Europa League: United Out After Bad Loss at Sevilla

In a rotten mood right now due to this loss so I’ll keep it short. Manchester United lost 3-0 (5-2 on aggregate) early today in Spain. De Gea and Maguire gave away the first one, a cheap giveaway by Casemiro in midfield led to the second one, and De Gea gave away the third late in the game with a bad clearance. Absolutely terrible from him and Maguire today, but the whole team was poor. The absence of Bruno (suspension) was glaring, both tactically and in terms of the team’s energy. There was no fight in this team for large portions of the game, and that is simply unacceptable. United choked this tie away. They were 2-0 up at Old Trafford last Thursday with 7 minutes to go, only to concede two own goals in the final minutes. Then the calamity of today happened. Manager Erik ten Hag labelled the team’s effort as “unacceptable” in his post match interview, and he is absolutely right.

United’s away form in big games is worrying. They seem to play well at Old Trafford, but this team is mentally fragile if things go wrong in a hostile environment. The injuries to regular starters are one thing, but this team was more than capable of beating what is really an average Sevilla side. An absolute choke job, through and through. Credit to Sevilla and their supporters for creating an absolute cauldron of an atmosphere inside that stadium.

De Gea has to go in the summer, unfortunately. His shot-stopping is great, but in ETH’s style of play the keeper has to be much better at distributing the ball to build the play out from the back. He consistently makes mistakes in distribution that lead to chances for the opposition, and today he was punished for it. Maguire didn’t help things, but De Gea clearly does not fit in this style of play, and we need a keeper who does.

The silver lining here is that this now lightens the schedule a little bit and the players won’t have to play in as many matches. The squad is incredibly thin right now due to injuries and we need to now focus on finishing in the top-4 and qualifying for the Champions League next season. Had we won the Europa League we would have also qualified, but that is no longer possible.

Next up is the not-small matter of the FA Cup Semifinal against Brighton on Sunday at Wembley Stadium. Brighton are a well-coached team with some very talented players, so United will need to shake off this match and get mentally ready. The return of Bruno will help, but the whole squad is going to need to lift their level of play. The FA Cup is the last chance United have of winning another trophy this season.

Europa League: A Frustrating, Maddening, and Downright Annoying Draw

Manchester United played hosts to Spanish side Sevilla CF earlier today in the Europa League quarterfinals at Old Trafford. This was the first leg of a two-leg tie, with the return leg in Andalucia next Thursday. Although United were without leading scorer Marcus Rashford due to injury, the Red Devils were still favored to progress in this tie. Sevilla have been in bad form for a good chunk of the season in La Liga, and they are on their 3rd manager (Jose Luis Mendilibar) of the season as well. United manager Erik ten Hag was expecting intensity from his players in both attack and defense, and he would have wanted United to kill off this tie early if possible. They were boosted by the return of defensive midfielder Casemiro, who had been unavailable due to suspension for roughly the past month.

Things could not have gone much better for United in the first 20+ minutes. They had the ball in the back of the net just 27 seconds in to the match thanks to a crisp run and pass from winger Antony dos Santos and a finish from fellow winger Jadon Sancho, but the offside flag went up and the goal was ruled out. United kept at it however, and were rewarded with a goal on 14 minutes from midfielder Marcel Sabitzer. A slick passing move down the left hand side of the pitch saw the ball at the feet of midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who spotted Sabitzer ahead of him standing on the shoulder of the last Sevilla defender. Bruno played the ball along the ground, and Sabitzer used a magnificent first touch to create space between himself and his marker. He unleashed a shot towards goal, and it took the slightest of deflections off the leg of the Sevilla defender. That deflection put the ball in the air, and Sevilla keeper Bono (no, not that Bono) couldn’t get to it. 1-0 to United! Interesting positioning by ETH and the midfielders for this goal. You would normally expect Sabitzer to be playing the ball in to Bruno given their usual positions in the team selection, but credit to Sabitzer for being forward enough to take the shot. Sabitzer is not an attacking midfielder, but ETH deployed him there today and the results paid off.

The big Austrian wasn’t done either. He got his and United’s second goal on 21 minutes thanks to a great counter-attack primarily orchestrated by striker Anthony Martial. Sevilla had the ball forward, but the cross in to the box was cleared by Casemiro. The clearance was made in the direction of Martial, and he did well to get to the ball and win it from the Sevilla player closing down on him. After a nifty first touch, he brought the ball forward expediently with Sabitzer, Antony, and Sancho joining him. He spotted the run of Sabitzer directly ahead of him, and played a perfect pass into his path. Sabitzer was through on-goal by himself, and he shot the ball with his left foot around the onrushing Bono. He buried it from about 12 yards out for 2-0! A great counter-attacking goal and a brace for Sabitzer! Martial is not only a great finisher (when healthy), but his link-up play and passing are vital to ETH’s tactics. He must stay fit if United are to continue playing well.

At 2-0 most thought it would merely be a question of how many United scored, but there were no more goals in the first half from either side. United probably should have had more though, but too often they were undone by indecision at key moments. Sancho was the main culprit guilty of this. He had the ball in a promising attacking position at least twice in the first half, only for him to take too long to make a decision. The chance would then evaporate, and Sevilla would be let off the hook. Sevilla forward Erik Lamela was lucky to escape a red card for a challenge on Casemiro on 37 minutes, and then Bruno was harshly yellow-carded for a handball just outside the area on 41 minutes. That meant he would miss the return fixture in Spain next week due to yellow card accumulation. Sevilla midfielder Ivan Rakitić put the resulting free kick from a promising position over keeper David De Gea’s bar. The visitor’s best chance of the half came deep into stoppage time when a header from a corner was parried into the air by De Gea and then cleared out from under the crossbar by the massive frame of United center back Raphael Varane. It was 2-0 at halftime, but worryingly Varane had to come off due to injury. He was replaced by fellow center back and club captain Harry Maguire.

Sevilla improved after the break, particularly in the middle of the pitch. They had a lot more energy all of a sudden and United were struggling to get onto the ball. The addition of the pacey and experienced winger Jesus Navas was likely a big part of the reason for that. Sevilla were not creating too many dangerous chances in attack, but they were winning possession more frequently and completing more passes. Antony remained the most dangerous player for United. His pace was causing problems for Sevilla’s left back, and he was trying to pull off one of his trademark left-footed goals where he cuts inside his marker from the right wing. He almost got United to 3-0 around 61 minutes when one of those very moves resulted in his shot hitting the inside of Bono’s far post and bouncing away. Bruno and Martial were replaced shortly after that by midfielder Christian Eriksen and striker Wout Weghorst. Sancho was replaced by winger Anthony Elanga, and Antony was also later taken off on 81 minutes, replaced by fellow winger Facundo Pellistri. Things seemed to be in hand for the Red Devils.

