Having misplaced their opening two UEFA Champions League group stage video games of the season, the conflict with Kobenhavn on Tuesday night was do or die for Manchester United.
And though it wasn’t fairly, the Red Devils did finally see off the Danish champions due to a second-half objective from Harry Maguire and a last-minute penalty save from Andre Onana.
Here’s 90min’s takeaways from that essential win…
From being stripped of the Man Utd captaincy and practically pressured out of Old Trafford to being the match-winner in a Champions League recreation – it is truthful to say that Harry Maguire’s turnaround in fortunes has been fairly exceptional.
Thrown again into the beginning XI due to the myriad of accidents in defence lately – Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Sergio Reguilon have all hung out on the sidelines – Maguire has greater than made essentially the most of his alternatives.
The centre-back earned a spot within the 90min Premier League workforce of the week for his efficiency in Saturday’s 2-1 win at Sheffield United, and as soon as once more shone in midweek in opposition to Kobenhavn by scoring the profitable objective at Old Trafford.
Maguire appears to be like to have re-found his mojo.
Put merely, with out Christian Eriksen within the lineup throughout the first half, Man Utd appeared totally devoid of any semblance of inventive spark.
In the second half, Eriksen was launched and the Red Devils’ offensive efficiency noticeably improved – Man Utd had double the efforts on objective within the second half compared to the primary.
Due to his earlier well being points and now being the unsuitable aspect of 30, Man Utd merely cannot depend on Eriksen to be the only inventive drive as a lot as they’ve in latest weeks.
Ten Hag shall be hoping that Mason Mount’s return will assist his workforce cope a bit extra with out Eriksen shifting ahead.
Bar Maguire’s objective and Onana’s save, the loudest Old Trafford received throughout the recreation in opposition to Kobenhavn on Tuesday evening was when a superb sweeping counter assault virtually led to an Alejandro Garnacho objective.
The younger huge participant would fluff his traces when performed via one-on-one with Kamil Grabara by Bruno Fernandes, however the response from the Old Trafford crowd to the incisive little bit of play stated quite a bit about what followers really need from this present Man Utd workforce: for them to play to their strengths.
Despite makes an attempt to alter how Man Utd method video games, adopting the trendy fashion of making an attempt to put on down groups with countless possession in and across the opposition penalty space, the actual fact of the matter is that the membership’s star gamers – Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford – are at their finest when taking part in on the break.
And having endured a fairly horrendous begin to the 2023/24 season taking part in a extra methodical fashion, it may be finest to only return to these counter-attacking fundamentals within the coming weeks so as to proper the ship – particularly in opposition to Manchester City on the weekend.
Ten Hag pressured in pre-season that he needs Man Utd to be the very best transition workforce on the earth anyway, however they’re nonetheless properly wanting that objective.
The finest goalkeeper in Champions League final season is definitely fairly a superb goalkeeper; who knew?
Andre Onana has, in reality, been fairly unhealthy since he made a the large cash transfer from Inter to Man Utd in the summertime, however he did lastly present what he is able to on Tuesday evening.
He was in beautiful type in opposition to Kobenhavn, making 4 good stops together with a game-saving one to disclaim Jordan Larsson a final minute equaliser from the spot.
Red Devils followers shall be hoping that Tuesday’s efficiency is an indication of issues to return from Onana.
Coming off the again of a profession finest season, and having signed a bumper new contract, quite a bit was anticipated of Marcus Rashford throughout the 2023/24 marketing campaign.
And, thus far, not quite a bit has been delivered.
Despite beginning all 12 of Man Utd’s Premier League and Champions League video games, Rashford has managed a measly one objective in all competitions and infrequently appears to be like wherever close to as threatening within the closing third as he did on the tail finish of final season.
With the remainder of the squad additionally struggling in entrance of objective – Man Utd have scored the identical quantity of Premier League objectives as notoriously objective shy Wolves thus far this season – Rashford must re-find his finest type; and quick.
Discussion about this post