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Fenerbahce 1 Manchester United 1: Onana’s double save and where does this leave Ten Hag?

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4 weeks ago

October 28, 2024

Fenerbahce 1 Manchester United 1: Onana’s double save and where does this leave Ten Hag?

Manchester United have been held to a 1-1 draw by Fenerbahce on Thursday night time.

The guests opened the scoring within the fifteenth minute by means of Christian Eriksen, who completed a sweeping transfer up the pitch. Fenerbahce pushed for a leveller within the first half, however have been denied by an unbelievable double save from Andre Onana.

After the break, they managed to get the equaliser as Youssef En-Nesyri linked with a header and managed to beat Onana.

Former United supervisor Jose Mourinho was proven a crimson card throughout the second half after closely protesting the referee’s resolution to not award a penalty, however his workforce held out for a draw.

Right here, The Athletic’s specialists Carl Anka and Anantaajith Raghuraman analyse the sport.

What does this draw imply for United?

United’s worrying development of conceding shortly after restarts continued towards Fenerbahce. This time, Allan Saint-Maximin drove down the fitting earlier than his cross discovered En-Nesyri.

The time of aim? 48 minutes and 39 seconds. Erik ten Hag’s response? Substituting Joshua Zirkzee and Victor Lindelof for Rasmus Hojlund and Casemiro. The modifications noticed United resort to their acquainted fashion of play, for higher and worse. Eriksen pulled the strings within the last third whereas Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte sat deep. Ugarte had his greatest efficiency in a United shirt — and it was wanted. United’s recreation plan to bait Fenerbahce’s press earlier than hitting the ball rapidly down the wings lacked the sting that powered the robust efficiency in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Brentford.

A disappointing efficiency from Diogo Dalot, who was caught out of place a number of instances at right-back, additional hampered the workforce’s fluency on each side of the ball. That incapability to regulate the sport could be seen in The Athletic’s match dashboard beneath.

Ten Hag’s males haven’t gained away from house in Europe since March 2023, a 1-0 victory at Actual Betis. United didn’t seem like conceding a second, nevertheless it was additionally tough to see how they could rating a winner. A late damage to substitute Antony meant Amad was a late throw of the cube, however United lack our bodies and confidence in assault. As Amad and Eriksen stood over a late free kick, with United our bodies loaded within the field, there was extra hope than expectation. Eriksen’s set piece was cleared on the first try.

A 3rd consecutive draw leaves United within the backside half of the Europa League’s ‘league section’ desk. They’ve a struggle on their palms to rise out of the play-off qualification locations and head in the direction of the seeded positions.

Carl Anka

Was Onana’s double save the perfect of the season?

Onana got here to Manchester United’s rescue with round eight minutes left within the first half, simply moments after Victor Lindelof’s well-timed sort out blocked an effort from En-Nesyri. The ensuing nook was performed brief after which cleared earlier than Fenerbahce recycled it to Sebastian Szymanski on the left. Poor communication amongst United defenders meant he obtained the ball in acres of house.

Dusan Tadic flicked on Szymanski’s whipped cross in the direction of En-Nesyri, who pressured a superb diving save from Onana regardless of the United goalkeeper’s preliminary motion within the different course.

Tadic hooked the second ball again to En-Nesyri for an additional header from point-blank vary however once more, Onana reacted brilliantly to get his fingertips to the ball and direct it onto the roof of the online.

The pair of saves saved United’s lead intact heading into half-time and shall be among the many season’s greatest goalkeeping moments. The closest challenger to this point is perhaps one other of Onana’s double saves, which got here towards Crystal Palace within the Premier League final month. It was additionally similar to David Raya’s improbable save for Arsenal towards Atalanta within the Champions League final month. The Spaniard denied Mateo Retegui from a penalty kick by diving low to his proper earlier than getting again on his ft to leap to his left and deny Retegui’s follow-up header.

Onana’s intervention was pivotal for United in a recreation the place the margins for error remained low proper till the top.