But the final 6 minutes plus stoppage time of this match was one of the most bizarre and unlucky passages of play Old Trafford has ever seen. To start off, Sevilla managed to pull a goal back on 84 minutes thanks to a bad mistake from United left back Tyrell Malacia. Malacia had been having a below-average game generally speaking, but he really let the side down when he failed to clear a cross towards Navas at De Gea’s back post. The ball had a lot of pace on it and Navas’s effort back across was hopefully at best, but it took a wicked deflection back off Malacia and into De Gea’s net from close range. 2-1 United, and Sevilla had life again. To make matters worse, center back Lisandro Martinez went down unchallenged on 86 minutes, appearing to injure his ankle or heel. Non-contact injuries are usually the scariest ones, especially this time as Martinez had to be carried off the pitch.

Sevilla continued their domination, with winger Lucas Ocampo in particularly fiery form. He was creating everything for them in the final few minutes. They registered more shots on target in the final two minutes plus stoppage time than they did in the whole match previous. The bad luck continued to flow for United into stoppage time, when they conceded the equalizer. A cross came in from Ocampo on the right wing, with substitute striker Youssef En-Nesyri rising high to head it back across goal. The ball hit Maguire straight against his massive head and deflected backwards, with De Gea not able to react in time to it. 2-2, with United guilty of conceding two own-goals. Incredibly frustrating. Maguire knew nothing about it, either. It just bonked him on the head from close range.

Sevilla had one or two more half chances to get a winner, but the final whistle blew and the match ended in a draw that never should have been. United were in cruise control for 80 minutes, and were half an inch away from being 3-0 up and the tie effectively over. It must be said that United’s substitutes let them down today. ETH’s hand was forced into making changes by injuries and yellow cards, and the players who came on simply were not good enough. Our goal threat dried up as soon as Bruno and Martial went off. Meanwhile, Mendilibar’s subs worked like a charm, and his side were galvanized by United failing to score more than two. Navas and En-Nesyri really shined under the bright lights. It’s possible that ETH maybe got his tactical changes wrong once the subs came on too, but bad luck was a huge factor in the result as well. It’s so damn annoying to concede two goals in such a fashion. The first one was mostly on Malacia, but the second one was simply an unlucky bounce. Sevilla would argue they deserved a bit of luck of course, and maybe they did given their dominance in the final minutes.

By far the biggest concern for United though is the health of Martinez, and Varane to a lesser extent. They are the best center-back pairing United have, with Martinez in particular being of crucial importance to the back line. He has been a bulldog back there all season, and his presence will be sorely missed. It is unclear just how long he will be out, but the biggest hope is that he hasn’t damaged his Achilles tendon. If he has, he faces more than a year out in recovery, and it’s possible that he’s not the same player when he gets back. ETH dismissed an Achilles injury in his post-match comments, but obviously more will be known in the coming days. He certainly will not be available for the next match. The grueling fixture list really caught up to United today. They are now without Varane, Martinez, Rashford, midfielder Scott McTominay, and possibly left back Luke Shaw for the match on Sunday.

Speaking of Sunday, United will travel to the East Midlands of England for a Premier League match with Nottingham Forest. Forest are in a relegation battle and desperately need points, and they will be inwardly buoyed by United’s poor ending to this match and the growing injury list. United need three points to continue pushing for the top-4, and Forest need anything positive to improve their chances of staying up. That match will be a battle for sure. United then travel to Spain for the reverse fixture in this tie on Thursday, April 20th. At 2-2, it’s now anyone’s tie.

Europa League: United Through to the Quarterfinals With Victory in Spain

Manchester United travelled to the Andalucia region in southern Spain earlier today for the return leg of their Round of 16 fixture against Real Betis at Estadio Benito Villamarín. Given that United had a 4-1 aggregate lead coming into this match, manager Erik ten Hag opted to rotate his squad a little bit and give some regular starters a rest during this grueling season. There was still plenty of firepower in the team though, as evidenced by the inclusion of forward Marcus Rashford and midfielder Bruno Fernandes. Meanwhile, Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini knew that if his side were to have any chance at turning the tie around, they would need the first goal. Ideally, it would also be early on.

And that is almost exactly what happened. Betis midfielder Juanmi had a sublime chance to score just 8 minutes in after he beat center back Harry Maguire to a long ball, but he was forced wide by Maguire and his re-directed shot rolled just outside United keeper David De Gea’s far post. Betis then had another very good chance in the middle of the pitch only three minutes later, when ageless winger Joaquín saw his long-range shot go off the post after it was partially deflected by the leg of United midfielder Casemiro. United were fortunate that neither of these efforts went in, as it would have changed the complexion of the match completely.

There was a real lack of composure in the first half for the Red Devils. They gave the ball away needlessly too many times, and Los Verdiblancos were looking very dangerous in attack when they went forward. Juanmi, Joaquín, and striker Ayoze Perez were putting themselves about effectively. Maguire and fellow center back Lisandro Martinez were usually on hand to snuff out any danger, but many were questioning the attack-minded nature of ETH’s tactics in the first half. United did not need to score to advance today. They just needed to make sure they didn’t lose by 3 goals or more. The needless turnovers in midfield were causing the away supporters a fair amount of concern, and it was only a lack of finishing that kept Betis from going ahead. Juanmi forced another save from an onrushing De Gea on 31 minutes, but this chance was nowhere near as good as his first one.

United’s best chance of the half came in stoppage time, when a Bruno free kick from the left wing was whipped into the area. It bounced around a bit before falling to winger (and first-time European starter) Facundo Pellistri, who got an awkward, bouncing shot away towards goal. It looked to be going wide, so striker Wout Weghorst threw himself at the shot to try and guide it into the goal. He failed to make clean contact though, and the ball struck the post with an immediate clearance from Betis. A great chance, but off the post from almost point-blank range. 0-0 at halftime, and while United likely could have played better, they had at least prevented Betis from getting an early goal. A goalless draw suited United just fine, today.

The second half was more of the same from both teams. Betis would go forward, then United, and vice versa. It should be said that United were better in the second half though. Much more possession and composure on the ball in midfield. They were also creating better chances too, with Rashford forcing a low save from Betis keeper Rui Silva on 53 minutes. Joaquín then had a header saved reflexively by De Gea from close range at the other end, before Rashford got another chance on the resulting counter-attack. He blazed over the bar though despite being put through on goal by Bruno. Undeterred, Rashford did find the back of the net on 55 minutes, and it was counter-intuitively the most difficult chance to score from. He received a pass from Casemiro in space in a forward position after a good ball recovery and run by Pellistri. The Betis defenders failed to close down Rashford, and he took a touch or two before unleashing a wicked dipping shot towards the goal. Silva couldn’t get over to it in time, and the ball nestled into the far corner of the goal. Well done to Rashford for keeping his composure and focus! It’s never easy to score from 25 yards out, but this effort had top-notch placement. That is now 27 goals for Rashford this season, but more importantly it was 1-0 to United (5-1 on aggregate)!

