Porto v Manchester United LIVE: Result and final score as Harry Maguire saves Red Devils in Europa League
United boss Erik ten Hag was under intense scrutiny as he took his side to Porto in the second round of Europa League matches
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Your support makes all the difference.Super sub Harry Maguire’s stoppage-time header saved Manchester United’s blushes and potentially Erik ten Hag’s job as the Europa League clash with Porto ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
Four days after their 3-0 home humiliation at the hands of Tottenham, the Red Devils put criticism of the players and their under-fire manager to the side with an impressive start in Portugal.
Goals from Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund had United in control, only for Ten Hag’s men to lose their way and their defensive faculties as Pepe scored before Samu Omorodion’s brilliant brace.
Captain Bruno Fernandes was sent off for the second straight match as Ten Hag squirmed, only for Maguire to head home a Christian Eriksen corner in stoppage time to seal a point.
Harry Maguire salvages a Europa League point for 10-man Manchester United
Super sub Harry Maguire’s stoppage-time header saved Manchester United’s blushes and potentially Erik ten Hag’s job as the Europa League clash with Porto ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
Four days after their 3-0 home humiliation at the hands of Tottenham, the Red Devils put criticism of the players and their under-fire manager to the side with an impressive start in Portugal.
Goals from Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund had United in control, only for Ten Hag’s men to lose their way and their defensive faculties as Pepe scored before Samu Omorodion’s brilliant brace.
Captain Bruno Fernandes was sent off for the second straight match as Ten Hag squirmed, only for Maguire to head home a Christian Eriksen corner in stoppage time to seal a point.
Harry Maguire salvages a Europa League point for 10-man Manchester United
Porto 3-3 Manchester United: The substitute’s goal rescued a draw for Erik ten Hag’s team, after captain Bruno Fernandes was dismissed
Maguire: ‘It’s happened far too many times'
Harry Maguire says Man United’s defensive issues must be addressed if the club are to experience any success this season.
Talking to TNT Sports, he said: “After every game we analyse and speak among ourselves. The manager spoke, some members of staff spoke and the players spoke.
“When you get 2-0 away from home you have to be a little bit more solid and there were far too many gaps. Too many crosses were coming into the box for sure and they ultimately punished us for it.
“When you go 2-0 up and then concede, does the belief go a bit with the boys that we can go on and win? It’s something we need to focus on. It’s happening far too many times.
“Every time you concede you have to reset and go back to the game plan which got us in the lead. It’s something we need to improve. If we want to be successful this season we can’t keep conceding two goals.”
Maguire to the rescue
Maguire: ‘It’s a mental issue'
Harry Maguire believes Manchester United are lacking the mental wherewithal to prevent games from snowballing out of control, with the side making a habit of conceding goals in bunches as of late.
“I think it's more probably of a mental issue,” Maguire said on TNT Sports.
“I think it's something that we've got to overcome. It probably starts with belief.
“When we go two up and then we concede, just belief goes a little bit between the boys that we can go on and win the game here. It's something that we need to be aware of, something that we need to focus on.
“We really make sure that when we do a concede, we get together, we regroup and then we stick together because that's part and parcel of football and it's something that we've got to do better.”
Ten Hag: ‘Judge us at the end of the season'
Erik ten Hag has asked Manchester United fans to trust the process after clawing back a 3-3 draw against Porto in the Europa League this evening.
“We will get there,” he said on TNT Sports. “Don't judge us in this moment, judge us in the end of the season.
“I said the same last season, just wait. We are in the process, we will improve, and we have now two seasons where we achieved finals.
“Just wait, we have to develop and progress this team. We will work and we will continue.
“We will fight. You see the spirit and the connection between the staff and the team. It’s strong spirit they want to achieve.
“We are in the direction. We have that good mentality, but especially in some defending parts, we have to step up.”
Bruno Fernandes sees red again
Bruno Fernandes saw red for the second time in as many games after being shown two yellows for two very similar high challenges.
Of course, his red against Tottenham was overturned earlier this week. But for ex-Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves, today’s dismissal was totally justified.
“The Tottenham one was not a red, he was unlucky. I don’t think he was unlucky tonight,” he said.
“The first one, because it’s early on in the game, they’ll probably give a yellow for that just because your foot is high.
“It doesn’t need to be. Let him bring the ball down and win it on the ground.
“If you’re on a booking, you can’t make that challenge. Just go head it.”
Ten Hag still has the dressing room, says Maguire
Harry Maguire says his teammates still have faith in Erik ten Hag after heading home a late equaliser to spare United’s blushes in Porto.
“Definitely,” said Maguire when asked if the players still believed in the manager.
“To be honest, I've played for this club now for six years, so I know how it works, and when you go through a bad spell, players come under pressure, but also the manager does.
”He's experienced enough. He's been in the game long enough. He's been at this club long enough that I'm sure he's learned how to deal with it and it's part and parcel of playing for this club or managing this club.”
Ten Hag: Rashford substitution was for rotation
Erik ten Hag has quelled fears that Marcus Rashford’s half-time substitution was forced by injury, insisting that Alejandro Garnacho’s introduction was purely based on rotation ahead of Sunday’s clash with Aston Villa.
“We have to rotate,” he said on TNT Sports. “Garnacho, we didn't start him. He had a great game, not only on Sunday, but I think in the whole season.
“On Sunday we have again another hard game, a good game, so we need the players to be available and be fit and fresh.”
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