After a very encouraging opening 40 minutes in Copenhagen, Marcus Rashford’s unfortunate red card changed the game. United battled bravely, but the Danes’ superior numbers and some individual errors ultimately led to defeat.
United’s Champions League dreams now hang by the thinnest of threads. We need to win our very difficult remaining games and hope other results go our way.
A dominant start
United started the game exceptionally well, opening the scoring within 3 minutes with a well-crafted goal finished off by Rasmus Hojlund. Marcus Rashford was out on the right whilst Garnahco retained his place on the left, and United were cruising.
Hojlund doubled the lead just before the half-hour mark; a well-taken finish after a Garnacho shot that showed the young Dane’s instincts for being in the right place at the right time. Copenhagen were offering almost nothing and United were performing well all over the pitch.
The game-changing VAR decision
On 42 minutes the game was flipped on its head. Marcus Rashford was rightly – but unfortunately – sent off for a dangerous tackle on Elias Jelert. Marcus clearly only had eyes for protecting the ball, but inadvertently raked the leg of the Danish full-back, who was lucky to escape unscathed. A VAR check led to an on-field review and Marcus saw red.
Cue a disastrous 10 minutes or so for United. Copenhagen’s Elyounoussi benefited from non-existent back post defending and Harry Maguire’s controversial handball led to a penalty that was converted shortly before half-time. What looked a stroll in the park was fast becoming the ‘Theatre of Nightmares’ as predicted by the raucous Danish crowd.
United weren’t intimidated at all in Copenhagen, but the Danish fans’ predictions ultimately came true
SECOND HALF: FIGHTING SPIRIT & costly mistakes
Despite the numerical disadvantage, United came out swinging in the second half. It almost felt like they had the extra man at times, with the Danes standing off and United stringing plenty of passes together.
For once, United benefited from a close VAR decision. The Reds were awarded a penalty after a lengthy check and Fernandes smashed home into the top left corner.
Things were looking up for the Reds, but we were down to ten and inevitably the pressure started to build. In another ten-minute period to forget, Diogo Dalot bewilderingly lost his man at the back post for the equaliser, and some calamitous defending – with substitute Varane the main culprit – allowed the ironically named Roony Bardghji in for the winner.
Ten-men United still had their moments, with a Harry Maguire half-volley clipping the crossbar late on. But it wasn’t to be. Copenhagen held out for a famous victory and United look all but finished in the Champions League.
player ratings and MOTM
Onana – 6. Another decent game – none of the goals were his fault.
Dalot – 5. Did OK in general but as happens too often with Dalot, switched off to let his man in for the 3-3 equaliser.
Maguire – 7. Another solid performance. Gave away and won a penalty.
Evans – N/A. Subbed after just 15 minutes due to injury.
Wan-Bissaka – 7. A Really promising game. Linked up well down the right for the first goal and looks more confident going forward with every game. This lad has so much potential and he looks to be getting close to realising it.
McTominay – 5. Started well and assisted the first goal but struggled when United were a man down.
Eriksen – 5. As with McTominay, started well but later struggled.
Fernandes – 7 MOTM. Busy, involved, showed great grit when United went a man down and ice-cold for the penalty. You have to feel sorry for Fernandes after an immense effort last night.
Rashford – 4. The game changed after his red card. Unfortunately, Marcus was probably the inadvertent architect of United’s downfall.
Hojlund – 7. Limited time on the ball in the second half but deadly effective in the first with two poacher’s goals.
Garnacho – 6. A bright start but drifted in and out of the game after the sending off.
Subs:
Varane – 5. Not the Frenchman’s best game. Gave the ball away and then missed a clearing hearder for the winning goal.
Amrabat – 6. Did pretty well and showed good fighting spirit given the circumstances.
Mount – N/A. On as a false 9 for the last 15 and largely ineffective.
A promising performance, but the CL dream is all but over
United can still qualify for the Champions League mathematically, but almost certainly won’t.
The frustrating thing is that last night’s first-half performance was arguably United’s best of the season, and the second showed the fighting spirit that Ten Hag is so desperate to see his players display.
Last night’s defeat came down to an unfortunate red card and two short periods where United switched off and conceded twice. The Reds should have been able to get over the line and were naïve at times – hopefully lessons will be learnt. It’s just a shame that this is effectively the end of our CL campaign.
The players must pick themselves up and go again the weekend against Luton. There are big league games with Newcastle, Chelsea and Liverpool on the horizon, and we need to get back to winning ways quickly.