That goal effectively killed off the tie. It was a longshot for Betis to come back anyway, but they now had no hope. They were professional about it of course and kept attacking, but United grew in confidence once the first goal went in. Betis were not having the same joy going forward they were in the first half, and part of that is due to the introduction of midfielder Marcel Sabitzer. He was very effective at retaining possession for the Red Devils today, and he even forced a save from Silva on 65 minutes. Bruno and Rashford were also substituted off with the result now locked up. Weghorst had a chance fall to him on 70 minutes, but again he couldn’t get good contact on the shot and it was an easy save for Silva. There were no major chances after that, as Betis seemed somewhat resigned to their fate and United were in cruise control. The match ended 1-0 on the day, 5-1 on aggregate to United!

Most of the heavy lifting in this tie was done in the first leg last week at Old Trafford. Aside from the two early chances today, Betis never looked like getting themselves back into the fixture. United’s defense was pretty solid, with De Gea his usual reliable shot-stopping self. There are still questions about De Gea playing the ball with his feet and commanding his penalty area, but again he always handles his shot-stopping duties well. A great debut for Pellistri too! He didn’t score or assist, but he was involved in the build-up to the goal and in United’s best first-half chance. He is industrious and difficult to knock off the ball, despite his diminutive stature. His quickness and close control with the ball are also ideal for a right winger. He needs more game time, but he is in line behind fellow wingers Antony dos Santos and Jadon Sancho. Sancho also looked alright when he came on for Rashford today, but he really needs to have a breakout game soon to justify his high weekly wages. Happy to see Bruno, Rashford, Antony, left back Luke Shaw, and center back Raphael Varane all get a little bit of a rest today.

United are through to the quarterfinals of the Europa League, and they will find out who their opponent is at tomorrow’s draw. There are a lot of strong teams left, so nothing is guaranteed despite the good performance in this tie. Next up for the lads though is an FA Cup quarterfinal fixture against Fulham at Old Trafford on Sunday. The winner of that match moves on to the semifinals at Wembley stadium next month. Well done to the lads on a very professional victory today.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out, full sale!

Europa League: United Rally to Beat Barcelona

Manchester United played host to Catalan giants Barcelona CF earlier today at Old Trafford in the qualification round for the Europa League. This was the second match of the two-leg tie, with the Red Devils earning a 2-2 draw with the Blaugrana at the Camp Nou last week. This tie was finely poised, and both managers (Erik ten Hag and Xavi Hernandez) knew there was all to play for. Both managers also named strong starting squads for the fixture, indicating they wanted to go and win it.

Before getting into the summary, a quick but sincere Rest in Peace to BBC commentator John Motson, who died today at the age of 77. Anyone who watched a World Cup tournament on the BBC between 1986 and 2018 heard him call a match, and for many fans he was the voice of English football in their childhoods. I’ll always remember his iconic “Beckham can raise the roof here with a goal” call in 2002, just before Becks hit a trademark free kick against Greece (at Old Trafford!) that sent England to the 2002 World Cup. He’s a true legend of football and sports broadcasting, and this author will never forget the influence of John Motson.

The match got off to a strong start for United, with midfielder Bruno Fernandes forcing a save from Barca keeper Ter Stegen just 4 minutes into the match, after a lovely cross-field pass from fellow midfielder Casemiro. Bruno was working with a tight angle and it was a good save from Stegen, but he probably should have scored it given that he was virtually unmarked. In a turn of negative fortunes tho, it was Barcelona who got the first big break of the match when Bruno was adjudged to have fouled Barca left back Alejandro Balde in the area. This penalty decision was softer than the blankets on my bed! Bruno did grab the arm of Balde, but Balde theatrically spun around and fell to the ground intentionally afterwards. Bruno didn’t need to grab his arm so that’s one thing, but the referee and VAR official have to be more astute in these situations and see that the contact is minimal while the fall is exaggerated. Ugh, whatever. Balde isn’t the first player to dive on light contact, and he won’t be the last.

Barca’s all-world striker Robert Lewandowski stepped up to the spot to the take the penalty. After a brief delay for VAR to (futilely) review the decision, he tried to fake out United keeper David De Gea by dawdling on his run-up to the ball. He tried to make De Gea dive early by faking like he was going to strike the ball, but De Gea held his nerve. Lewandowski got a powerful shot on target and De Gea actually managed to get a hand on it, but the force behind the ball was too much and it deflected into the net. A very frustrating goal to concede for a number of reasons, but it was 1-0 to Barcelona on 18 minutes.

The goal seemed to rattle United a little bit, and they had to hold on for the rest of the half to ensure it stayed 1-0. It must be said that the starting tactical setup and line-up for United was probably not the one needed today. Striker Wout Weghorst was likely told by ETH to use his size and strength to hold the ball up and in turn set up runs behind the defense for players like winger Jadon Sancho and forward Marcus Rashford, but it was clear that Xavi and Barcelona had anticipated that. Weghorst was being closed down every time he was on the ball, and as a result the Red Devils lacked fluidity in attack. Rashford was isolated on his own on the left wing and Sancho was being forced to drop deep to pick up the ball. To make matters worse, Barca nearly got a second goal in first half stoppage time when De Gea clumsily gave the ball away in his own box. If not for a few lucky bounces and last-ditch block by Casemiro, it could have very easily been two goals for Barca and the tie would have almost been over.

Fortunate to only be down one, ETH realized a change in tactics was needed. Weghorst was taken off, with winger Antony dos Santos brought on in his place. Rashford was moved inside to the central striker role, with midfielder Fred moved up slightly in midfield. He also must have gave the lads a proper bollocking at half time, because they upped their intensity as well. The improvement in the second half was nearly instantaneous, as they got their equalizer on 46 minutes from Fred. United won a throw in the attacking third, and it was thrown into the left channel by left back Luke Shaw. After some half-hearted clearances by Barca, the ball was finally won by Sancho. He played the ball along the ground to his right and into the feet of Bruno, who instantly found Fred off to his right and on the edge of the box. Fred took a touch to control the strong pass, and it bounced up into the air nicely for him. It rolled down his leg and off his extended right foot, and Stegen could not get over to it as it rolled into the corner of the goal. 1-1, and 3-3 on aggregate! Fred had a rather tepid display in the first half, but he played like a man possessed in the second. ETH pushing him a little further forward proved to be a prudent decision.

Old Trafford was rocking once United equalized, and it created some real momentum for the opening 15-20 minutes of the half. Antony almost got United’s second just after the restart when he was played through on goal by Casemiro’s long ball over the top, but he elected to try and pass to Rashford instead of shooting and a Barca defender got a block in. The pressure was on the visitors now, though. Xavi tried to change things with some substitutions, but Barca looked rather toothless in attack in the second half. Left back Jules Koundé forced a spectacular flying save from De Gea, but that was the best chance they crafted for most of the second half. United center backs Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane were in their usual excellent form today.

