Erik ten Hag had to settle for a third straight draw in the Europa League after his Manchester United side threw away a lead once more to draw 1-1 against Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce
Manchester United would have beaten Fenerbahce had Erik ten Hag started Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund, according to Paul Scholes.
United were held to a third straight draw in the Europa League as Christian Eriksen’s strike was cancelled out by a header from Youssef En-Nesyri. Andre Onana made a crucial double save from En-Nesyri in the first half and United also survived a penalty shout after Manuel Ugarte challenged Bright Osayi-Samuel – an incident which saw Jose Mourinho sent off.
Ten Hag sprung a surprise before kick-off by fielding full-back Noussair Mazraoui as a No.10 in the United midfield. The summer signing from Bayern Munich started ahead of Eriksen and Manuel Ugarte and was involved in the flowing build-up for the United goal, but Scholes wasn’t impressed.
Before the match started, the United legend claimed that a draw was the best his former side could hope for, with Casemiro and Hojlund left on the substitutes’ bench. Scholes was baffled by the Mazraoui decision, stating bluntly on TNT Sports: “I didn’t see it working before the game, I didn’t see it working during the game and I don’t see it working after the game.”
He claimed that United would have got a better result had Ten Hag gone with Casemiro in midfield instead of Mazraoui, and with Hojlund leading the line instead of Joshua Zirzkee. It was an opinion backed up by former United midfielder Owen Hargreaves.
An incredulous Scholes added: “Play Casemiro, play Eriksen further forward, play Hojlund! He’s in a period where he needs to win games. Play your best players!” Casemiro and Hojlund were brought on in the 55th minute for Victor Lindelof and Zirkzee, but United couldn’t find a winner.
United have now gone a year and six matches without tasting victory in Europe. They sit 21st in the Europa League table after failing to beat FC Twente, Porto and Fenerbahce.
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Asked if he’s seen any improvement from Ten Hag’s side this season, Scholes replied: “No, not yet. I think they have played in spells where they’ve looked OK and they’ve missed a lot of chances as well. But league position tells you everything – 11th in the Premier League, 21st in the Europa League.
“There’s been no improvement – and that’s the biggest disappointment. We’re over two years in, a lot of money has been spent and we’re not seeing improvement. You’d like to think that by now they’d be up there challenging with Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal, but it doesn’t feel like it.”
Mourinho was happy with a point against his former club, but in a feisty post-match interview, he made it clear how the result should be viewed. “They got a point against us, not us against them,” he told TNT Sports.
“We played amazing. If we play like this in the Turkish league we destroy everything because of course we played against a team with a superior level than us. The Premier League has more quality, more intensity and more everything.”
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