Manchester United crash out of Europe with a whimper in defeat by Bayern Munich
There are more than a few bad European nights speckling the great and the good of Manchester United’s past, although few when the general expectation of failure has been so accurately matched by the team’s willingness to deliver it.
The lights were on, the stage was set, although for long periods it felt like no-one was at home at Old Trafford. Erik ten Hag’s team had to conjure one of the greatest performances of their recent past to stay in the Champions League, and yet there was no sense they might get close. Bayern Munich had not lost a Champions League group-stage game in 39 previous outings and this encounter barely lit up the warning lights in this most impressive German winning machine.
Harry Kane played in a Tottenham Hotspur team that won 6-1 at Old Trafford in October 2020, and he would be forgiven for thinking this night with his new club was more one-sided. It was the depth and strength of the Bayern side, a team of high-quality players secure in their experience of big games – and simply better in all departments. Quicker, tougher, more precise, and never more so than when Kane turned a nice ball around the corner with the outside of his right foot on 70 minutes and Kingsley Coman scored the only goal.
The goal that officially ends Manchester United's European hopes? ⚽️
Kingsley Coman strolls through the middle of the United defence to give Bayern Munich the lead 💥#UCL pic.twitter.com/vUj9dM3qmt— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 12, 2023
All told, a grim evening for United. The win for FC Copenhagen in the group’s other game meant that United do not even cling to third place and a shot at the Europa League after Christmas. They have conceded more goals in this group stage – 15 – than any other English club in Champions League group stage history. They had more shots on target against Spurs in that mauling three years ago than they did against Bayern, when they only mustered one.
Man Utd have now conceded the most goals in a #UCL group stage of any English team ever! 😬
Here's all 15 they've let in... ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/kHk3E4zn2M— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 13, 2023
Bayern looked like they have been doing this for years. United’s players looked like they might never be asked to do it again. Although of course, the financial restrictions that a truncated European campaign inflicts will make trading difficult again in the next two windows with the club treading a fine line in losses already. There are new injuries too: a muscle tear for Harry Maguire which forced him out in the first half and then no Luke Shaw re-emerging for the second half. Marcus Rashford was not in the squad, suffering from an unspecified illness.
How softly United went to their fate in the end. There was not, as Thomas Tuchel, had innocently predicted before the game, the electricity which he associated with this stadium. The Bayern fans had the run of the place when it came to the noise. There was sense as the game reached its latter stages, and Tuchel’s players stepped it up, that the home fans were waiting for the away goal to signal a mass departure.
By the end, Ten Hag was sending on the young ones like Kobbie Mainoo and Hannibal Mejbri for a taste of a competition that is slipping from the club’s grasp again. After all the toil of last season to get there, the Champions League ended in boos when the final whistle blew and United finished bottom of the group. By contrast, Bayern look like a team that will have a good chance of winning it.
Ten Hag is contending with injuries and at least one disaffected player, but the scope of United’s squad-building misadventures over the last 10 years was laid bare again. Like them, Bayern have struggled with the inflationary spending of the nation-state clubs over that time but they have also demonstrated how to leverage the heritage marque. Theirs is a shrewdly assembled squad of big-game players. By contrast, United have somehow ended up with a group who looked satisfied not to be beaten heavily.
There was no crescendo to this game. The circumstances dictated that United would surely at some point lay it all on the line, but as the news of the goal for Copenhagen came through so any sense of purpose was lost. Ten Hag has lost as many games as he has won this season. Shaw hit a crisp first half shot that Manuel Neuer saw fit to punch to safety rather than catch, and that was as good as it got.
There was a standing ovation for Maguire, disconsolate in his slow trudge to the touchline four minutes before half-time. He reciprocated with applause for all four sides of Old Trafford and, a few minutes from the break, the thought occurred that he might also be just using up a bit of time. It had not been a promising first half for United.
Bayern felt like the home team. Both in terms of the sophistication and the power on the pitch and the noise from the stands. That forward four of Leroy Sane, Kane, Coman and Jamal Musiala is such a dangerous quartet, even operating in the low gears and with the last on that list still not fully fit.
🗣 'Football's coming home!'