United got their vital go-ahead goal on 73 minutes, with Antony finding the back of the net this time. Martinez played a long ball forward down the left side, which Shaw did well to get to and keep in play. His optimistic back heel pass found Bruno, who shrugged off a challenge and dribbled into the penalty area along the end line. His angle for a shot was bad, so he hit it diagonally backwards into the feet of substitute winger Alejandro Garnacho. Garnacho’s low shot was blocked by the feet of a Barca defender, but the rebound fell to Fred on the edge of the area near the middle of the box. His shot was also blocked away however, but this time it fell to Antony on the right side of the box. He hit it first-time very sweetly with his weaker left foot, and the dip of shot saw it bounce under Stegen and into the far corner for 2-1. Antony is a polarizing figure among the United faithful, but there’s no denying the quality of that strike. He normally struggles with that left foot of his, but all credit to him for finding an excellent finish at a critical time.

Barcelona re-established their familiar possession game in the final 15 minutes plus stoppage time, but some additional subs and stoppages for injuries slowed the game down significantly. United were definitely taking things as slowly as possible so as to burn off more clock, and Barca were really struggling in the final third. As is sometimes the case even for the best sides, the final ball was just not falling for them. They would open up a gap with their passing routinely, only for the key final pass to be too long or cleared away. It was a very nervy final 15 minutes, made all the more nervy by Varane making a goal-line clearance in the 4th minute of a lengthy stoppage time. De Gea was stranded out of position and Lewandowski had the ball at his feet with a clear view of the net. Normally, that means a goal for a striker of his caliber. But Varane got back and booted it clear just in the nick of time, and Barca had no more chances after that. The final whistle blew and United had beaten La Liga leaders Barca 2-1, 4-3 on aggregate!

The significance of a win like this one against such quality opposition cannot be overstated. Barca are a European powerhouse and United outplayed them for almost the entirety of the second half. This is our biggest victory in Europe since 2016, when we upset Paris St. Germain in the Champions League. Great games today from Fred, Antony, Casemiro, Garnacho, Martinez, Varane, and Bruno, but the lion’s share of the credit needs to go to ETH. The first half tactics didn’t work, but his ability to read the flow of a game and make the correct changes is at the elite level. His managerial skills are not limited to tactics and substitutions though, he has changed the core mentality of the club. This man does not know the meaning of the word “quit”, and he has instilled that mentality into this team. What a manager this bald Dutchman has turned out to be!

United have qualified for the Europa League Round of 16, and their opponent will be determined on Friday morning via a draw. But there can’t be too much celebrating this win, because on Sunday, Wembley Stadium beckons. United will face Newcastle in the League Cup final, which is the club’s first chance for a piece of silverware since 2017. It’s not the most important trophy in the world, but it still would represent another important milestone achievement in the young tenure of ETH. This club is used to winning to winning trophies, and we need to start winning them again.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Europa League: United Hold Barcelona to a Draw in Catalunya

Manchester United travelled to the northeast of Spain yesterday for the first leg of a two-leg playoff tie at the historic Camp Nou against European giants Barcelona CF. It was an odd fixture in the sense that these two teams have traditionally played each other in the Champions League instead of the Europa League, the “smaller” of the two European club tournaments. It came about in the Europa League due to United’s poor play last season and failing to win their Europa League group earlier this season, while Barcelona crashed out of the Champions League pre-World Cup. This tie seemed inevitable once it became clear the two sides were eligible to play each other. It was also an odd fixture in the sense that these two clubs are playing Champions League-caliber football right now, with Barca sitting atop La Liga in Spain and United in 3rd in England. The Blaugrana have been a defensive fortress at the Camp Nou this season, with manager (and club legend) Xavi righting a previously wayward ship. United manager Erik ten Hag named a strong side for this fixture, indicating that he is prioritizing this tournament even though United have a very congested fixture list.

The opening 20 minutes were slow in parts but United did have a half-chance just 17 seconds in, when midfielder Fred narrowly missed turning in a cross from fellow midfielder Bruno Fernandes. Aside from that though, it was half chances at best. Barcelona did have a slight edge in terms possession and passing, but the difference between the sides was negligible. The Red Devils grew into the game a bit more though in the next 25 minutes. Winger/forward Jadon Sancho missed just wide of Barca keeper Ter Stegen’s goal, with forward Marcus Rashford forcing Stegen into a diving save from a tight angle a few moments later. United’s best chance of the half was around 35 minutes when striker Wout Weghorst was put through on goal by an astute aerial pass from Bruno, only for his shot to be denied by the feet of the onrushing Stegen. The Barca defenders claimed Weghorst was offside, but the flag had stayed down and a goal would have potentially counted had he been able to turn it in.

Barca then had their best chance of the half when a wayward pass from midfielder Casemiro was not properly collected by right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka. It was a dangerous pass to play given that Casemiro was only about 30 yards from his own goal, and the ball was pounced upon by Barca left back Jordi Alba. AWB did well to get back into position and make a last-ditch challenge on the ball that took the power out of Alba’s shot, and United keeper David De Gea was then able to push it wide. Xavi and the Barca players called for a penalty, but replays showed that AWB got his toe to the ball before making contact with Alba. At halftime it was 0-0, but it was an entertaining half despite the lack of goals.

The second half was even more entertaining because some goals were finally scored. The chances came flying in almost immediately, with a Barca shot from distance missing just wide and Sancho missing just wide from much closer. Barca nudged themselves in front though on 50 minutes, when an in-swinging corner found the head of Barca center back Marcos Alonso at the back post. Alonso rose higher than Fred and De Gea was unable to cover his near post. The downwards header bounced over the line and Barca were ahead 1-0. The 90,000+ inside the Camp Nou roared in approval.

That lead was short-lived though, as United struck back in lightning quick fashion just 2 minutes later. Fred advanced the ball up the pitch quickly and found Rashford on a run between two Barcelona defenders. The ball from Fred was weighted perfectly, and Rashford took a touch of the ball to knock it forward. It looked like his touch was too heavy at first and that the angle for a shot wouldn’t be there as he was off to the right of the goal, but he unleashed a low and powerful shot towards the near post that Stegen couldn’t keep out at his own near post. Great pass from Fred, great run and finish from Rashford. He now has 22 goals this season, which is tied for the most he’s ever scored in a single season, and there’s still 3 months of games left! It’s easy to see why Xavi called him “one of the best strikers in Europe” during his pre-match press conference.

