Reds see dread!

Out-of-form Manchester United’s woes deepen further as they squander 2-0 lead to lose 3-4 to FC Copenhagen with striker Marcus Rashford sent off

Manchester United are on the brink of an early exit from the Champions League after blowing a 2-0 lead to lose 4-3 on Wednesday to FC Copenhagen as Marcus Rashford was sent-off in the Danish capital. Rasmus Hojlund looked to have come back to haunt his former club by scoring twice inside half an hour. But Rashford’s sending-off swung the destiny of the match and possibly sealed United’s fate with a third defeat in four games in Group A. 

Mohamed Elyounoussi and Diogo Goncalves levelled for Copenhagen before half-time. Bruno Fernandes’ penalty briefly put United back in front, but two goals in the final seven minutes from Lukas Lerager and 17-year-old Roony Bardghji handed Copenhagen their first Champions League win since 2016. 

United sit at the bottom  

United sink to the bottom of the group, one point behind Galatasaray and Copenhagen, with two games left to play. The Red Devils travel to Galatasaray in three weeks’ time before hosting runaway group winners Bayern Munich. Defeat will again ramp up the pressure on United boss Erik ten Hag after nine defeats in 17 games this season. But the Dutchman will reflect on what might have been but for Rashford’s dismissal after an excellent opening half an hour. 

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Erik ten Hag

“We played very good until the red card. The red card changed everything. Then it becomes a different game,” said Ten Hag. “It is harsh decision. He was going for the ball.” Copenhagen boss Jacob Neestrup claimed United would be met with an atmosphere “100 times” more intense than his side faced at Old Trafford two weeks ago.

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But the locals were quickly quieted by one of their own inside three minutes. Hojlund is still to score his first Premier League goal since a gbp 64 million ($78 million) move from Atalanta but is now the joint top scorer in the Champions League this season with five in four games. He could not miss after being picked out by Scott McTominay at the back post for a tap in after a fine team move to open the scoring. Hojlund was again in the right place for a simple finish to make it 2-0 after Kamil Grabara parried Alejandro Garnacho’s initial effort.

Game changing moment

However, the momentum completely swung when Rashford’s difficult season took another turn for the worse. There appeared no malice from the England international, but his studs caught Elias Jelert on the ankle as he tried to protect the ball and, after a VAR review, he was shown red. 

The 10 men failed to immediately settle and were punished as Elyounoussi turned in Goncalves’ clever ball back across goal. Thirteen minutes were added at the end of the first half due to an earlier delay caused by a medical emergency in the stands and United’s lead did not survive until the break.

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