United go ten men and lose to a late goal
Erik Ten Hag's days just don't seem to get better. While managing United has never been easy given the expectations, it is now more than ever a thankless pursuit. While a trophy in the last year would be good news for any club, for the United fans, it is just the ultimate glory that matters, and their club seems to be just blundering its way to ignominy.
In the return leg of their group match against FC Copenhagen at the noisy Parken stadium in Copenhagen, the Reds had nothing go their way. They were off the blocks in a hurry and looked the real deal. Their signing of the year, Rasmus Hojlund, put them two ahead as he latched on the chances in the box against his old club. United looked good and on their way to a win until an innocent-looking challenge from Rashford was put under the VAR lenses. The slow-motion replays and the various angles made the challenge look horrible, and Rashford received a straight red card.
If Manchester United needed a trigger to collapse, it had come. As if on cue, the team lost its tempo, more probably at the prospect of playing more than half the match with 10 men than anything else. Copenhagen were quick, and within the next 15 minutes, they equalized. First through an Elyounoussi tap-in and then a penalty from a soft Maguire handball. It was just not going United's way, and they were wilting away.
Briefly, it did look like Copenhagen might not be able to shut out their more illustrious opponents as they conceded a penalty, which Brun Fernandes converted. They seemed to flag a bit, but then, with the home crowd egging them on, they equalised again as Lukas Lerager sneaked in past a defender to poke in at close range.
The best piece of the whole chaotic match was, however, reserved for the end as the Swedish teenager Roony Bardghji announced himself with an assured finish with an on-the-bounce volley past Onana to send the Parken stadium into delirium. The boy given the rather heavy-to-carry nickname of 'Swedish Messi' displayed why he is rated as he is with a cool finish.
Manchester United had been buried by a young gun with a name so close to their own legend. The day that started well ended in misery. They have to do a lot to qualify, and with five losses out of 11 in the Premier League, Ten Hag might just be on the verge of an exit. While he has not done badly with what he has at his disposal,Ten Haag does deserve credit for what he has done and time to pull it around.
But then, time is what an underperforming manager at United may not get.
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