United had a half chance almost at the re-start, but the resulting block and counter-attack resulted in Barca winger Raphinha stretching De Gea into a catching save from distance. United then went ahead on 59 minutes, and again it was Rashford that was the catalyst. Center back (on the day) Luke Shaw played a short corner to Rashford, who then went around Raphinha like he wasn’t there and went on a run along the end line towards the goal. He played a fierce cross in over the top, and after several deflections it was eventually turned into the Barca net by the hip of their right back, Jules Koundé. It was purely accidental from him of course, but United were good value for their lead. 2-1! Rashford again showed how electric he is on the ball.

There was some controversy after that, as Koundé harshly fouled Rashford just on the edge of the penalty area. It was a strong challenge from the back that normally results in a red card, and it was close to being a penalty as well. Koundé escaped with a yellow, much to the ire of ETH, who was also booked for his protests. Barca striker Robert Lewandowski then went wide from a free kick, with Fred doing the same after a good run just moments later. Barca did find their leveler on 76 minutes, and it was a rather poor goal to concede from United’s point of view. Raphinha hit a cross into the box from the right wing that De Gea failed to deal with properly, and it crept into his far post after being just missed by Lewandowski. De Gea must command his penalty area better than that. Sure it was an awkward cross and Lewandowski did well to get himself in the way, but De Gea needs to be getting to the cross and/or drawing a foul there. De Gea is a top class shot-stopper, but a modern keeper has to be more active in the box than that.

The final 20 minutes served as a grand finale to the fireworks on display. No further goals, but plenty of controversy. Barca felt they should have had a penalty on 80 minutes after the ball struck Fred’s arm in the box, but nothing was given by the referee. Similar to how Barca escaped a red card earlier, United escaped here. Fred’s arm was stretched out from his body when the ball hit it, and I have seen plenty of penalties given for that. Barca had several half chances in the closing stages as well, and United could have easily had a third if substitute winger Alejandro Garnacho had fully capitalized on a through ball to him. His touch was heavy though, and Barca cleared. After a nervy 2 minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle blew and it ended 2-2.

This match was more akin to watching basketball than footie/soccer. End-to-end stuff throughout, and it made for a thrilling game! Lots of quality on display from both teams, and mistakes from both teams as well. If you told me before the match that we’d get a 2-2 draw at the Camp Nou, I would have broken your arm off shaking on it. Interestingly though, it was probably United who felt more disappointed with a draw. We had a lead for about 17 minutes, only to give it away with a cheap goal. Still though, the fact that I am disappointed at a draw with Barca at the Camp Nou is testament to how far United have come under ETH. He is a brilliant manager and has instilled a mental strength in this team that was grossly lacking last season.

So then, all to play for in the return leg at Old Trafford next Thursday. There is no away goals rule any more, so the tie is perfectly level. Barca will be without some key players next match due to injury and suspension, but United center back Lisandro Martinez and midfielder Marcel Sabitzer will be back from their respective suspensions for United. Given how today went, United should feel confident about getting a positive result. Barca have only conceded 7 total goals this season, and only 1 at Camp Nou before this match. The fact that we came in with and understrength side and put 2 past them (with the chance for several more) is fantastic.

Between now and Thursday though, United have a Premier League match on Sunday at home against Leicester City. Leicester are struggling for form at the moment, but it is also the last match of a domestic suspension for Casemiro. United’s midfield will be light again, but three points are needed to maintain their position in the top-4 race. The title is still a long shot, but to keep any chance at winning it they will need three points.

Glazers Out!

Won the Battle, Lost the War

Manchester United traveled to the northern coast of Spain earlier today to play Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena in San Sebastien. This was the final Europa League group match of the season, and the tie was finely poised. These two teams already played each other this season in the very first group stage game, controversially won by Sociedad at Old Trafford after a very dubious penalty call from the referee. Due to that result and the goal difference, United needed to win today by two goals in order to progress as group winners. Manager Erik ten Hag and Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacial were both looking to avoid a tricky playoff fixture in February that would have to be navigated for whoever did not win the group. Neither team was in danger of being eliminated today, as both were far and away the two best teams in the group.

The match kicked off in a lively atmosphere, with Sociedad getting on the front foot first. Their strategy was to try and press United high up the pitch for the opening 10-15 minutes and nick a goal, which would go a long way to killing off the tie. United’s defense was resolute though, and they could not find a way through. For United, it was clear that the usual method of building attacks from the back was not going to work against this press and they would need to try something different to get a goal.

United did get the breakthrough goal on 17 minutes, and it came via a long-ball over the top from keeper David De Gea. He played the ball in the air out towards the right wing, which was met with a header by Bruno Fernandes that sprung Cristiano Ronaldo into a bit of space. He was in position to run at the back line with the ball, so he did briefly before finding 18 year-old winger Alejandro Garnacho on a run in behind Sociedad’s right back. His weighted pass through two defenders was perfect. Garnacho took a touch to clear the ball out from under his feet and then took a second to create some space between him and his marker. His third touch was a shot blasted into the roof of the net over keeper Alex Remiro to make it 1-0. It’s always good to see a United academy product on the score sheet!

United kept pushing for the all-important second goal, but despite playing well on the counter, they could not find another way in behind. The next best chance of the game fell to Sociedad around the 40 minute mark, when they forced De Gea into a borderline-miraculous double save after he parried a long-range shot into the path of another Sociedad player with United’s back-4 asleep at the wheel. Although De Gea’s game may be subpar in some areas, when it comes to pure shot-stopping, he is still one of the best in the world. His positioning and athleticism when making these saves is truly something to behold. After that action though there wasn’t anything further until halftime, with United up 1-0.

The second half was much more difficult for United. They struggled to get on the ball in the opening 10 minutes again, although it must be said that Sociedad were not generating many clear opportunities either. Given that the onus was on United to go and score, ETH rolled the dice and made some intriguing changes to the personnel and tactics. Logically, Marcus Rashford was brought on as he is in good goal-scoring form, but I was very confused by the substitution of center-back Victor Lindelof, who came off for midfielder Scott McTominay. ETH also changed the formation, moving to 3-3-3-1 with Ronaldo as the lone striker up top. I had never seen that formation before in a professional match until today. There were reports that this was part of the plan for United though, and that they had worked on this formation in training. It seemed like the plan was to give a little bit more support to the attack while not losing midfield shape.

In terms of attacking play though, that formation did not work. United really struggled to create clear chances throughout the second half, while Sociedad were growing stronger and stronger. Once again though, credit to United’s back line for playing very well, particularly Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw. Both of them had excellent games defensively today, particularly Martinez. He is an absolute animal on the pitch. He gets himself in the way time and time again, and he’s definitely not scared to put in a crunching tackle if need be. It must also be said that as time wore on, the tactics from Sociedad grew more and more cynical. They were flopping around on the ground like fish on a boat deck every time a United player got near them. It felt like they had started their time-wasting tactics as early as 70 minutes. The referee, although not as bad as the ref the last time these two sides met, still largely fell for the shithousery and was very quick to stop the game. This may have also been part of the reason why United couldn’t get anything going.

