of the chances, Cristiano Ronaldo lofted in his 799th senior career goal to put his side in front.

Sancho, who failed to score under Solskjaer, made certain of United's place in the knockouts with an emphatic finish at the end of a flowing counter-attack.

United fans sang boisterously in support of Solskjaer and Carrick as kick-off was delayed due to an apparent problem with the referee's communication system.

Scott McTominay headed into the side-netting but the best of the early chances fell to the home side, David de Gea saving from Moi Gomez and Yeremi Pino hitting the wrong side of the net from a loose ball.

De Gea saved superbly one-handed to tip away Trigueros' first-time shot before Ronaldo's first sight of goal saw him head straight at Geronimo Rulli from an Alex Telles cross.

Neither side seemed eager to force the issue but De Gea was called upon to make another brilliant save from Trigueros after a loose ball deflected to him in the United box.

Rulli saved well from Sancho as United began to look the more likely to find a winner, but the Villarreal keeper turned villain when his lazy pass was pounced upon by Fred, allowing Ronaldo to spin and lob the ball into the unguarded net.

Fred was again instrumental for the second, winning back possession to trigger a swift break involving Ronaldo, McTominay and Rashford, with Sancho applying a powerful finish.

Mauricio Pochettino says his future is "not debatable" as he is happy at Paris Saint-Germain amid reports that he is Manchester United's top target to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

United sacked Solskjaer on Sunday following a 4-1 Premier League thrashing at Watford and placed Michael Carrick in temporary charge.

The Red Devils stated that they plan to appoint an interim boss until the end of the season, but there has been increasing talk that they are set to make an approach for Pochettino to take the role on a permanent basis before then.

Former Tottenham head coach Pochettino insisted he is not looking to leave PSG as the Ligue 1 side prepare to face Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday.

He told the media on Tuesday: "I thought I was clear. I said I have a contract for 2023. This season and next. I'm happy at PSG. It's a fact. It's not debatable, I'm happy in Paris."

The 49-year-old Argentine only took over as PSG head coach in January and says he is focused on the job in hand.

Asked again about being linked with United, he said: "We are not here to talk about that. I respect my club, PSG. What the other club does, it does not concern me.

"I am not going to comment on it because everything I am going to say or not will be used. When I was at Espanyol I said I wanted to get to know Sir Alex [former United boss Ferguson].

"If I say it again it will be taken back. I'm happy in Paris. I love the club, I love the supporters. It's wonderful to be at PSG. We have a point lead in Ligue 1 and we face City. "

He added: "Football is today and not tomorrow. In football only results count. Two years ago I left Tottenham and a month before, there were rumours. You have to live in the present, to think that I will stay for life, where I am today.

"But it all depends on the results in football. For the future, we must build our way of playing, have fun and have good results."

Donny van de Beek was handed only his second start for Manchester United this season in Tuesday's clash with Villarreal as Michael Carrick took charge for the first time.

United were in action for the first time since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's dismissal on Sunday, and Carrick – named caretaker manager ahead of an expected interim appointment – made his presence known.

Van de Beek came straight into the starting XI after a positive cameo off the bench in Solskjaer's final game, the 4-1 defeat at Watford.

The Dutchman scored United's only goal in that game, which was just his third top-flight appearance of the season.

Van de Beek has been bizarrely marginalised since joining from Ajax last year for approximately £45million, as he made just four Premier League starts in 2020-21.

As such, he has lost his place in the Netherlands team and media speculation has strongly suggested he was planning to engineer a move away in the upcoming January transfer window.

But Carrick elected to give him a rare opportunity from the start, with Bruno Fernandes the one to drop out of the team.

Jadon Sancho also showed flashes of quality against Watford and retained his place in the starting XI, though Marcus Rashford – withdrawn at half-time at Vicarage Road – was dropped in favour of Anthony Martial, who replaced him at the weekend.

Luke Shaw missed out at left-back due to a head injury, meaning Alex Telles filled in.

Heading into the game, United sat top of Group F but level on seven points with Villarreal.