Erik ten Hag’s team still finishes as runners-up despite Manchester United defeating Real Sociedad 1-0 in the Europa League thanks to Alejandro Garnacho’s goal. Manchester United defeated Real Sociedad on Thursday, finishing second in Group E on goal differential, but will now need to win a playoff to advance to the Europa League’s round of 16.
The Red Devils needed a victory by two goals to pass Real Sociedad at the top of the league, and they appeared to be on track when Garnacho scored his first senior goal for the club in the 17th minute to make it 1-0. David de Gea made two outstanding stops to protect his clean sheet after Cristiano Ronaldo missed a golden opportunity to extend the Red Devils’ lead. In an effort to score that vital second goal, Ten Hag substituted Harry Maguire for the center-back at the end of the second half. Man Utd will now compete against a side that is leaving the Champions League for a spot in the knockout round since the objective never materialized.
The Performing Side:
Alejandro Garnacho: Unexpectedly starting against Real Sociedad, Manchester United’s highly regarded young player had an exhilarating display. The 18-year-old was the Red Devils’ best threat in the Basque region and had a memorable night by scoring his first senior goal for the team. For his goal, Garnacho displayed lightning-quick speed and outstanding control, and Manchester United will be hoping it’s the first of many for the Red Devils.
David de Gea: Before the break, Real Sociedad appeared destined to equalize, dealing the visitors what would have been a fatal blow. De Gea once more saved the day with two outstanding stops that made sure the club would enter the second half still with a chance to win the group. The first to be stopped by the stopper, who was stretching out to stop the right-back, was Andoni Gorosabel. Pablo Marin received the ball when it broke, but De Gea stopped him in his tracks.
Lisandro Martinez: The Manchester United defender maintained his strong play at the center of the defense with another commanding performance. Martinez once again teamed up with Victor Lindelof and made an impression not only with his tenacious defense but also with his ball-handling skills. The only disappointing development for Manchester United was the observation of Martinez receiving a warning, which will keep him out of their upcoming Europa League game.
The Losing Side:
Donny van de Beek: The Dutch midfielder unexpectedly made Erik ten Hag’s starting lineup against Real Sociedad, giving him a very uncommon opportunity to shine. However, the 25-year-old appeared rusty and was basically ignored by the game. Van de Beek simply could not get going and left the scene before the hour had passed. Van van Beek greatly wasted the chance, and it’s uncertain when he’ll get another shot with Old Trafford’s first squad.
Cristiano Ronaldo: Garnacho’s goal for Man Utd was set up beautifully by Ronaldo, but the Red Devils needed much more on this particular night, and the Portugal international was unable to provide it. The 37-year-old did miss a fantastic opportunity to make it 2-0 in the first half. Ronaldo made the right decision by choosing the dink, but he overcompensated and caused the ball to bounce onto the net’s roof.
As Ten Hag took the direct path in a frantic attempt to score a second goal that never materialized, Ronaldo then found himself in the fairly peculiar position of being teamed by Maguire for the dying minutes. Although he might be pleased with the minor improvement in his play, a spectacular goal would have been much better.
Champions League drop-outs: Real Sociedad advances directly to the round of 16, but Manchester United must overcome a difficult challenge to reach the competition’s final stages. Ten Hag’s team will now compete in a play-off against one of the eight groups’ third-place finishers who are exiting the Champions League.
Neither Manchester United nor their potential opponents will enjoy playing the Red Devils over two legs in this situation. Even though United may not be as strong as it once was, they are progressing under Ten Hag, and teams like Barcelona, Ajax, or Sporting won’t look forward to playing them in a matchup.
The Defensive Side:
David de Gea: Just before halftime, caught everyone’s attention with a spectacular double save to save Real Sociedad from tying the score.
Diogo Dalot: Dalot, who is still outstanding at right-back, put on another fantastic performance.
Victor Lindelof: Alongside Martinez in the middle of the defense, solid once more.
Lisandro Martinez: Another strong showing at the center of the Manchester United defense, but he received a booking and will miss that team’s next game.
Erik ten Hag: This would have been a wonderful result on any other night, but the fact that it has United in second place lessens the impact of the victory. In order for his team to win by a margin of two goals or more and take first place in the group, Ten Hag was gutsy to start Garnacho, and it paid off. His team’s situation didn’t improve with his second-half adjustments, and they lacked danger after the break.
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