A very curious tactical switch was employed by ETH in the final ten minutes as a last roll of the dice, which saw center-back Harry Maguire come on and play as a center-forward/forward destroyer. ETH clearly told him to go stand near the opposition box and wait for the long ball. Now that could have been a good tactic, had the rest of the team coordinated properly. When Maguire’s massive frame and head are forward, just play the ball in the air lads! There were several instances where United kept trying to pass it through a very-clogged midfield, when the long ball would have been the better option. Maguire did win some headers in the air, but I feel he wasn’t on long enough to make a significant impact. Credit to ETH for trying something new, but it must be said that it didn’t work. The match ended 1-0 after a series of half-chances for United.

So yes, we won the match but did not win the group. Sociedad advance to the Round of 16 as group winners, while United now have to play a tricky playoff fixture in February against a team that has already crashed out the Champions League. This season, that could mean that United will have to potentially play Barcelona, Sevilla, Juventus, or Ajax. Despite their respective disappointing seasons so far, all three of those clubs are European giants and no one will relish the prospect of playing them. That dubious penalty awarded by the ref at Old Trafford all those months ago now looms very large indeed. Without that penalty, that match likely ends 0-0 and United’s victory today would have them as group winners.

Positives and negatives today, though. Garnacho looks to be the real deal, for example. He was a real nuisance to Sociedad today. I’d love to see him get some playing time in the upcoming Premier League matches. He is a little on the short side, but there’s no denying his pace, dribbling, and finishing. Although he grew up idolizing Ronaldo, his body composition and style of play are much more reminiscent of Lionel Messi. I’m not saying the young Argentine is the next Messi as I wouldn’t want to put that pressure on him, but he could be very special indeed if he continues to develop properly. As already noted as well, the back line was very good today, with yet another clean sheet on the books.

A striker is desperately needed in January, though. Ronaldo did not have a good day in front of goal today despite his assist. Rashford is not a pure center-forward, no matter how hard he tries. Anthony Martial has been brilliant in the striker role when on the pitch, but he is injured too often to be consistently relied upon. A good finisher of the ball who fits ETH’s system will do wonders for this team. Had we beaten other teams like Omonia Nicosia and Sheriff Tiraspol by bigger margins, it’s possible that we win this group. Spanish sides in Europe are always tough to play against though, so a 1-0 victory away is still something to be proud of even if United didn’t win the group.

There are now just three matches left before the winter break for the World Cup. The Red Devils return to action on Sunday when they travel to Aston Villa for a Premier League match. Three points, please.

Glory Glory Man United!

Sherriff Tiraspol Soundly Defeated at Old Trafford

Manchester United hosted Moldovan club FC Sheriff Tiraspol today at Old Trafford in the Europa League. United already defeated Sheriff 2-0 away this season, so they would be looking for a repeat of the same. This was Sheriff’s first-ever visit to Old Trafford, and their first visit to England as a club in a decade. On paper United were the far better side, but as has been stated a million times by a million different pundits, the game is not played on paper. Any team that is well-drilled defensively can cause problems for a more talented team.

A packed Old Trafford roared as the match got underway, and it was clear from the outset what the strategy was from Sheriff: defend. They deployed a back-5 and used their midfielders to clog up the wide areas, and it occasionally became a back-6 . United manager Erik ten Hag has liked to deploy the tactic of creating overloads on the wings, but the side known locally as the Wasps were doing a very good job of preventing those overloads from happening. They were fine with having very little possession and creating very little for themselves in attack. They wanted to fly home with a draw in their pockets. Some would call it cynical, others would call it practical.

As a result of the defensive tactics deployed by the opposition, United had the overwhelming majority of the possession in the first 40 minutes or so. They were creating all the attacking chances, with players like Antony dos Santos, Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, and Tyrell Malacia all failing to finish the chances created for them. They were all either denied by Sheriff keeper Maksym Koval. Even though United was bossing the game and midfielder Christian Eriksen looked to be in particularly good form, the frustrations continued for the Red Devils until just before halftime.

United won a corner however just before halftime, and the ball was played into the box over the top by Eriksen from the left hand side. Right back Diogo Dalot was on hand to rise up and deftly glance the ball past Koval for 1-0. Dalot is not known as a goal-scorer as it’s just his second for the club in 80+ appearances, but well done to him for beating his marker in the air and re-directing the ball home. United had been mucking about with short corners and set piece routines earlier in the half, but I am usually not a fan of those, mainly because they don’t work. Just cross it in the air into the box towards the biggest man on your team and see what happens. Sometimes it really is that simple. A rare goal from a set piece for United, but it let the tension out of the stadium and everyone started to enjoy themselves more. It would have been big for Sheriff to keep United out for the first 45 minutes, so credit to the lads again for scoring just when the visitors thought they were safe for 15 minutes.

The second half continued on much like the first, with United dominant in possession and Sheriff just trying to hang on defensively. They managed to do so for 20 more minutes, but United got a second after a brilliant passing move that ended with a Luke Shaw cross to Marcus Rashford who headed home into the corner of goal. Me describing it would be tedious due to the fact that there was at least seven or eight passes leading up to the goal, so here is a video of it:

https://dubz.co/v/8t99q4 (copy and paste the link, can’t find a good copy on YouTube)

The lads have truly embraced what ETH is preaching to them in training sessions. Unselfish football with precise and quick passing is very difficult to defend!

With the game sealed at 2-0, the objective from the squad became to feed Ronaldo the ball so he could find the net for himself. He was returned to the side by ETH after being left out against Chelsea as discipline for his selfish actions towards the end of the match against Tottenham Hotspur two weeks ago. According to reports, it seems that ETH and Ronaldo have at least temporarily made nice with one another. It still does feel likely that Ronaldo leaves in January, but at least for now he is willing to go along with how ETH wants to use him.

As has been the case this season though, he was wasting chance after chance today. Couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn when he is usually so precise. Koval did make a good save or two against him, but the Ronaldo of years’ past would have had a hat-trick today at least. He eventually did find the back of the net on 81 minutes though, when his header from a smart Bruno cross was saved yet again by Koval, only for the rebound to dribble directly back to him. He stuck the ball into the roof of the net in front of the Stretford End and the crowd erupted one final time in the match. United went on to win 3-0. Good to see Ronaldo on the scoresheet even if it took a bit of an effort to get him on there.

Real Sociedad beating Omonia Nicosia however means winner of Group E will be decided on the final matchday, which is next Thursday when United travel to the northern coast of Spain to play them. Due to new tiebreaker rules, United will have to win by two goals in order to win the group, which puts them at a disadvantage. Sociedad have been extremely consistent in Europe this season, having won all of their games. The terrible penalty decision from the referee in the first United-Sociedad match at Old Trafford a few months ago now looms large. Still though, United are playing well right now and they have more than enough talent to win by two goals in San Sebastian. The winner of the group goes straight to the knockout rounds, but the runner-up has to go to a playoff against a team that has crashed out of the Champions League this season. Needless to say, United would much prefer to win the group.

