Fenerbahce 1 Manchester United 1: Onana’s double save and where does this leave Ten Hag?

Manchester United had been held to a 1-1 draw by Fenerbahce on Thursday night time.

The guests opened the scoring within the fifteenth minute by Christian Eriksen, who completed a sweeping transfer up the pitch. Fenerbahce pushed for a leveller within the first half, however had been denied by an unimaginable double save from Andre Onana.

After the break, they managed to get the equaliser as Youssef En-Nesyri related with a header and managed to beat Onana.

Former United supervisor Jose Mourinho was proven a pink card through the second half after closely protesting the referee’s choice to not award a penalty, however his workforce held out for a draw.

Right here, The Athletic’s specialists Carl Anka and Anantaajith Raghuraman analyse the sport.

What does this draw imply for United?

United’s worrying development of conceding shortly after restarts continued in opposition to Fenerbahce. This time, Allan Saint-Maximin drove down the correct earlier than his cross discovered En-Nesyri.

The time of objective? 48 minutes and 39 seconds. Erik ten Hag’s response? Substituting Joshua Zirkzee and Victor Lindelof for Rasmus Hojlund and Casemiro. The modifications noticed United resort to their acquainted model of play, for higher and worse. Eriksen pulled the strings within the ultimate third whereas Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte sat deep. Ugarte had his greatest efficiency in a United shirt — and it was wanted. United’s sport plan to bait Fenerbahce’s press earlier than hitting the ball rapidly down the wings lacked the sting that powered the robust efficiency in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Brentford.

A disappointing efficiency from Diogo Dalot, who was caught out of place a number of instances at right-back, additional hampered the workforce’s fluency on either side of the ball. That lack of ability to manage the sport will be seen in The Athletic’s match dashboard beneath.

Ten Hag’s males haven’t gained away from house in Europe since March 2023, a 1-0 victory at Actual Betis. United didn’t appear like conceding a second, however it was additionally troublesome to see how they could rating a winner. A late damage to substitute Antony meant Amad was a late throw of the cube, however United lack our bodies and confidence in assault. As Amad and Eriksen stood over a late free kick, with United our bodies loaded within the field, there was extra hope than expectation. Eriksen’s set piece was cleared on the first try.

A 3rd consecutive draw leaves United within the backside half of the Europa League’s ‘league part’ desk. They’ve a battle on their palms to rise out of the play-off qualification locations and head in the direction of the seeded positions.

Carl Anka

Was Onana’s double save the perfect of the season?

Onana got here to Manchester United’s rescue with round eight minutes left within the first half, simply moments after Victor Lindelof’s well-timed sort out blocked an effort from En-Nesyri. The ensuing nook was performed brief after which cleared earlier than Fenerbahce recycled it to Sebastian Szymanski on the left. Poor communication amongst United defenders meant he obtained the ball in acres of area.

Dusan Tadic flicked on Szymanski’s whipped cross in the direction of En-Nesyri, who compelled an excellent diving save from Onana regardless of the United goalkeeper’s preliminary motion within the different path.

Tadic hooked the second ball again to En-Nesyri for one more header from point-blank vary however once more, Onana reacted brilliantly to get his fingertips to the ball and direct it onto the roof of the web.

The pair of saves saved United’s lead intact heading into half-time and might be among the many season’s greatest goalkeeping moments. The closest challenger thus far is perhaps one other of Onana’s double saves, which got here in opposition to Crystal Palace within the Premier League final month. It was additionally akin to David Raya’s improbable save for Arsenal in opposition to Atalanta within the Champions League final month. The Spaniard denied Mateo Retegui from a penalty kick by diving low to his proper earlier than getting again on his ft to leap to his left and deny Retegui’s follow-up header.

Onana’s intervention was pivotal for United in a sport the place the margins for error remained low proper till the tip.

Anantaajith Raghuraman

How did Mazraoui carry out as a No 10?

A yellow-card suspension meant United had been with out their captain and talisman Bruno Fernandes, however Ten Hag sprung a shock by choosing Noussair Mazraoui as his playmaking substitute, quite than Eriksen or Amad.

