United pay the penalty on sombre night at Old Trafford
SILENCE: Manchester United take part in a minute's silence following the announcement of the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
A controversial Real Sociedad penalty stopped Erik ten Hag and Manchester United’s renaissance in its tracks in their opening Europa League game last night, on an evening that will long be remembered for far sadder and more meaningful reasons.
A second-half Brais Mendez penalty, awarded after a Lisandro Martinez handball which looked very much a case of ball plays hand, was enough to inflict a potentially damaging defeat on the Reds.
Not even Cristiano Ronaldo, starting for just the second time this season and playing in this second-tier European tournament for the first time in 20 years, could make an impact. But then, even to the die-hards among the home support, this was an evening entirely about something else.
The announcement of Queen Elizabeth’s death, some 90 minutes before kick-off, led to a subdued atmosphere inside Old Trafford, both sets of players wearing black armbands, flags flying at half mast and even electronic advertising hoardings blacked out.
It was a sombre occasion, one marked by an impeccably-observed minute’s silence which featured the large contingent of travelling Spanish fans solemnly holding up their blue and white scarves in silence.
There had even been an immediate question of whether the game would even take place, given the timing of the announcement, but, after consultation with FA and UEFA, the tie went ahead as planned.
Still, perhaps understandably, the atmosphere and football reflected the sombre pre-match mood.
Ronaldo had the ball in the net after 35 minutes, meeting a superb Diogo Dalot cross in impressive fashion, but was rightly ruled offside without the need for VAR.
Jon Pacheco had put in a well-timed tackle to stop the United icon a few minutes earlier, with Ronaldo poised to apparently open the scoring, and Antony, far less effective than he had been in his debut against Arsenal, curled a shot straight at the keeper.
But, even allowing for the unusual circumstances, there were a handful of fringe United players who were doing their first team prospects no good - Brazilian midfielder Fred chief among them.
Playing high in midfield, Fred was guilty of numerous unforced errors and, at one stage, played a disastrous back-pass directly to Sadiq Umar who failed to capitalise.
Christian Eriksen, majestic in the Arsenal win, was again United’s best performer, along with right-back Dalot, and the pair were brought off at half-time, presumably a pre-planned decision by ten Hag and a reflection of how important the duo are to his first team plans.
Eriksen made way for Bruno Fernandes and the Portuguese playmaker was soon in the action, his right-wing cross almost finding Ronaldo at the far post.
Anthony Elanga, another first half disappointment, then set up Ronaldo for a 20-yard shot which dipped and swerved over the bar with some distance to spare.
And, after the momentum of four consecutive league victories, United’s changes had seemed to leave them struggling to hit the dizzy heights of the recent home wins over Liverpool and Arsenal.
In fact, they really should have conceded first when Takefusa Kubo crossed from the left, the ball floated over diminutive United centre-half Martinez and giant substitute Alexander Sorloth should have done better than plant over a free header.
But Sociedad were invigorated and Martinez made a superb covering tackle moments later to stop Sorloth turning in another cross from Kubo.
It was a corner that spelled disaster for the Reds, however, as United failed to clear and a David Silva shot was blocked by Martinez who, inadvertently but obviously, used his arm to stop the ball.
Italian referee Marco Di Bello pointed to the spot and, after a lengthy VAR check had failed to over-turn it, Mendez strode up to hit an unstoppable penalty into the bottom right-hand corner.
It looked a particularly harsh call, with the ball having clearly struck Martinez’s leg before moving up to his arm but the fortunate call was no more than the Spaniards deserved for a more ambitious second half showing.
United huffed thereafter, Casemiro missing with a far-post header and seeing a long shot well saved, but never put their visitors under unbearable pressure.
De Gea 6; Dalot 7 (Martinez 45, 6), Lindelof 6, Maguire 6, Malacia 6 (McNeill 83); Eriksen 8 (Fernandes 45, 6), Casemiro 6, Fred 6; Antony 5 (Sancho 70, 6), Ronaldo 6, Elanga 5 (Garnacho 70, 6). Substitutes (not used) Varane, Heaton, Wan-Bissaka, Dubravka, McTominay, Iqbal, Fredricson.
Remiro 5; Gorosabel 6 (Sola 84), Elustondo 7, Pacheco 7, Munoz 6; Zubimendi 6; Mendez 9 (Turrientes 84), Merino 7; Silva 6 (Cho 65, 7); Kubo 8 (Barrenetxea 77, 6), Sadiq 5 (Sorloth 4, 7). Substitutes (not used) Illarramendi, Zubeldia, Zubiaurre, Guevara, Navarro, Gonzalez, Karrikaburu.
: M D Bello (Italy) 5
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