The Bayern Munich fans adopt a famous English anthem at Old Trafford 🎶#UCL pic.twitter.com/MRpyOpS66F— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 12, 2023
In attack, United’s forward players just seemed to be hanging on the shirt tails of that powerful Bayern defence. Just the 18 touches all night for Rasmus Hojlund whose younger brother Oscar, at Copenhagen, will be the only Hojlund playing in the Champions League knockout round. Rasmus was outgunned by that robust Bayern back line and how he would like the kind of chance that Kane guided into the feet of Coman for the winner.
Manchester United vs Bayern Munich: As it happened...
10:30 PM GMT
Ten Hag speaks
We didn’t lose it today. We had some good performances but we also made mistakes. Individual errors from more players and it’s not good enough. But today the performance was good and we didn’t deserve to lose but we lost.
The team did very good in defending organisation, very good in the pressing. We had very many ball regainings in the second half. We also played against a strong side. Even when they’re not in the game they have individual class and unfortunately that happened.
We want to be more consistent. Me as a manager I have to improve the team, guide them and the players need to take responsibility. We have to do it together.
You saw the spirit. They gave everything an I have to compliment their efforts as a team against this good Bayern side. When the game is going you need energy from the bench in the front line but the options were limited.
We have to learn from it but we have some good performances. Rasmus Hojlund scored five times and we have to take that into the Premier League
10:21 PM GMT
Bang on, as per
Morbid curiosity is a poor reason to watch a football team.
But 10 years on from Ferguson, that's the only reason for neutrals to watch Man Utd.
You think this might be the day when the story changes. It doesn't.
You can't work out who they are anymore.— Paul Hayward (@_PaulHayward) December 12, 2023
10:12 PM GMT
Harry Kane speaks
I felt we controlled the game and had the better chances. We were calm and knew in the quick transitions we could hurt them.
The club and fans, team-mates, staff have been amazing, made me feel really welcome. I think I’m getting to know my team-mates and the manager’s tactics I think we have a good chance this season.
After the result at the weekend we had good motivation to come out. We could have been more clinical but we’ve had a good start and I still feel we have a few gears to go.
10:10 PM GMT
Paul Scholes' verdict
It was a frightened performance more than anything. Bayern didn’t have the intensity and it was a nice, comfortabe evening for them.
United played with discipline and they were OK but no goal threat.
10:06 PM GMT
Rio Ferdinand's verdict
To score three goals in each of their away games and come away with the points they did, I think was criminal, really.
It’s kamikaze football, almost. Basketball football. You attack. We attack and see who comes out on top.
You kind of get what you deserve. If you’re not clinical and you can’t close matches out, you don’t deserve to progress to the knockout stages.
09:59 PM GMT
English clubs' worst defences in Champions League history
09:58 PM GMT
Full time: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 1
Manchester United finish bottom of the group after four defeats in six Champions League group games. Some boos at the final whistle but loads of fans had already voted with their feet.
United are out of Europe, Galatasaray go into the Europa League and Copenhagen and Bayern head into the R16.
They didn’t stink the place out but they are simply not good enough despite the ridiculous fees some of them have commanded.
09:55 PM GMT
90+5 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 1
Too easy to resort to cliches. Bayer have been efficient and have far better players. United have dug in but look miles short of Champions League quality.
09:53 PM GMT
90+3 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 1
Onana comes out to halfway and the crowd loves his little flick and turn to gull a chasing Bayern player.
Copenhagen have beaten Galatasaray and will go through in second place.
United need to win to go third. Which they won’t do. Too late now.
09:51 PM GMT
90+1 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 1
It is five minutes. Ah well, the end in Europe is nigh. Hardly any chances created, too few shots, no adventure. Some grit.
09:50 PM GMT
90 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 1
Looks like five minutes of stoppage time.
Guerreiro ⇢ Sane.
09:49 PM GMT
88 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 1
Goretzka is booked for having two bites at Pellistri and yields a free-kick 35 yards out. Kim defends it solidly. What a player he is.
09:47 PM GMT
86 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 1
Bayern are keeping this young United side at arm’s length quite comfortably now. The air is almost completely out of their balloon now.
