Watch Edinson Cavani race in to defend Man Utd team-mate Mason Greenwood after clash with Roma’s Rick Karsdorp
EDINSON CAVANI gave Manchester United the push they needed and Roma’s Rick Karsdorp a shove he wasn’t expecting – as the striker raced in to defend team-mate Mason Greenwood.
Cavani followed his first-leg double with two more as United lost 3-2 in Italy but earned a Europa League final with Villarreal 8-5 on aggregate.
You mess with Mason Greenwood…
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 6, 2021
You mess with Edinson Cavani#UEL pic.twitter.com/gx54aqv9J8
Mason Greenwood was pushed by Rick Karsdorp…
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 6, 2021
Edinson Cavani wasn't having any of itpic.twitter.com/b7m56iyK0Z
And the Uruguay legend, whose traditional centre-forward play has transformed United’s attacking, was just as sharp in backing up Greenwood as he was in tormenting the Roma rearguard.
Greenwood initially clashed with Roma’s Italy midfielder Gianluca Mancini after a challenge near the corner flag.
But when six-foot Holland right-back Karsdorp joined in by pushing the 19-year-old England frontman, Cavani dashed in to intervene.
The former PSG hero Cavani firmly planted two arms on Karsdorp to move him away – with referee Felix Brych stuck in the middle of the clash.
Cavani’s energy on and off the ball, as much as his class and finishing, shone in more conventional ways throughout the rest of the game.
And United skipper Harry Maguire told BT Sport: “Edinson scored two great goals and his movement and work rate without the ball is excellent.
“His second goal is typical of him and what he has done throughout his career.”
Maguire is now demanding they beat Arsenal’s conquerors Villarreal in the May 26 showpiece in Gdansk.
The England centre-back said: “It’s a great achievement to get to the final.
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“We didn’t win the game and that’s disappointing but we did the hard work in the first leg.
“We started the game a bit edgy. It was end to end like basketball and we gave them too many chances in the second half.
“Now we’ve got to go to the final and win it.”
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"We need to improve for the final, but it's a great achievement!"
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 6, 2021
Harry Maguire had praise for David De Gea and Edinson Cavani's performances after Man Utd qualified for the #UEL final
@patrickendrick pic.twitter.com/m2GilrCBuT