Manchester United 1-0 Zorya Luhansk: Five Talking Points

Zlatan Ibrahimovic got the breakthrough goal for Manchester United as they battled past Zorya Luhansk to pick up their first Europa League points of the season.

The 1-0 win over the Ukrainian outfit wasn't always fluent but it is a third win in a row for Jose Mourinho's men.

Here, we pick out five talking points from the game…

Chemistry in attack

If the 4-1 win over Leicester last weekend was a step forward for Mourinho in establishing the right balance in attack, this performance raised more questions than it answered for the United boss. The urgency shown against the Premier League champions was sorely lacking.

It was a reminder that not all of United's deficiencies can be pinned on Wayne Rooney. Indeed, the goal only came once the captain was introduced to replace Jesse Lingard - his miscued shot after earning space in the box finding its way to the head of Ibrahimovic.

Juan Mata's clever slide pass forged the chance. That the Spaniard made it from the right flank having moved from the centre to accommodate Rooney shows that there are options for Mourinho in those attacking slots. He may need to keep tweaking to find the best blend.

Herrera missed

The only change among the front six from the Leicester game was the exclusion of Ander Herrera, presumably rested to prepare for Stoke on Sunday, and the midfielder's reputation was further enhanced by his absence. His dynamism in midfield is a much-needed asset.

Marouane Fellaini has featured regularly under Mourinho so far but he doesn't possess the pace or the penetrative passing of Herrera and against a packed Zorya defence it didn't help United to break through the lines. Expect to see Herrera back at the weekend.

Carrick ignored

Given the total domination that United enjoyed, it was tempting to think Michael Carrick would have been a better bet than Fellaini in that holding role. The 35-year-old has started only one game since the Community Shield - scoring in the cup win over Northampton.

That performance was an indication that Carrick still has something to offer but Mourinho appears reluctant to use him. Given his age, it's understandable that United should look elsewhere for solutions but there's still a suspicion they're missing a trick in the short term.

Rojo weak link

One thing that Mourinho will be feeling certain that he's got right is the decision to turn to Daley Blind as his left-back in the absence of Luke Shaw. Even in a game in which United were seldom tested, Marcos Rojo managed to look unconvincing.

A feeble attempt to tackle Oleksandr Karavayev could have proven costly if the Zorya man's right-wing cross had found Zeljko Ljubenovic at the far post. Mourinho may want specialists in every position, but Rojo's flaws are a reminder of why Blind's flexibility is so useful.

Momentum restored

This wasn't a display to inspire but it was a third win in a row. It's the second time that United have gone on such a run under Mourinho but last time that happened they promptly embarked on a sequence of three straight defeats.

With Premier League games against Stoke and Liverpool coming up, United can't afford a repeat of that. They have the quality in the squad to prevent it, but finding the right chemistry to really convince remains a work in progress for their manager.

Credit: Skysports.com