- Man Utd won a crucial 1-0 victory against Kobenhavn on Tuesday in the Champions League Group stage.
- Harry Maguire scores the winning goal in the match for the hosts, while Andre Onana saves a penalty at stoppage time
- Erik Ten Hag’s team was not a dazzling victory, and there is still work to be done
After losing their first two UEFA Champions League Group Stage games, Manchester United’s clash against Kobenhavn was a do-or-die match.
Andre Onana saved a penalty in the last minute and Harry Maguire scored a goal during the second half to help the Red Devils defeat the Danish champions.
Takeaways for 90 minutes from the important win.
Harry Maguire has found his confidence, and is back to his best.
Jan Kruger/Getty Images
Harry Maguire has had a remarkable turnaround of fortunes. From losing the Man Utd Captaincy to winning a Champions League match, he’s come remarkably far.
Maguire, who was thrown back into the starting line-up due to a number of recent injuries, has made the best of the opportunity.
After his outstanding performance against Sheffield United on Saturday, the centre-back was named to the Premier League Team of the Week. He also shone again in midweek when he scored the winning goal in Old Trafford’s match with Kobenhavn.
Maguire appears to have found his mojo again.
Man Utd is too dependent on Christian Eriksen
Matthew Ashton is the key creative force at Man Utd / AMA/GettyImages
Man Utd appeared to be completely lacking in creativity without Christian Eriksen on the field during the first-half.
The offensive play of the Red Devils improved noticeably in the second period.
Man Utd can no longer rely as heavily on Eriksen as in the past weeks due to the health problems he has had and the fact that he is now over 30.
Ten Hag is hoping Mason Mount’s return can help his team deal with Eriksen’s absence.
Man Utd is still fundamentally a team that counterattacks.
Work to be done / Richard Sellers/Allstar/GettyImages
Old Trafford was loudest during Tuesday’s game with Kobenhavn, but only for Maguire’s strike and Onana saving the day. The most exciting moment came when an impressive sweeping counter-attack almost resulted in a goal by Alejandro Garnacho.
Bruno Fernandes’ play of the young wide player in a one-on-1 situation with Kamil grabara was a bit incisive, and the Old Trafford audience’s reaction to it said much about what the fans want to see from Man Utd’s current team. They are looking for the players to use their strengths.
Man Utd’s stars, Bruno Fernandes, and Marcus Rashford, are best on the move.
After a disastrous start in 2023/24, playing in a methodical manner, perhaps it is best to go back to counter-attacking fundamentals in the next few weeks to correct the course – particularly against Manchester City this weekend.
Ten Hag said in preseason that Man Utd should be the top transition team, and they are still far from that goal.
Andre Onana has a lot of talent
The hero of the night / Richard Sellers/Allstar/GettyImages
Who knew that the best goalkeeper of Champions League in last season was actually a very good goalkeeper?
Andre Onana, who moved from Inter to Man Utd for a lot of money in the summer has been bad, but on Tuesday, he finally showed what he is capable.
The goalkeeper was on fire against Kobenhavn. He made four superb saves, including one that saved the game by denying Jordan Larsson an equaliser at the last moment from a penalty spot.
Red Devils’ fans hope that Onana will continue to impress them.
Marcus Rashford’s performance is worrying
Rashford isn’t impressing / Jan Kruger/GettyImages
After a stellar season and a new, lucrative contract, there was a great deal of expectation for Marcus Rashford in the 2023/24 season.
So far, there hasn’t been much delivered.
Rashford, despite starting in every Premier League game and Champions League match for Man Utd this season, has only managed to score one goal. He is nowhere near as dangerous in the last third of the pitch as he was at the end of the previous campaign.
Rashford must quickly find his form, as the other members of the team are also having trouble scoring goals. Man Utd has scored about the same number of Premier League Goals this season than the notoriously goal-shy Wolves.
