Erik Ten Hag finally SACKED
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The moment that proves Erik ten Hag has finally lost the plot
Sport AnalysisMarcus Rashford was United’s biggest attacking threat, only for Ten Hag to let Porto off the hook with a baffling tactical decision
Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund celebrates with teammate Marcus Rashford, left, after scoring his side’s second goal during a Europa League opening phase soccer match between FC Porto and Manchester United at the Dragao stadium in Porto, Portugal, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira)
Marcus Rashford scored against Porto and then surprisingly came off at half-time (Photo: AP)
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By Pete Hall
October 4, 2024 11:27 am(Updated 2:33 pm)
PORTO — There have been plentiful occasions over the past few years when a struggling Marcus Rashford needed hooking. His phalanx of critics, waiting for so much as a miscontrol, can attest to that.
Thursday night was certainly not one of them. Beleaguered manager Erik ten Hag needed a hero, to save his job, and morose Marcus stepped up.
Porto full-back Joao Mario was given a torrid time in the first half at the Estadio do Dragao.
Rashford completed the same amount of take-ons as all of his teammates combined in the opening 45 minutes. He scored one and set up another – on the back of being Manchester United‘s best player at the weekend against Tottenham.
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The bar is lower than a snake’s belly, but Rashford was United’s biggest goal threat on Thursday – and has been for a while. On a night Ten Hag desperately needed goals.
When Alejandro Garnacho was warming up at the break, with United having thrown away their Rashford-inspired two-goal lead to be locked at 2-2, everyone assumed Amad Diallo would be the one making way as the second half got under way, given he was a bystander in the opening period.
Amad emerged. As did Rasmus Hojlund. Rashford did not. There was no immediate furore, it had to be an injury.
“I think over the left side definitely we didn’t defend well tonight and Marcus also played a part in this,” Ten Hag said, to guffawing all around, after the match. “But, as I say, it had to do with Garnacho and nothing against Rashy.
“Garnacho, we also had to play him, and we have two very good players over that side.”
Tactical. No injury. A player returning to form, with the game locked in stalemate, replaced for his lack of defensive work. Despite the fact there are eight players to bypass if those defensive duties are neglected.
PORTO, PORTUGAL – OCTOBER 3: (L-R) Joao Mario of FC Porto, Marcus Rashford of Manchester United during the UEFA Europa League match between FC Porto v Manchester United at the Estadio Do Dragao on October 3, 2024 in Porto Portugal (Photo by Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images)
This was not the match to hook Marcus Rashford at half-time (Photo: Getty)
The reasoning would have perhaps stood up had United been in front. Or Garnacho been some Bernado Silva-esque harrier, in the face of defenders like Hydra, a snarling nine-headed monster. Garnacho won one of six duels in the second half and recovered the ball just once.
Rashford’s confidence is more fragile than most, for valid reason. A recent study showed he is the second most abused professional sportsman or woman in the world.
Nobody deserves the hate he receives, for not playing football particularly well, but he doesn’t help himself, with his body language resembling that of a temperamental teenager at the peak of their disobedient adolescence at times.
There were occasions in Portugal when he did not track back as much as he should, Ten Hag is right, with his work ethic not on the level as many of his adversaries in other teams.
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But he had contributed so much to the match by the interval, more than in the majority of his 90-minute contributions over the past few seasons.
With very little on as United launched their first real attack of the encounter, Rashford showed the confidence of a forward with 30 goals to his name as he pierced through the gap between two defenders, showing fleet of foot Ronaldinho would have been proud of, before squeezing home a shot under Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
Thirteen minutes later, United again launched a rapid counter, with Rashford biding his time, waiting for Hojlund to make the run, before laying a perfect pass through the gap for the Dane to make it 2-0.
Had he only contributed during these two moves alone, his job for the half was done, but time and again it was Rashford spinning Mario into a merry dance, so much so the Porto full-back would have been dreading coming back out after the break.
Ten Hag saved the day, however. It is almost as if the Dutchman does not appreciate the predicament he is in.
United looked shorn of the Rashford fire in the second half, scraping a draw through a scrappy Harry Maguire header late on, having barely threatened Costa’s goal post interval.
And that, like many of United’s current deluge of deficiencies, is on the manager. Rashford needed a performance like that in Portugal. What he didn’t need was being unfairly withdrawn from it.
Topics
Erik ten HagEuropa LeagueManchester United FCMarcus Rashford
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