**_LONDON_**: Bruno Fernandes netted a hat-trick as Manchester United eased to a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad to reach the Europa League quarter-finals and Tottenham Hotspur advanced after a 3-1 victory over AZ Alkmaar.
The English Premier League clubs can only meet if they both reach the final in Bilbao in May.
United will now face Lyon in the last eight after the French side strolled to a 4-0 win over Steaua Bucharest, and Rangers overcame Fenerbahce 3-2 in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 aggregate draw.
Manchester United, who drew 1-1 at Sociedad in the first leg, went a goal down after 10 minutes when Matthijs de Ligt fouled Mikel Oyarzabal and Oyarzabal converted from the spot but the hosts levelled six minutes later with a penalty scored by Fernandes after Igor Zubeldia had fouled Rasmus Hojlund.
Another spot-kick gave United the lead five minutes after the interval after Aritz Elustondo was adjudged to have fouled Patrick Dorgu and Fernandes again made no mistake.
Sociedad were reduced to 10 men when Jon Aramburu fouled Joshua Zirkzee and Fernandes completed his hat-trick before Diogo Dalot wrapped up a 5-2 aggregate victory for the English side in added time.
“This club is all about winning,” Fernandes told TNT Sports.
“Confidence is a big thing in football and at this club even more because you know how much you are on the eyes of everyone so you need to perform at the highest level.”
Spurs’ season effectively hinged on whether they could overturn a 1-0 deficit against AZ Alkmaar in the third meeting between the sides in this year’s competition.
They managed it thanks to two goals by Wilson Odobert, the French youngster’s first for the club since joining in August.
Odobert opened the scoring in the 26th minute after a poor clearance by AZ’s Wouter Goes and the hosts moved ahead on aggregate soon after the break when Son Heung-min set up James Maddison for a side-footed finish into the corner.
AZ were gifted a way back into the tie in the 63rd minute when Peer Koopmeiners took advantage of a defensive error to fire a shot past Guglielmo Vicario.
Odobert struck again in the 74th minute, however, to ease the home jitters, finishing off a flowing Tottenham attack from close range.
Spurs will next face Eintracht Frankfurt who eased to a 6-2 aggregate win over Ajax Amsterdam after a 4-1 home victory in which Mario Gotze scored twice.
Lyon, 3-1 up from the first leg, cruised into the quarter-finals, with Ernest Nuamah and Georges Mikautdze both scoring twice.
Rangers had won 3-1 in Turkey, but Fenerbahce forced extra-time with two goals from Sebastian Szymanski and the tie went to a penalty shootout in which Rangers keeper Jack Butland was the hero of Ibrox.
Butland saved the opening spot-kick from Dusan Tadic and after the home side’s third penalty from Ianis Hagi was also kept out, Butland denied Fred before Mert Hakan Yandas blasted his effort over the bar to send Rangers through to a meeting with Athletic Bilbao.
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