So a very solid victory today overall, despite an anxious opening 43 minutes. Once the first goal went in though, the result was never really in doubt. Man of the Match is midfielder Christian Eriksen. He’s been brilliant this season with his ability to hold possession and play long passes, and all of that was on display today.

The Premier League resumes on Sunday afternoon for United, with the Red Devils hosting West Ham United at Old Trafford. As usual, three points will be the order of the day.

Glory Glory Man United!

United Win in Fergie Time

Cypriot side Omonia Nicosia traveled the Manchester earlier today for a match with the Red Devils at Old Trafford in the Europa League. This was a rematch of last week’s affair in Cyprus where United won 3-2, as the schedule now moves into the back half of the group stage. United were expected to take all three points given that the match was at home and that Omonia haven’t been in good form recently. A United win would keep the pressure up on group leaders Real Sociedad, while anything but a loss for Omonia would go down amongst their greatest-ever results.

United were on the front foot from the get-go, with Marcus Rashford forcing a fine save from Omonia keeper Francis Ozoho. And truth be told, that was the theme of the opening 20 minutes or so. United had all the possession and were creating all of the chances, but Rashford was repeatedly denied by Ozoho. Omonia seemed to be content with defending deep via a back-5 and just clearing the ball whenever United got too close. Striker Cristiano Ronaldo and midfielder Casemiro were both denied by Ozoho as well as the half ticked on. Omonia had their best and only chance of the half when they broke forward down their left wing on a counter-attack, with winger Bruno Felipe missing from a tight angle at close range. But had he played the ball across to the free attacking player streaking down the middle, it could have easily been 1-0 to Omonia. It was not to be though, and the first half ended at 0-0.

The second half was much of the same. United winger Antony dos Santos was also denied by Ozoho after a good move almost straight away from the whistle. And so it continued, with Rashford narrowly missing the goal on a breakaway and countless other chances squandered by United. Unlike the end of the first half though, it was clear that Omonia and manager Neil Lennon now had no interest in attempting to score whatsoever. Every time they won it back they just cleared it long, straight back to United. A point earned from a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford would be just fine for them. They just had to keep United out.

United were denied a clear red card by the referee after a two-footed challenge on Casemiro’s right leg that left him down injured for a few minutes, and it’s a joke that VAR didn’t have the referee go look at the replays. Had he been instructed to do so, he likely upgrades it to a red. United manager Erik ten Hag made three substitutions as the half wore on, bringing on left back Luke Shaw, midfielder Christian Eriksen, winger Jadon Sancho, and midfielder Scott McTominay to try and generate the all-important goal. News filtered through the stadium late on that Real Sociedad were handily winning their match against Sheriff Tiraspol, so a winner for United became even more vital.

As the clock struck the 90 minute mark, the 4th official on the sideline indicated there would be 5 minutes of added time in the match. United kept pinging it around the Omonia penalty area, but there was always someone on hand for them to clear it away at the last moment. Ozoho had fewer saves to make in the second half due to some improved defending and poor finishing from United, but he did well to deny McTominay from distance in the early moments of stoppage time.

But United were not to be denied. In close games in the final minutes at Old Trafford, magical things can sometimes happen. United getting a late goal to change a result used to be a matter of course under former manager Sir Alex Ferguson, hence why United fans refer to stoppage time at home as Fergie Time. That is precisely what we got on 93 minutes, and although it wasn’t spectacular, it was a goal nonetheless. Sancho cut inside from the left and dribbled the ball into the box under challenge from an Omonia defender, and he then crossed it low towards Ronaldo and McTominay in the middle of the area. The ball bounced off another Omonia defender before falling to McTominay, who tucked it away neatly through the challenge of two other Omonia defenders and under Ozoho. It was a close-range, scrambled goal but it counted nevertheless. There’s not much better than a Fergie Time winner at Old Trafford in Europe!

Omonia were deflated by the goal but had a half chance at their end before the whistle blew, however they wasted it with a poor finish and United held on to win. As a result of this victory they keep pace with Real Sociedad, but will have to win against Sheriff and Real Sociedad in the final matches in order to win the group and automatically qualify for the next round. Second place in the group has to go to a potentially tricky playoff to advance, and United do not need another fixture in this already congested schedule.

Yes, the finishing was bad today. 34 attempts on goal but only 11 on target is wasteful. Yes, we need to sign a striker in January. Anthony Martial is injured too frequently to be relied upon, and Ronaldo has struggled to find goals all season. But there are positives here! The lads never stopped. They kept at it, kept pressing, kept passing, and kept shooting until it finally went in. That’s huge for the team spirit and it will really buoy the locker room going into a tough run of matches. Credit to ETH as well for his substitutions, as all of them made an impact on the match when they were brought on. It was the combination of Sancho and McTominay that led to the goal, after all. With the win, United remain second in Europa League Group E, three points back of first place.

United now face a stretch of three Premier League matches over the span of seven days, the first of which sees them host in-form Newcastle United at Old Trafford on Sunday. United have taken 15 of their last 18 available points, and it will be vital to continue that form if they want to qualify for the Champions League next season.

Glory Glory Man United!

United Squeak By Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus

The Red Devils resumed play in the Europa League on Thursday evening when they took the long flight from Manchester to Cyprus to play Omonia Nicosia at the GSP Stadium. Although Omonia play in a small league, they are managed by the experienced former Celtic manager Neil Lennon, and Manchester United coming to their stadium was probably the biggest match of their entire season. “David vs. Goliath” was probably the mentality going into this one for Omonia, while United manager Erik ten Hag would be looking to get back on a winning track against a lesser opponent after the fiasco that was the Manchester Derby at the weekend.

United dominated the possession and chances created in the opening half hour. To be frank, it was difficult to count the amount of chances created. Every time the final pass or shot was needed though, things just seemed a little bit off. A pass would be just behind the final attacker, or the effort on goal would be tame. Still though, I was encouraged by the dominance in possession and passing. Keeper David de Gea didn’t even touch the ball for about 20 minutes in there.

It was the Cypriot side that got the opening goal though, very much against the run of play. However, they displayed the importance of being clinical when presented with a chance. United won a corner and poured men forward to get an opener, which left us exposed to a long ball over the top which was run onto by the Omonia attacking players. Iranian forward Karim Ansarifard was the final man on the ball, and he slotted home past De Gea for 1-0. His celebrations were muted, but the rest of the stadium erupted in joy. I thought this spelled some doom for United too, as Omonia could now play out it’s tactics of defending well and hitting us on the break when they could. It was still disappointing from a United perspective given the dominance everywhere except the score line. Neither side really got another good chance after that first half goal, and it was 1-0 at halftime. The Omonia fans were beside themselves.

