United held in Donetsk

A strike from Brazilian striker Taison fourteen minutes from time denied Manchester United all three points in their Champions League tie against Shakhtar Donetsk at the Donbass Arena yesterday evening.

Danny Welbeck gave David Moyes’ men the lead on eighteen minutes, poking in from Marouane Fellaini’s low ball.

United remain top of their group with four points from two games, the same return as their Ukrainian opponents, though the Premier League champions have the advantage by virtue of goals scored.

Ryan Giggs replace Fellaini in the 66th minute to make his 145th appearance in the competition, and surpass Raul’s record number in the process.

The 39 year old has twenty-eight goals in the Champions League, a tally that is bettered by only Wayne Rooney in terms of British players, while he was part of the squads that lifted the trophy in 1999 and 2008.

Meanwhile, Rooney is set to return to fitness in time to be considered for the starting line-up for Saturday’s trip to bottom of the league Sunderland, the Mail Online understands.

This will be welcome news to England manager Roy Hodgson, who is set to name his squad for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Montenegro and Poland later today.