Manchester United threw away a two-goal lead twice in a remarkable 3-3 draw against Galatasaray and are on the verge of crashing out of the Champions League.
Alejandro Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes and Anthony Martial netted for the Red Devils but it was a dreadful error from Andre Onana that flipped the game on its head.
Here are five things we learned from the ludicrous encounter in Istanbul.
Garnacho a cut above the rest…again
Garnacho had a quiet season up until his spectacular overhead kick goal at Goodison Park against Everton but since that amazing moment, the Argentine has exploded into life.
The winger was fed in by Bruno Fernandes beautifully, the 19-year-old took a touch and fired it past Fernando Muslera with his weaker left foot into the roof of the net brilliantly.
It was a huge moment for the winger who looks much more confident in his abilities than he did a few weeks ago and Garnacho is now affecting games from the off.
Bruno’s captain’s moment
Fernandes has received criticism this season for not turning up in big games this season for the Red Devils and as captain, the scrutiny is even higher.
However, the Portuguese midfielder was superb on a night when the Red Devils really needed him and the former Sporting Lisbon star, at times, looked like he was dragging United through the tough encounter.
Fernandes picked the ball up in the pocket of space that caused the Turkish side such issues and unleashed a cannon of a right-footed effort past Muslera, the Uruguayan had no chance.
Antony’s best performance
One United man who was under pressure, perhaps more than any other was Brazilian winger Antony. The former Ajax forward had struggled to impact games for the Red Devils but tonight was different.
In a hostile atmosphere and a pitch that, at times, looked horrendous, the £84 million man finally showed why the Red Devils paid such a premium for the winger.
He skipped past Lucas Torreira with ease and the Uruguayan should have been booked for the Turkish side but wasn’t and Antony was involved in the vital third goal.
Onana’s Champions League struggles continue
Andre Onana began to look like the goalkeeper that was so instrumental for Inter Milan in their run to the Champions League final but tonight was a horror show from the Cameroon international.
For the first goal, the Cameroon international was unsighted but perhaps should have done better. The second, however, was atrocious. Hakim Ziyech fired it into an area that made it difficult for Onana but the 27-year-old failed to deal with it and palmed it into his own goal.
The goalkeeper had looked back to his best but this was a night to forget for the former Ajax goalkeeper.
United fail to close out another European game
Things looked to be different when Scott McTominay slid in to make it 3-1 to the visitors but this turned out to be yet another FC Copenhagen encounter.
Being two goals up in Turkey, twice, was dreamland. But, as it always seems to be the case in the Champions League, the Red Devils threw away their advantage.
Erik ten Hag must go mad watching his team collapse time after time but the Red Devils need to brush themselves down and go again on Saturday night against Newcastle United.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/zvswg90