ETH made changes at half time in response to going down, bringing on Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw. Rashford had an immediate impact, eventually winning possession on the edge of the box after a long diagonal ball forward from midfielder Bruno Fernandes. Rashford did well to bring it down and the Omonia defender got a touch on the ball, but Rashford recovered and hit a fine curler into the opposite corner of the goal with Omonia keeper Fabiano Freitas unable to do anything about it. I was very pleased that we got an equalizer so quickly into the half (52 minutes) and I suspected that we might go on to win it now.

Anthony Martial was brought on a few minutes after the Rashford equalizer, and he made an almost immediate impact as well with the go-ahead goal on 63 minutes. Center back Lisandro Martinez played the ball forward along the ground, which was met by Rashford just outside the box. He laid the ball off with one backheel touch directly into the path of Martial, who took a touch to cut inside his marker and power a low finish past Fabiano at the near post. It was a beautiful goal to watch. We were now finishing the chances we didn’t finish in the first half, and I thought the route might be on now.

Rashford got his second goal and United’s third on the night thanks to yet another quick attacking move, except this time it was striker Cristiano Ronaldo providing the assist. Ronaldo had been looking for a goal all night and was visibly frustrated with his own finishing, and I have to wonder whether he actually meant to pass it Rashford from his position on the left side of the box. It almost looked like he was shooting, but the shot was a bad one and looked to be going wide of the post. Rashford was streaking in however and tapped in the for the 3rd goal after beating his defender to the cross/shot. At 3-1 on 84 minutes, I thought it was over.

The final 5 minutes plus stoppage time were more tense than they needed to be though, as Omonia got their second goal of the evening just a minute after United’s third. Omonia brought the ball forward quickly on a counter-attack, and again they showed clinical finishing ability via striker (and native Cypriot) Andronikis Kakoullis. Again it was a simple counter-attacking goal and fairly standard finish, which is worrying for United defensively. The Red Devils had a real issue with getting back on defense today after losing the ball in a forward area, and Omonia punished them twice for it. Omonia never got another sniff of a chance though, and really it was United that should have had another goal via Ronaldo at the other end. He hit the post from a close distance and then Rashford missed him with a pass when he was unmarked in the box. The final whistle went without further drama, and United won 3-2.

Despite the victory, there are a lot questions surrounding the quality of the play in this match. The back line was missing usual starter Raphael Varane so the defensive fragility potentially has an explanation, but the finishing from Ronaldo in particular this match was awful. Jadon Sancho had a poor game too, but if almost any other striker was out there today, United win this match handily. Ronaldo has only scored one goal this season, and it was from the penalty spot. He has yet to score from open play, and we are now two months into the season. If Ronaldo was experiencing this bad a form at 28 we would all just write it off as a slump. But at 38, you have to question whether or not Ronaldo is finally past it. His main contribution to this team last season was scoring goals. He was not very good at anything else, but he was at least scoring. This season he’s not even scoring and his overall play hasn’t improved much. Yes today was a little better in terms positioning and passing, but Prime Ronaldo would have scored at least a hat-trick today. I’m sure he will find his form eventually, but it must be said that when he is not scoring, he is more of a hindrance than a help.

All credit to ETH for making the substitutions and not being afraid to change things. Rashford and Martial were absolute game-changers today, and they seem to thrive in ETH’s system. Martial had a good goal but Rashford got himself two goals and an assist off the bench, which makes him Man of the Match. United now sit second in Europa League Group E with three matches left to play.

United next travel to the blue half of Liverpool for a match with Everton in the Premier League on Sunday. Glory Glory Man United!

Red Devils Victorious in Moldova

The Europa League resumed today, with Manchester United taking a long plane flight to southeastern Europe to play Moldovan side Sheriff Tiraspol at Sheriff Sports Complex. Sheriff are best known for making some waves in the Champions League last season, where they beat the likes of Real Madrid in the group stage. They would be hoping for a similar result today. On paper, United were the more talented side. They were looking to shift their Europa League into high gear, having got off to a sputtering start against Real Sociedad and the referee they brought with them.

The match was rather slow to start, with both teams being content to feel each other out and not take too many risks with the ball going forward. On the balance of play though, Sheriff were probably doing just a little more in terms of attacking intent. United grew into the game though in the next ten minutes, and it was United who found the opening goal via winger Jadon Sancho. It was a fantastic passing move from the Red Devils, with the midfielders knocking the ball around in the opposition attacking third to open up the back four. Sancho made a diagonal run into the box, and midfielder Christian Eriksen found him with an aerial pass. Sancho did very well to control it, switching the ball from his right foot to the left, while making a Sheriff defender miss with his challenge. He was under pressure again immediately though, but he managed to place a low shot into the opposite corner past Sheriff keeper Maksym Koval. The keeper had no chance due to the placement of the shot, and it was a very composed finish from Sancho. United were up 1-0 and good value for their lead.

Sancho then had another shot cleared off the line about 15 minutes later by Sheriff captain Stjepan Radeljic. United put together another slick passing move, and it was only that last-ditch tackle that kept them out. About 5 minutes later though, United were awarded a penalty after a clear foul on right back Diogo Dalot in the Sheriff penalty area. No doubt about this one, as the Sheriff player very clearly clipped Dalot’s heels when Dalot was about to win the ball. Striker Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to the spot and powered the ball straight down the middle, with Koval diving off to his right. Ronaldo needed a goal so it was good to see him open his scoring account for the season. His main contribution to this team now is goal-scoring, so when he’s not doing that it becomes difficult to justify his selection. Hopefully this goal gets the proverbial monkey off his back and he can kick on from here. I still feel that Anthony Martial will be manager Erik ten Hag’s first choice striker when he is healthy.

The half ended without further incident, and United felt very in-control at 2-0. The second half was more of the same, but there was no end product this time. Our passing and creativity in attack was very good today, we just needed to be a bit more clinical in front of goal. We created chance after chance, only for the final pass to be slightly off or for a defender to make a vital intervention. United probably should have had at least 3 today, but two was plenty against today’s opposition. Sheriff’s best chance of the match came right at the very end via a free kick, but keeper David De Gea was on hand to make an important save.

I was very pleased with the “routine” feeling of this game. We got our goals early on, then played possession the second half and controlled the flow for the rest of the time. Too often this season and in the past United would get a lead and then try to sit on it. That was not the case today. Despite Sheriff fouling United as often as possible in the second half, they never really looked like scoring aside from that final free-kick. The result was never in doubt once Ronaldo notched the second goal.

United are now off until October 2, and it’s only the small matter of the Manchester Derby at the Etihad. That will be a difficult match indeed. Hopefully United’s international players don’t pick up new injuries over the international break. England have their last two matches before the World Cup starts in November, and they are against formidable foes Italy and Germany.

Glory Glory Man United!