The underwhelming Europa League draw with Fenerbahce became the latest in a long list of poor performances as the Dutchman muddles on
It feels as though Manchester United are never too far from disappointment at present, and they took their latest backwards step by throwing away a lead to draw with Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce on Thursday night in the Europa League. The Red Devils' nasty habit of throwing away leads in Europe reared its head again, as Christian Eriksen's opener was almost inevitably cancelled out.
A third-straight draw leaves Erik ten Hag's side – among the favourites to lift the trophy – way down the standings in the new-look competition and facing the very real prospect of humiliation if they don't buck up their ideas, and that may well require a change of manager.
This was another performance that was symptomatic of their long-standing problems under Ten Hag, and even though United avoided defeat there is a sense that the beleaguered Dutchman is clinging on by his fingertips as INEOS delay the inevitable. This is not a side that looks capable of lifting the Europa League trophy come May.
AFP'We showed we are hard to beat'
Ten Hag has a habit of being misinterpreted, with his English not always perfect, but his message after the draw in Istanbul was pretty clear: this was an acceptable result in difficult circumstances.
There is undoubtedly some truth to that as United toiled to a point against the backdrop of the cacophonous and hostile atmosphere of the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, but after draws with Twente and Porto, fans were surely expecting more from one of the favourites to win the competition against a side who sit fourth in the Turkish league, eight points off top spot.
"I think when you take the two points, Porto and Fenerbahce away, it showed we are a team who's hard to beat, and we showed it again today," Ten Hag told after the match. "So we can take confidence again from this game and take this on into the league."
Pressed on whether this kind of result is acceptable, he admitted: "We have to win. We created the chances but we have to be killing more. We let the opponent get away with a point." He later added: "Now we have two games at Old Trafford [in the Europa League]. We have to win if we want to progress in Europe."
AdvertisementAFPBizarre experiment
Even before kick-off, the Dutchman had sparked more bemusement when the line-ups were released. Amid a raft of injuries, he had opted to field nominal right-back Noussair Mazaraoui in the No.10 role despite still having Amad Diallo and Casemiro at his disposal.
"We have some injuries and a suspension with Bruno, so we had to be creative. Also, we had some players who have a short turnaround to West Ham, so we've made some changes there and a different set-up, but not so much different because we want to keep consistency," the manager explained. "We bring Mazraoui into the No.10 position. I know him from before, sometimes played him there for Ajax, also playing him as a full-back, and also in our system he's playing in the half spaces."
It was a tactical decision that left Man Utd legend Paul Scholes flummoxed. "I’m confused by it," he said on . "I even think his explanation of it was confusing… I think Eriksen is perfect for that. I hope Mazraoui understands better what he has to do than I do. I found it difficult to understand Ten Hag’s explanation. I don’t see him as a No.10."
Although he did play a role in United's goal, Mazraoui unsurprisingly looked out of place so far up the pitch and was eventually shifted back. Reflecting on the decision, Ten Hag said: "Experiment? We would never come up with this if we didn't have issues. It's a long time ago [that] he played there but he's capable to do it and we have seen today, in the lead-up to the goal he plays the role but also to strengthen the midfield, support the pressing, he was doing quite well in that position so [I'm] pleased with his performance."
AFP'It's a good result for Man Utd'
After the 1-1 draw, the man in the opposite dugout was under no illusions as to who deserved to win the game. Mourinho had been fired up throughout the encounter, earning himself yet another red card as he was sent to the stands for storming out of his technical area to remonstrate with the fourth official over the non-award of a penalty.
While backhandedly complimenting United goalkeeper Andre Onana for a stunning double save when the Red Devils were 1-0 up, the prickly Portuguese made his feelings on the game abundantly clear.
"Onana made two incredible saves in our fantastic initial period," he told . "Come on, he saved the result. My keeper didn’t make a save, he made two impossible saves. I think he was the most decisive player. He didn’t make 20 saves but two were incredible, Onana can do it.
"We were better than them so it’s a good result for Manchester United. They got a point against us, we didn’t get a point against them. We played amazing. We will destroy every team if we play like this in the league. United are a superior level, the Premier League has more quality, more intensity, more everything."
Getty Images SportRisk of humiliation
Whether or not he has a good rapport with Ten Hag, Mourinho was clearly trying to aim something of a parting shot with his suggestion that United left Istanbul with their tail between their legs, and this was the latest instance in what has been a humbling European campaign to date for one of the continent's biggest names.
Second favourites to go all the way in the Europa League behind domestic rivals Tottenham by virtue of the fact that Champions League teams will no longer drop down into the secondary competition, Man Utd find themselves 21st in the standings in the new league phase after three consecutive draws – already four points off the automatic last-16 qualification places and six behind leaders Lazio. If results don't pick up, they will face the ignominy of a knockout round play-off to progress.
Whether that humiliation is a realistic prospect remains to be seen; United's toughest league phase fixtures are technically out of the way, with games against PAOK, Bodo/Glimt, Viktoria Plzen, Rangers and FCSB to come – matches they will be fully expected to take maximum points from. That said, only Greek side PAOK are currently below the English giants in the table.
The draws against Twente – who are 28th – and Fenerbahce will not fill supporters with confidence, and neither will their surrender of a two-goal lead in the dramatic 3-3 in Porto. United have developed an unwanted habit of failing to secure victory from winning positions in Europe, with that the outcome in six of their last eight games across the Europa League and last season's disastrous Champions League campaign.