Anantaajith Raghuraman

How did Mazraoui carry out as a No 10?

A yellow-card suspension meant United have been with out their captain and talisman Bruno Fernandes, however Ten Hag sprung a shock by choosing Noussair Mazraoui as his playmaking substitute, quite than Eriksen or Amad.

“He’s able to coming there,” was the United supervisor’s clarification earlier than kick-off. “He can do good urgent. Then we are able to see throughout the recreation what is required. We will go together with him perhaps in one other place, and we are able to put a extra offensive participant in that place, or usher in a extra defensive midfielder and convey Casemiro in.”

Mazraoui — who performed as a No 10 throughout his academy days — didn’t take to the position in fairly the identical method as Fernandes. This was not the inventive hub round which United’s different attacking our bodies orbit, however as an alternative one thing of a second striker. The 26-year-old was an additional physique to assist with the workforce’s entrance press and performed easy passes when United entered the ultimate third.

United’s opening aim got here from a fast counter-attack after Ugarte gained the ball excessive up the sphere. Alejandro Garnacho carried the ball excellently down the left earlier than his low cross discovered the ft of Mazraoui. The Morocco worldwide supplied a easy wall move to Zirkzee, who then laid it off to Eriksen on the fringe of the field. Eriksen’s shot discovered the top-left nook and United have been away.

Often, Mazraoui reminded us why he isn’t an attacking midfielder by commerce. One heavy move within the nineteenth minute opened United up for a counter-attack, from which Tadic shot on aim (tamely). At half-time, it regarded as if Ten Hag’s experiment had labored. 5 minutes after that, Fenerbahce’s second-half equaliser noticed the United supervisor deliver on Casemiro to bolster his midfield and moved Eriksen to the No 10 position and Mazraoui to left-back.

It’s unlikely Ten Hag will repeat the trick for Sunday’s fixture towards West Ham United, however for round 50 minutes, Mazraoui did a satisfactory job as a No 10.

Carl Anka

How did Ugarte fare on his return to the beginning line-up?

In his fourth begin of the season, Ugarte displayed a number of the qualities that persuaded United to signal him this summer season. Eriksen’s presence and the relative success of the Mazraoui experiment meant Ugarte didn’t have to progress the ball, so he may focus as an alternative on recycling possession and slowing down the sport’s tempo.

He had a few iffy moments within the recreation’s opening interval however settled in nicely and performed an necessary position within the opener — however his greatest second got here a couple of minutes later. Onana palmed Szymanski’s cross straight to Tadic, however Ugarte raced again and dived in to dam Tadic’s effort along with his foot, a lot to the delight of his team-mates.

Ugarte performed nicely on Thursday (Oguz Yeter/Anadolu through Getty Photos)

A couple of extra necessary defensive interventions and neat move exchanges helped United see out the half with a lead. A type of noticed him hold tempo with Fred all through a Fenerbahce counter within the thirty fourth minute to nullify him as a move receiver, forcing Tadic again and giving United’s defence time to get themselves organised.

Even after Fenerbahce’s aim, Ugarte remained one in every of United’s higher defensive gamers. He ended the match with 4 clearances and three interceptions, each of which have been team-high marks. The Uruguay midfielder additionally accomplished 88 per cent of his passes and made two tackles. It wasn’t an ideal efficiency, nonetheless, as he gave away possession 5 instances and dedicated 4 fouls however, as could be seen from his participant dashboard beneath, this was a step in the fitting course.

Anantaajith Raghuraman

What did Erik ten Hag say?

Ten Hag spoke in regards to the damage suffered by Antony after the sport. The winger ended up leaving the stadium in a protecting boot.

“It’s actually unfortunate for him,” he stated, as reported by manutd.com. “I really feel actual compassion for him, when he labored so exhausting in coaching.

“His coaching performances are that good that he deserved to come back on. When it’s a must to come off so rapidly, that’s actually unhappy to see. Hopefully, it’s not too unhealthy, now we have to attend 24 hours for what the evaluation is.”