Uefa Europa League: Porto 3 (Pepe 27', Omorodion 34', 50') Manchester United 3 (Rashford 7', Hojlund 20', Maguire 90+1') 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. Having been gifted a 2-0 lead with goals from Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund, United trailed 3-2 and were down to 10 men after Bruno Fernandes’s sending off as the league game entered its dying seconds. But Maguire rose to head in a Christian Eriksen corner which means the Dutchman now takes his team to in-form Aston Villa on Sunday, still without a win in four games but with slightly less pressure on his shoulders.
After the weekend debacle, and 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham, United’s hierarchy were known to still be broadly supportive of ten Hag, but anxious to see an improvement in the next two games, going into next week’s international break. A TOWERING HEADER! 💥 Harry Maguire scores a crucial equaliser for the Man United 👏 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.
com/gGdVKiyMam And the potential disaster was on the cards when, after 81 minutes, for the second game running Fernandes was sent off, shown a second yellow card on the night for a high boot. 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. Por.
