Jose Mourinho was pleased by Manchester United's performance at Celta Vigo if not the margin of victory, meaning he will rest some players against Arsenal with the Europa League semi-final return leg in mind.
England's last European representatives moved a step closer to the Stockholm final as Marcus Rashford's splendid free-kick secured a deserved, if hard-fought, 1-0 win at sold-out Balaidos.
The away goal could prove crucial but the narrow winning margin means Mourinho will, as suggested on the eve of the first leg, rest several players when United return to Premier League action on Sunday.
The trip to Arsenal is important in the race for the top-four, but the Portuguese knows the job is not done in a competition that offers Champions League qualification as well as a historic trophy.
"Sergio (Alvarez, Celta goalkeeper) had a couple of very important saves and the way we started the game and controlled the game in the first half, I think we deserve a better result," United boss Mourinho said.
"But the opponent was difficult, the match was difficult, the stadium was difficult, so I cannot be happier with the players and their work.
"1-0 is really a short result. It could have been better, and seeing Celta's trajectory in the Europa League, they definitely deserve respect for the away match."
Asked if he will rest players against Arsenal on Sunday ahead of the second leg, the Portuguese added: "The players that are in accumulation, the players that are with lots of minutes because we played nine matches in April and this one, so 10 matches in four-and-a-half weeks. The players that are in accumulation, they are not going to play next weekend."
Rashford could well be among those rested given he limped off at Balaidos and has played more than any other attacking player for United since the start of April.
Again leading the line in the absence of injured top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the 19-year-old followed up his extra-time quarter-final strike against Anderlecht with a fine second-half free-kick in Vigo.
"He worked really hard and created them problems," Mourinho said of Rashford. "He had a fantastic shot in the first half with that beautiful save.
"Then the free-kick is work - he works every day, he loves to work.
"Sometimes training session finishes for the group and he keeps doing his individual work with my assistant.
"The free-kick is really well taken and I think the goalkeeper has no chance because the ball is really fast."
Celta coach Eduardo Berizzo was also full of admiration for Rashford after the Spanish side's first major European semi-final ended in a narrow loss.
"He's really fast and extremely dangerous," the Argentinian said. "In the first half, we lost a few balls, Manchester found their pace and the goal came when we were playing some of our best football."
On the second leg, Berizzo added: "We are going to play a game having learned what happened tonight.
"We often leave with an adverse result from the first leg and that should stimulate us to face the match in England."
Source: PA
