Porto 3, Manchester United 3
Harry Maguire’s injury time headed equaliser rescued a point for 10-man Manchester United at Porto in thrilling game.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Reds gave now won just once in their last 10 games in Europe in manager Erik Ten Hag whose side now travels to Aston Villa, who beat Bayern Munich in the Champions this week, with captain Bruno Fernandes available after a successful appeal against his red card on Sunday against Tottenham.
Ironically, they had to finish another game without their captain after he was sent off for the second time in four days, but his team mates pulled themselves together right at the end of this exciting game to leave United 21st in the Europa League table, languishing near the bottom of the mid table.
Things were looking up after an electrifying opening 20 minutes in which Christian Eriksen set up Marcus Rashford for a 7th minute goal beating Porto keeper Diogo Costa at his near post after skipping inside two defenders.
And the travelling fans were dreaming of an exciting victory to go along with their trip to Portugal when Rashford subsequently set up Rasmus Hojlund – making his first start of the season – to double that lead.
But porous United, who have now shipped two or more goals in a match 31 times since the start of last season – more than any other Premier League side, shipped three more goals tonight in another shocking defensive display.
Joao Mario’s cross was nodded in by Brazilian winger Pepe after some poor defending by Noussair Mazraoui after 27 minutes.
This was followed by strikes either side of half time by Samu Omorodion – a 34th minute header from Joao Mario’s cross to level the score before he smashed Porto into the lead after Pepe cut the ball back in the 50th minute following more calamitous defending by the Reds on a break.
The news went from bad to worse as captain Bruno Fernandes was sent off for a second bookable offence – another high boot.
There will be no escaping with an appeal this time for Fernandes as United looked down and out until substitute Harry Maguire popped up with a heroic injury time equaliser from Eriksen’s corner after Andre Onana had pulled off a couple of saves to prevent their hosts from killing the game off.
Maguire, who was omitted from the England squad by interim manager Lee Carsley, might have earned his manager a brief reprieve but a real test comes on Sunday at Villa Park.