Manchester United interim boss Michael Carrick dedicated victory over Villarreal to former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as United booked their place in the Champions League last 16.
Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho gave Carrick a win in his first game in temporary charge two days after Solskjaer was sacked.
"It's not been an easy couple of days for anyone at the club and that result almost feels like it's for Ole," said Carrick, a Champions League winner with United as a player in 2008.
"We had a job to do and things needed to be taken care of. I was happy to do it and thankfully it all went to plan.
"When you've suffered results-wise and aren't in good form, individually and as a team, it's not easy to come out and let everything click - we had to show some character and fight."
Ronaldo maintained his record of scoring in every game in this season's competition when he lifted the ball over goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli in the 78th minute, after Fred had dispossessed Etienne Capoue.
Sancho then sealed the victory in injury time, blasting a shot that went in off the underside of the crossbar.
However, United were indebted to goalkeeper David de Gea as he produced two superb one-handed saves, one in each half, to keep out well-struck efforts from Manu Trigueros when it was goalless.
United will progress as group winners with a game to spare after Atalanta could only draw 3-3 with Young Boys in the later game on Tuesday.
Latest Stories
-
Elon Musk to spend election night with Donald Trump
16 mins -
UCL: Real Madrid lose to AC Milan in second straight home defeat
27 mins -
Economy is growing below potential – IEA
43 mins -
UCL: Gyokeres hat-trick as Amorim’s Sporting thrash Man City
47 mins -
Equatorial Guinea VP warns against office sex after viral videos
49 mins -
Accusations fly in Spain over who is to blame for flood disaster
49 mins -
Netflix Europe offices raided in tax fraud probe
1 hour -
UCL: Diaz nets hattrick as Liverpool beat Leverkusen
1 hour -
Israel PM Netanyahu fires defence minister Gallant
1 hour -
From Arizona to Pennsylvania, Americans embrace calm before election’s storm
2 hours -
Sam Jonah calls for urgent action against ‘pervasive’ corruption in Ghana
2 hours -
‘Pawn’ movie premiere ends with great reviews
2 hours -
Gospel musician Afia Ayiwah out with ‘Jesus Reigns’
2 hours -
We’ve made significant strides in judiciary – Akufo-Addo
2 hours -
West African School on Air Quality and Pollution Prevention to enable air quality forecasting in Ghana
2 hours