“He’s able to coming there,” was the United supervisor’s rationalization earlier than kick-off. “He can do good urgent. Then we are able to see through the sport what is required. We are able to go along with him perhaps in one other place, and we are able to put a extra offensive participant in that place, or usher in a extra defensive midfielder and convey Casemiro in.”

Mazraoui — who performed as a No 10 throughout his academy days — didn’t take to the function in fairly the identical method as Fernandes. This was not the inventive hub round which United’s different attacking our bodies orbit, however as an alternative one thing of a second striker. The 26-year-old was an additional physique to assist with the workforce’s entrance press and performed easy passes when United entered the ultimate third.

United’s opening objective got here from a fast counter-attack after Ugarte gained the ball excessive up the sector. Alejandro Garnacho carried the ball excellently down the left earlier than his low cross discovered the ft of Mazraoui. The Morocco worldwide provided a easy wall cross to Zirkzee, who then laid it off to Eriksen on the fringe of the field. Eriksen’s shot discovered the top-left nook and United had been away.

Sometimes, Mazraoui reminded us why he isn’t an attacking midfielder by commerce. One heavy cross within the nineteenth minute opened United up for a counter-attack, from which Tadic shot on objective (tamely). At half-time, it appeared as if Ten Hag’s experiment had labored. 5 minutes after that, Fenerbahce’s second-half equaliser noticed the United supervisor convey on Casemiro to bolster his midfield and moved Eriksen to the No 10 function and Mazraoui to left-back.

It’s unlikely Ten Hag will repeat the trick for Sunday’s fixture in opposition to West Ham United, however for round 50 minutes, Mazraoui did a satisfactory job as a No 10.

Carl Anka

How did Ugarte fare on his return to the beginning line-up?

In his fourth begin of the season, Ugarte displayed a number of the qualities that persuaded United to signal him this summer time. Eriksen’s presence and the relative success of the Mazraoui experiment meant Ugarte didn’t must progress the ball, so he may focus as an alternative on recycling possession and slowing down the sport’s tempo.

He had a few iffy moments within the sport’s opening interval however settled in nicely and performed an necessary function within the opener — however his greatest second got here a couple of minutes later.  Onana palmed Szymanski’s cross straight to Tadic, however Ugarte raced again and dived in to dam Tadic’s effort along with his foot, a lot to the delight of his team-mates.

Ugarte performed nicely on Thursday (Oguz Yeter/Anadolu through Getty Pictures)

A number of extra necessary defensive interventions and neat cross exchanges helped United see out the half with a lead. A type of noticed him hold tempo with Fred all through a Fenerbahce counter within the thirty fourth minute to nullify him as a cross receiver, forcing Tadic again and giving United’s defence time to get themselves organised.

Even after Fenerbahce’s objective, Ugarte remained one among United’s higher defensive gamers. He ended the match with 4 clearances and three interceptions, each of which had been team-high marks. The Uruguay midfielder additionally accomplished 88 per cent of his passes and made two tackles. It wasn’t an ideal efficiency, nonetheless, as he gave away possession 5 instances and dedicated 4 fouls however, as will be seen from his participant dashboard beneath, this was a step in the correct path.

Anantaajith Raghuraman

What did Erik ten Hag say?

Ten Hag spoke concerning the damage suffered by Antony after the sport. The winger ended up leaving the stadium in a protecting boot.

“It’s actually unfortunate for him,” he mentioned, as reported by manutd.com. “I really feel actual compassion for him, when he labored so laborious in coaching.

“His coaching performances are that good that he deserved to return on. When you need to come off so rapidly, that’s actually unhappy to see. Hopefully, it’s not too unhealthy, we’ve to attend 24 hours for what the evaluation is.”

What subsequent for Manchester United?

Sunday, October 27: West Ham (away), Premier League, 4.30pm UK time, 12.30am ET

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(High photograph: Ahmad Mora – UEFA/UEFA through Getty Pictures)