Erik ten Hag: 'We will work, we will continue and we will fight'
Manchester United's Harry Maguire, center, celebrates after scoring a late equaliser. Pic: AP Photo/Luis Vieira
HARRY Maguire’s 91st minute equaliser earned Erik ten Hag a Europa League point, and possibly a reprieve from dismissal as Manchester United manager, in Porto last night although the question very much remains, for how long.
The coming days and games - starting with Sunday’s daunting visit to in-form Aston Villa - will determine if ten Hag, against all the odds and mounting evidence, can turn around a lacklustre start to the season that has earned widespread criticism from nearly every quarter.
“We will get there, don’t judge is in this moment, judge us at the end of the season,” said a defiant ten Hag last night. “I said the same last season - just wait.
“We are in the process, we will improve. We’ve had two seasons now where we achieved finals. Just wait, we have to develop and progress this team. We will work, we will continue and we will fight.”
The dramatic equaliser was appreciated by the travelling support, but the fact remains that so many aspects of this performance were so shambolic that it may not ultimately make the slightest difference to the manager’s fate.
That looked gloomy as the seconds ticked away last night, ten Hag’s demise apparently imminent, his sacking a matter of minutes away after United had thrown away a two-goal lead, gifted them by Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund.
To make matters worse, United had been reduced to 10 men after 81 minutes when Bruno Fernandes, for a second straight game was shown a red card, this a second yellow for a high boot.
But Maguire rose to head in a Christian Eriksen corner which means his manager goes to Villa Park with at least a fighting chance of keeping his job beyond next week’s international break, even if it is hard to see him surviving long beyond that.
“Definitely,” said Maguire when asked if players still; back ten Hag. “To be honest, I’ve played for this club for six years now and I know how it works.
“And when you go through a bad spell, players come under pressure but the manager does as well. He’s experienced enough, been in the game long enough and at this club long enough, that I’m sure he’s learned how to deal with it.
“It’s part and parcel of playing for this club, or managing this club and the privilege that you have.”
After the weekend debacle, and 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham, United’s hierarchy were known to still be cautiously supportive of ten Hag, but anxious to see an improvement in the next two games before that break.
This was a performance that raised more questions that it answered, even allowing for Maguire’s late heroics, with United’s defence particularly shambolic. If ten Hag is being paid for his coaching acumen, there was little evidence of that in terms of defensive organisation last night.
Yet the game could not have started better for ten Hag and United, two goals to the good inside 20 minutes, only for the mental and football frailties which have become all too common place to rear their head.
Porto struck back, themselves scoring twice in the space of seven minutes late in the first half, and the future of United’s beleaguered manager was firmly back on the agenda.
The defensive collapse was in stark contrast to a free-flowing attacking show, sparked by Rashford in the main, which had earned United a 2-0 lead.
On seven minutes, Christian Eriksen found Rashford on the wing and he purposefully cut in, beating full-back Joao Mario and hammering a near-post shot which keeper Diogo Costa, surely, had covered only to let it slip through.
And worse was to follow for the Porto keeper after 20 minutes. Hojlund started the move on halfway, Eriksen quickly shifted wide for Rashford and he slipped in Hojlund whose near-post shot looked too close to the keeper, only for Costa to let it slip and sneak over the line.
It was a magnificent response after United had weathered a strong start from the hosts but, once behind, Porto's fightback began after 27 minutes, fuelled by a catalogue of defensive errors, starting when Diogo Dalot gave the ball away cheaply.
The Porto attack ended with Andre Onana being required to save superbly, from his own man Noussair Mazraoui, who had headed towards his own goal under pressure from Samu Omorodion. But, with Lisandro Martinez slow to react, Pepe stooped in and headed the rebound over the line.
The home crowd reacted in predictable fashion and, equally predictable, it did not take long for Porto to level.
This time, as United again failed to clear a prolonged Porto attack, Joao Mario’s cross found Omorodion, who ghosted in ahead of Matthijs de Ligt and headed in from close range.
It will have been no consolation to United, or their manager in particular, but this was a fantastic watch - no mean feat given how diluted the new, expanded Europa League has become.
United’s start to the second half was not ideal, Rashford having been replaced by Alejandro Garnacho at the interval, in order to rest him for Villa, and Onana being forced to save from Francisco Moura.
It was only a short reprieve. On 50 minutes, Pepe sprinted away from Martinez down the right before crossing for Omorodion, who powered the ball into the roof of the net from six yards.
The game remained open, chances at both ends although, as United pressed with increasing desperation Porto looked threatening on the break.
Onana ensured the night did not deteriorate further for the visitors, denying Omorodion a hat-trick with a smart diving save and the game swung in the closing minutes when Galeno raced through and shot straight at the keeper when he had unmarked team mates alongside.
It was just the stroke of luck United and their manager sorely needed although whether it is enough to save his job in the longer term remains to be seen.
: Costa 4; Mario 6 (Gul 78, 6), Ze Pedro 7, Perez 6, Moura 7; Eustaquio 6 (Vieira 78, 5), Varela 7, Gonzalez 7; Pepe 8 (M Fernandes 63, 6), Omorodion 9 (Grujic 78, 5), Galeno 7. Substitutes (not used) Borges, Sousa, Namaso, Djalo, Jaime, Mora, Ramos. M Fernandes, Franco.
: Onana 6; Mazraoui 6, de Ligt 5 (Evans 79, 5), Martinez 4 (Maguire 78, 4), Dalot 5; Casemiro 5, Eriksen 7; Diallo 5 (Antony 69, 5), B Fernandes 4, Rashford 8 (Garnacho 46, 6); Hojlund 7 (Zirkzee 68, 5). Substitutes (not used) Bayindir, Collyer, Gore, Heaton, Lindelof, Ugarte.
: T Stieler (Germany) 7
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