09:43 PM GMT
84 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 1
Evans makes two blocks to stop Muller’s cross and then Goretzka’s shot. From the corner Kimmich sticks it on Kane’s head. Amrabat is fast asleep and Kane aiming for the top right steers it over on the angle but not by much.
09:42 PM GMT
82 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 1
Mainoo injects a bit with a sliding tackle on Tel which he delivers with the full force of his body. Dalot fouls Muller and cedes a free-kick to the right of the United 18-yard line.
09:40 PM GMT
79 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 1
Manchester United send Mainoo on for Varane and Amrabat drops back to centre-half.
The match has long since lost any spark.
09:38 PM GMT
77 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 1
Another Bayern change:
Tel ⇢ Coman.
09:36 PM GMT
75 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 1
You can only hear the Bayern fans now as Bayern pass Man Utd to death.
09:35 PM GMT
73 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 1
United make two changes.
Hannibal ⇢ Garnacho
Pellistri ⇢ Antony.
09:31 PM GMT
GOAL!
Manchester United 0 Bayern Munich 1 (Coman) Coman runs down the inside-left, flicks the ball inside to Kane who plays the perfect round the corner pass to beat the offside trap and leaves Coman one-on-one from 12 yards and he sweeps his shot into the bottom left.
The goal that officially ends Manchester United's European hopes? ⚽️
Kingsley Coman strolls through the middle of the United defence to give Bayern Munich the lead 💥#UCL pic.twitter.com/vUj9dM3qmt— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 12, 2023
09:30 PM GMT
69 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Antony comes back to defend and stops a neat passing move between Muller and Goretzka.
09:27 PM GMT
67 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Here comes the Raumdeuter. He’s the lyrical gangster:
Muller ⇢ Musiala.
09:26 PM GMT
65 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
More sustained spell of possession from Bayern for the first time this half and Kane sets up Kimmich to shoot ... which he does by spraying it into the crowd.
09:24 PM GMT
64 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Amrabat, a man who like shaving his name taken, is yellow carded for a foul on Musiala.
09:22 PM GMT
62 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Ten Hag slaps his palms together when decent work from Hojlund on the right sets up a shooting opportunity for McTominay with his left from Antony’s centre but he takes it with his right and messes up his attempt to roll it on to Garnacho. Has to take responsibility there.
09:19 PM GMT
60 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Musiala is sprung on the counter and makes 30 yards down the inside left but then he scuffs his pass to Sane straight into touch.
Interesting Evans is on the right of the two centre-halves and Varane the left. Ten Hag’s feeling has always been Varane much less comfortable there but he started the game there alongside Maguire and hasn’t switched now Evans is on.
09:18 PM GMT
58 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Copenhagen have scored against Galatasaray meaning if it stays like this, United can only qualify for the Europa League but only if they win.
09:17 PM GMT
56 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Fernandes bustles past Goretzka after pressing him and the ball sits up nicely from 20 yards but he screws his right-foot shot past the right post.
09:15 PM GMT
54 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Garnacho seems like United’s best attacking weapon and United have been more dangerous this half, winning the ball back high and building momentum.
09:13 PM GMT
52 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Garnacho bends in a cross from the left towards Hojlund and Antony into the six-yard box but Kim beats both of them to it.
09:11 PM GMT
51 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Fine work from Antony and Wan-Bissaka on the overlap and the right-back plays the perfect cut-back to Bruno Fernandes 15 yards out and he throws back his head and blazes a shot miles over. That was the best chance they’ve had all match and Ten Hag is livid that he hoofed it over.
United have started the second half strongly. Fernandes should have done so much better with that chance. Thomas Tuchel, by contrast, is far from happy, The Bayern coach has been throwing his arms around in despair.
09:09 PM GMT
50 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Hojlund has a bucketful of promise but it is a boy vs men scenario so far up against Kim and Upamecano.
09:07 PM GMT
48 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Kim gives the ball away to Antony but makes a superb recovery run and tackle to rebound the ball off the United winger to earn a goalkick.
09:07 PM GMT
46 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Dalot has gone to left-back where he usually does OK. The half-time consensus was both that United will have to take more risks and also that they are very vulnerable when they open up.
