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MANCHESTER:
Manchester United’s future on this season’s Champions League hangs by a thread forward of Bayern Munich’s go to to Previous Trafford, with an early exit in Europe certain to place extra scrutiny on supervisor Erik ten Hag.
The Dutchman tried to argue after victory over Chelsea final week that United’s season has not reached crisis-mode.
However Ten Hag’s hopes {that a} turning level had been reached have been short-lived as a 3-0 defeat at residence to Bournemouth on Saturday noticed a troubled marketing campaign attain a brand new low.
The Crimson Devils sit sixth within the Premier League after seven defeats of their opening 16 video games.
But, whereas there could also be time to get well a spot within the prime 4 domestically, their want within the Champions League is pressing.
Solely victory towards the German champions on Tuesday will give United any probability of progress to the final 16 and even then, they want FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray to attract of their ultimate Group A match.
United are lucky to also have a shot on the knockout phases after a return of simply 4 factors from their opening 5 matches.
No English aspect has ever conceded as many because the 14 objectives that Ten Hag’s males have in 5 Champions League group video games.
A sequence of high-scoring shootouts in Europe contrasts sharply with United’s troubles to attain objectives within the Premier League.
“We’re actually inconsistent. We’ve got the skills to do it, however it’s a must to do it each recreation and each third day,” mentioned Ten Hag after Bournemouth celebrated their first ever win at Previous Trafford in fashion.
“I feel as a squad we’re not adequate to be constant and we now have to work as a squad to enhance that.”
No United ahead has scored at residence within the Premier League all season as Marcus Rashford’s demise has contributed to his aspect’s struggles.
Rashford scored 30 instances in a career-best marketing campaign for objectives final season however has simply two up to now this season — one in all which got here from the penalty spot.
The England worldwide has exhausted Ten Hag’s endurance and been dropped for the final two video games.
However Rashford might return towards Bayern as his understudies have additionally struggled to shine.
Alejandro Garnacho has produced flashes of brilliance, although stays wildly inconsistent as could be anticipated for a 19-year-old winger.
In the meantime Antony, who Ten Hag pushed to sign up a £86 million ($108 million) deal final yr, has not scored in his final 25 matches.
The Brazilian is only one of an extended checklist of pricey flops which have seen United’s fortunes decline in a decade since Alex Ferguson departed as supervisor.
Final weekend’s loss to Bournemouth was the thirty fifth residence league defeat suffered by United since Ferguson’s retirement.
In the course of the iconic 26-year reign of the Scottish supervisor, United have been solely overwhelmed within the league at Previous Trafford 34 instances.
Bayern might already be assured of their place within the final 16 as group winners however have some extent to show themselves after being thrashed 5-1 by Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
And the final time Bayern misplaced a Champions League group recreation was six years in the past.
United captain Bruno Fernandes mentioned his aspect should “do their job” and hope for assist in Copenhagen.
“We all know that the subsequent recreation goes to be actually powerful – we now have to win and anticipate a superb consequence within the different recreation for us,” mentioned Fernandes.
“We’ve got to do our job, to start with, however we’re greater than able to getting the lead to that.”
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