Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has hailed the club's Europa League success for bringing together the people of Manchester.

Events 48 hours before the Red Devils' 2-0 win over Ajax on Wednesday night overshadowed what took place on the pitch, as 22 people lost their lives in a bomb attack following an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena.

Ferguson was delighted to see United prevail after a difficult few days for all those linked to the city, with Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan scoring in either half to overcome a flat Ajax side.

"I think, first of all, Manchester is a city like Glasgow, it is a working class city, we have fantastic people there and they will get together," he is quoted as saying by Sky Sports News.

"They have been through some difficult times in the past with the bombing in the Arndale Centre in 1996 and they recovered from that. They will get together because there is a working class ethic about them and there is a great unity now in the city.

"I think United last night gave the city a lift and I think that was what it was about. We are all proud of them, it was a great achievement."

The donations have continued to flood in for those affected, including a combined £1m pledge from Man United and Manchester City.