09:05 PM GMT
Luke Shaw has done his hamstring
And is replaced by Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
08:50 PM GMT
Half-time: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
United are still in it but have created very little bar Shaw’s long-range shot. Sane, by contrast, had a golden chance to put Bayern ahead but took one too many touches after gliding past Amrabat.
Plenty of grit and spirit from Manchester United, though, in stark contrast to Saturday.
0-0 at the break. Bayern look like they have several more gears they could go through if they wish. Diogo Dalot has been United’s best player in the first half. Defended well, important recovery tackle on Musiala after Sane had surged into the penalty area past McTominay and the leaden footed Amrabat, but has also offered some impetus going forward. United need so much more from Antony, Fernandes and Hojlund, who has been almost man marked by the physical Upamecano. Garnacho’s decision-making has let him down. United look a lot less open than the weekend but need to find that goal.
08:49 PM GMT
45+3 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Manchester United huff and puff, probing around the box but are held off and then the referee calls time.
08:47 PM GMT
45+1 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
The first of three minutes of added time begin with a Kane shot, struck as he slipped, blocked at the edge of the area.
08:45 PM GMT
45 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Hojlund is eased off the ball by the ripped Kim after he takes it into the right corner. That’s where you need Weghorst!
08:43 PM GMT
43 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Garnacho races 60 yards up the left and enters the box after a jinking run but can’t work the ball to Hojlund who left it late to settle on a near-post, penalty spot or back-post run.
Now Shaw is limping.
08:42 PM GMT
41 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Still 0-0 in Copenhagen.
Harry Maguire is off after pulling up with a groin injury. He whispered a few words in his replacement Jonny Evans’ ear as he came off. United lose another defender. Have to see the severity of the injury but hard to believe he’s going to be available to face Liverpool on Sunday
08:40 PM GMT
39 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Amrabat is moonlighting at centre-half at the moment. Blimey, he is slow.
That’s the end for Maguire and on comes Evans.
08:38 PM GMT
38 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Maguire’s race is run, I think. Jonny Evans warms up.
08:37 PM GMT
37 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
... but a minute later he twangs his left groin as he turns and boots the ball out of play.
08:37 PM GMT
35 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Slick passing between United’s midfield and defence by Bayern causes some understandable panic but Maguire keeps calm and holds the fort ...
08:34 PM GMT
33 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Maguire pings a long pass to the edge of the D. Bruno Fernandes goes up with Upamecano and the ball comes off the centre-half and strikes Kim on the arm ... outside the box and tehre was nothing he could do to get out of the road.
08:33 PM GMT
31 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Bruno lets fly but it hits the wall and balloons behind for a corner that Fernandes hits straight to Kane and Bayern break like lightning. Coman hares down the right and fizzes over a cross to the back post where Sane. inches ahead of it, meets it on the volley and diverts it away from goal and Maguire clears.
08:30 PM GMT
29 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
McTominay is poleaxed by Sane after he laid the ball off, back to goal, about 25 yards out, right of centre. Bruno Fenandes lines it up.
08:29 PM GMT
26 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Amrabat melts away as Sane runs right at him down the middle and into the box. Amrabat is outpaced like a milk cart chasing a Porsche and left in his wake but Sane takes a touch too many and allows Maguire to step across and the ball breaks to his left and Musiala’s shot on the slide is turned over by Dalot’s block.
08:27 PM GMT
24 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Shaw, invited to shoot by space opening up ahead of him, lets fly and Neuer turns it behind. Nice pass from Bruno Fernandes. From the corner Garnacho chases Coman into the corner and Bayern think he shoves him down the slope, forcing him into the digital hoardings but it looked accidental to me.
08:23 PM GMT
22 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Tug on Kimmich’s shirt? Seems so but the referee isn’t bothered. Tuchel is. My, how we’ve missed him. United head a cross from the right clear.
08:21 PM GMT
20 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
VAR did check whether that was a penalty but sided with the referee.
Antony, more prominent tonight than on Saturday, combines with McTominay to work the ball into Bruno Fernandes. He spies Hojlund and tries to sweep a pass to him to turn and shoot but cannot find the laser precision in a very tight space.
