There was silence and then applause before the game to honour the victims of Monday’s deadly attack, which saw 22 people killed and dozens more injured when a suicide bomber blew themselves up at an Ariana Grande concert.
“We know things like this are very sad all over the world, not only in Manchester but also in Paris,” Pogba said referring to the attack.
“We had to focus. Manchester — we won for them. We played for England, we played for Manchester and we played for them — the people who died.”
Man of the match, midfielder Ander Herrera, also dedicated the triumph to the victims, saying the world needed to unite to fight for peace.
“It was difficult to train yesterday but the manager told us is that the only thing we could do is win this for them,” he said.
Substitute Wayne Rooney raised the Europa League trophy and said: “Obviously football doesn’t bring back the lives which were lost, but to try and give some happiness to the city was vital to us.”
“I knew people who were at the concert, so it’s not easy.”
World-record signing Pogba opened the scoring in the 18th minute as United won the ball after an Ajax throw-in, the Frenchman’s shot taking a wicked deflection to wrong foot goalkeeper Andre Onana and fly into the net.
Mkhitaryan then flicked the ball home early in the second half following a United corner, and with chants of “Manchester! Manchester!” echoing around the stadium, United held on to win the only European trophy missing from the Old Trafford cabinet.
United’s triumph followed success in the League Cup and the Community Shield in Jose Mourinho’s first season in charge at Old Trafford, with Champions League football now secured after United could only manage a sixth-place finish in the Premier League.
Blue kit was tribute to 1968 win
United, wearing all blue as they did in winning the 1968 European Cup final, made an imposing start, with Pogba whistling a shot wide of the near post within the first minute.
The France midfielder was all over the pitch, appearing as a third centre back one moment to head the ball away from danger, channelling pinpoint passes to striker Marcus Rashford the next.
Pogba, who first came to United at the age of 16 before leaving for Juventus, put his side ahead with a hopeful low shot from the edge of the area that was sent looping past Onana in the Ajax goal thanks to a huge deflection from Davinson Sanchez.
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