Bruno Fernandes and Edinson Cavani each scored twice as Manchester United took a huge stride towards the Europa League final by coming from behind to thrash an injury-hit Roma 6-2 at Old Trafford.
Fernandes’s early opener was quickly cancelled out by Lorenzo Pellegrini’s penalty before Edin Dzeko put Roma in front at half-time.
But the Italians lost three players to injury before the break and United took advantage with a dominant second-half performance.
Two predatory finishes from Cavani turned the tie around before Fernandes also fired home from the spot.
Paul Pogba and Mason Greenwood rounded off the scoring in a sensational second-half performance.
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United are aiming to get to a final under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the fifth time of asking after four semi-final defeats in the past two seasons.
But only a second leg collapse will prevent them from facing Villarreal or Arsenal in Gdansk on May 26.
In contrast to the vast majority of games this season, United came flying out the blocks and led after just nine minutes.
Pogba and Cavani teed up Fernandes, who dinked the ball over the advancing Pau Lopez for his 25th goal of the season.
Roma fans had urged their side to “make sure he remembers us” after taking umbrage to Solskjaer’s admission he did not know much about the current Roma squad in his post-match interview after seeing off Granada in the quarter-finals.