The Bayern fans are in full voice at Old Trafford 😍#UCL pic.twitter.com/NW2p7OBXuV
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 12, 2023
08:19 PM GMT
18 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Musiala hits the deck in the United box after bumping Harry Maguire who put his arm out and the midfielder used it as an excuse to go down. Tuchel wants a penalty and has a little dance of frustration on the touchline.
08:17 PM GMT
16 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Hojlund lets Upamecano get too tight and hasn’t the strength to roll him so loses the ball.
08:15 PM GMT
14 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Two good blocks from Varane in the box when Davies cut in off the left and a vital tackle won by Amrabat stifles Bayern’s forays.
08:14 PM GMT
12 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Garnacho goes to sleep and lets Coman and Mazraoui run on to Shaw. The Bayern right-back picks up his head and flashes a cross through no man’s land ahead of the six-yard box. No one there but real heart in mouth stuff.
08:11 PM GMT
9 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Decent start from Manchester United but I would think they need to score first. They deflate quickly when they concede this season but grow when they go ahead.
Musiala exploits some space down the right to isolate Shaw and then square it to Kane by the right of the D. But he sweeps a scuffed shot far too close to Onana who only has to flop on top of it.
08:09 PM GMT
7 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Onana has the ball at his feet and plenty of space. He dribbles to the edge of the box but then plays short to Maguire who switches it up the right and Antony nutmegs Kim, goes round the other side to the byline and is outmuscled by Goretzka who barges into him. The Stretford End wants a penalty but nothing doing.
08:06 PM GMT
5 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Nothing comes from the corner but Shaw does well when Bayern clear, switching it with a diagonal out to Dalot on the right and after his tenacity allows him to ride a couple of challenges he feeds Antony who blazes over from 18 yards.
08:05 PM GMT
4 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Much brighter from United, ion the front foot. Dalot takes it deep down the right and whips over a cross that is blocked out behind for a corner.
08:04 PM GMT
2 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Maguire and Dalot stand up to repel another Bayern thrust and then Garnacho picks off a Kimmich pass, lays it off to Bruno Fernandes and races upfield to try to get on the end of a long pass. Garnacho battles for possession with Upamecano and the crowd are off their feet.
08:01 PM GMT
1 min: Man Utd 0 Bayern Munich 0
Bayern, in black with purple trim, kick off against Man Utd who have their traditional European white socks on at home. Bayern start like a train with a Kane cross fizzing across the box from the right, but he was offside when found by Musiala’s pass.
07:58 PM GMT
Good evening
Thanks to Daniel Zeqiri for starting the blog off. We’ve just had the anthem:
Ce sont les meilleures équipes
Es sind die allerbesten Mannschaften
The main event
Die Meister
Die Besten
Les grandes équipes
The champions
07:57 PM GMT
Bayern fans feeling at home
There is some multilingual badinage here at Old Trafford already. The highlight so far is Bayern Munich fans chanting, without even a hint of an accent: “This is a library.”
07:46 PM GMT
Not sure things were as simple as Paul Scholes makes out here:
Recruitment at Manchester United this summer was the easiest it could have ever been.
You could have had Harry Kane for £100 million and the other one was Declan Rice.
07:40 PM GMT
This man will be suspended for Anfield on Sunday
07:27 PM GMT
Interesting insight from Tuchel on United
They take a risk in the build up, with sometimes just four players so they can have six high. That explains why they are dangerous but also why you can catch them on counter-attack.
07:23 PM GMT
Das Banter
#MUFC players come out to warm-up in a quiet, pensive Old Trafford.
Bayern fans sing [in English]: 'You're s--- and you know you are'— Sam Wallace (@SamWallaceTel) December 12, 2023
07:15 PM GMT
Can United shut the back door?
The 14 goals United have conceded in five games is already the joint-most by an English club in the competition. Concede once more and it will be the worst defensive record by an English side in Champions League group stage history.
07:10 PM GMT
Bayern Munich's Konrad Laimer (right) looks happy for a man left on the bench
07:08 PM GMT
Ten Hag calls for a strong start
Erik ten Hag says in his programme notes that there are “no excuses for how far short we all fell” of the “high standards” he and the club demands in Saturday’s wretched 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth at Old Trafford. “It is no good turning in a strong performance every other game; we are capable of much more than that, but we have to find our consistency and rhythm,” the United manager said.
