Fernandes rescues United with late winner over battling Rangers
WINNER: Bruno Fernandes scores a late winner for Manchester United over Ranger in the Europa League. Picture: Michael Regan/Getty Images
JACK Butland’s horrendous second half mistake should have gifted Manchester United a much-needed routine win to leave Ruben Amorim’s struggling side handily placed to secure a top-eight finish in the Europa League.
Instead, after conceding a disastrous late equaliser, Amorim once again needed his countryman Bruno Fernandes to come to his rescue as he scored a sensational 92nd minute winner.
Rangers had bravely forced their way level, after their keeper handed United a goal start, but in added time, their concentration faded badly as Lisandro Martinez hung a tantalising deep cross towards the far post and the six-yard line.
Fernandes arrived at speed, and without hesitation, to meet the ball first-time with a textbook finish although the thousands of travelling Rangers fans had every right to question where the marking was.
How United, and Old Trafford needed that shot in the arm after they had conceded an 88th minute equaliser.
There looked little danger, when Harry Maguire prepared to deal with a hopeful long ball forward, although Rangers sub Cyriel Dessers was hovering menacingly on his shoulder.
Maguire misjudged the flight of the ball, leaving the number nine in the clear and Dessers spun tidily before burying an unstoppable shot into the corner of the United goal.
It was far from vintage stuff from United, but then little has been in recent weeks and months as the handover from Erik ten Hag to Amorim has proved far more taxing than any could have imagined.
The new manager himself labelled United the worst team in the club’s history at the weekend, as they hit a mark for futility never witnessed by anyone alive today, only to try and row back from his headline-grabbing analysis a couple of days later.
The performance against an average Rangers side will hardly silence the doubters, or have supporters comparing their current team to the sides they have supported down the years at Old Trafford.
And, in the current climate, and looking at the Europa League table, even a draw was inconceivable here for United, especially after Butland gifted them the opening goal.
The tie was certainly finely balanced, in the 52nd minute when Christian Eriksen swung in a left-wing corner which was attacked aggressively by United players, Maguire prominent among them, forcing Butland to flap and meekly palm the ball into his own net.
Two years ago, Butland was starting a five-month loan spell at United as back-up keeper although he never made an appearance. At least his error last night saw him make his mark at Old Trafford, even if not in the way he would have wished.
But it was another testing night for United fans who have seen their side make the worst start to a league season at home for 131 years, following the weekend loss to Brighton.
A sub-strength Rangers, surely, could not add to that misery but, in the early exchanges at least, that looked a very real danger; the best two early chances falling to the Scots.
On nine minutes, Hamza Igamane played in Nicolas Raskin, who stumbled slightly as he bore down on goal, allowing Altay Bayindir to make an important block, and, just two minutes later, Marcus Tavernier’s sweeping cross was met, on the volley, by Yilmaz who steered his shot straight at the United keeper.
The anxiety factor, never far from the surface among United fans at Old Trafford this season, was simmering ominously.
But their prospects looked brighter as the first half progressed. On 22 minutes, United had the ball in the net, as Matthijs de Ligt headed in Diallo’s corner but saw his goal ruled out for Leny Yore’s foul on Robin Propper.
Butland also made a great save to keep out a threatening shot from Diallo, as he sprinted onto Fernandes’ clever pass.
It was all very unsatisfactory for United and might have become even more so, had Bayindir not been alert to dive to the foot of his post and save Vaclav Cerny’s well-aimed shot early in the second half.
As it was, Butland’s error was just the stroke of luck Amorim needed and the mood lifted around Old Trafford, as they edged closer a top eight finish that will ensure they avoid an extra qualifying round of games and advance straight to the last 16, It should have been even brighter just after the hour, after more good work, and excitement generated by Diallo who reached the by-line before finding Garnacho who should have done better than strike the post, even allowing for the blue shirts on the line.
And ditto Maguire; the centre-half arriving to meet an Eriksen free-kick a few minutes later, only to head down and wide, when the goal was at his mercy, eight yards out.
After Bayindir showed good handling to keep out an attempt from Jefte, there was a late chance for Cyriel Dessers, who missed with a chip from an obviously offside position.
And there were also chances for Butland to make amends, saving from Manuel Ugarte’s diving header and Garnacho’s shot.
: Bayindir 7; Yoro 5 (Malacia 55, 5), De Ligt 5 (Maguire 46, 4), Martinez 7; Diallo 7, Collyer 5 (Ugarte 73, 5), Eriksen 7 (Mainoo 74, 5), Dalot 7; Fernandes 8, Zirkzee 5 (Hojlund 82), Garnacho 7. Substitutes (not used): Heaton, Onana, Casimero, Antony.
: Butland 4; Tavernier 7, Balogun 5 (Rice 46, 5), Propper 5, Jefte 7; Raskin 5; Cerny 6 (Curtis 60, 5), Barron 6 (McCausland 46, 5), Bajrami 5 (Dessers 71, 5), Yilmaz 5 (King 90); Igamane 6. Substitutes (not used): Kelly, Munn, Lawrence, Dowell, King, Lovelace, Hutton, Nsio.
E Lambrechts (Belgium) 7
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