Ten Hag says United have left themselves with “no option but to perform at our absolute best” if they are to stand any chance of staying in the Champions League and there is “no room for self pity or wondering about what might have turned out differently”.
As he did in his press conference, Ten Hag has implored his players to make a strong start “because we saw last Saturday what happens when you don’t begin a match in the right fashion”. United conceded after five minutes and never recovered.
07:08 PM GMT
Ten Hag on United's form
It was a disappointment, especially after last Wednesday. We have high highs and low lows, we need to get consistency in our game. That is the job, the players and the staff. Amrabat is very strong in interceptions and defensive duels, but of course we need football as well.
07:04 PM GMT
Varane starts for first time since Oct 24
Raphael Varane has not played for a month but has been parachuted back into the side for United’s biggest game of the season to date. Victor Lindelof has not made the squad following injury, Jonny Evans - who is on the bench - is only just back from injury and Erik ten Hag has resolved he wants Luke Shaw at left back rather than inside so it’s Varane - a four times Champions League - winner alongside Harry Maguire. That is interesting in itself.
Ten Hag has admitted publicly that it is not a combination he ordinarily favours as he doesn’t think either are as comfortable on the left of the two as some other players. Varane has not played since the 1-0 win over Luton on Nov 11 and it will be interesting to see what his match fitness is like. There has been a strain in relations with Ten Hag but the manager goes with him tonight in what is his first start for United since Oct 24 in the 1-0 win over Copenhagen.
06:53 PM GMT
Bayern Munich team news
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐗𝐈 🆚 @ManUtd #packmas #UCL #MUNFCB pic.twitter.com/VFvwlkIEEu
— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) December 12, 2023
06:49 PM GMT
Man Utd team news: Raphael Varane returns to partner Maguire
Starting XI: Onana; Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Shaw; Amrabat, McTominay, Fernandes; Antony, Hojlund, Garnacho
Subs: Bayindir, Heaton, Evans, Reguilon, Wan-Bissaka, Gore, Hannibal, Mainoo, Pellistri, Hugill
06:39 PM GMT
Ten Hag on United's Champions League fate
What I know is I never think of a negative scenario, we think positive, we know what to do, we have to win to stay in
We will prepare the team with that feeling, with that belief, we have shown in the last weeks when we are at our best we can do it.
06:34 PM GMT
Bayern fans reminding United what they could have won...
05:20 PM GMT
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05:19 PM GMT
Preview: Out of their hands
Crunch time? Not really because Manchester United’s Champions League fate is not in their hands after that opportunity slipped through Andre Onana’s last time out in Istanbul. Erik ten Hag’s side need to beat Bayern Munich and hope that Copenhagen and Galatasaray cancel each other out with a draw, as they did in their opening Group A meeting. The players put on a show of camaraderie and intensity during an open training session at Carrington yesterday, cynics would say almost performatively, and Scott McTominay insisted that while there had been toxic United dressing rooms in the past, it certainly wasn’t the case under Ten Hag. Try telling that to Jadon Sancho ...
Nevertheless United owe their home fans a performance and it will be interesting to see whether Ten Hag turns to Rasmus Hojlund after Anthony Martial’s terrible afternoon against Bournemouth and whether he can inspire Marcus Rashford, unsettled and seemingly disgruntled by a switch to the right, to wake up and run himself out of his slump. Does he tell his ill-disciplined captain Bruno Fernandes to keep his head and ensure everyone around him does too and will he send out Luke Shaw as a centre-back against Harry Kane or will he bring Raphael Varane, who has won only four Champions Leagues and a World Cup, back in from the cold and trust him to do a job on the England captain?
As for Bayern, they will be keen to bounce back from their 5-1 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt last week but seasoned watchers of FC Hollywood would tell you that there is an argument that Kane’s prolific start is papering over the cracks of a still-dysfunctional midfield. Having said that, even without clicking and without having to click given they are already assured of first place in a dramatic but poor quality group, they have enough flair and pace to give United’s oddly assembled defence a torrid time.
