Manchester United’s season went from bad to worse on Thursday as they gave up a two-goal lead but eventually drew 3-3 with Porto in the Europa League, extending their winless run in all competitions to four.
The Red Devils got off to a strong start with two goals in the opening 20 minutes thanks to Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund, who seemed intent on turning the page after their uninspiring start to the season. That goodwill was reversed in the 34th minute through Pepe and Samu Omorodion, who each scored to level the score. Omorodion scored a second in the 50th minute to put the match out of reach, and things got progressively worse in the 81st minute when Bruno Fernandes picked up his second red card in four days. Harry Magurie’s injury-time equalizer saved the day, but only so much.
Erik ten Hag’s side dominated in possession and created more than twice as many shots as Porto, but these statistics look more like a footnote given Thursday’s eventful disaster. However, that dominance is a trend at United: they looked the same in their disappointing draws against Crystal Palace and Twente and were wasteful in attack. While United actually managed to score plenty of goals on Thursday, the match against Porto also raises concerns about the defense.
Combined with United’s 3-0 defeat to Tottenahm Hotspur on Sunday, the match raises questions about the progress they have made defensively. Last week they had conceded just five goals in the Premier League this time, a reversal of course after a porous backline caused chaos last season. After a steady but uninspiring start to the season, last week’s results have created new uncertainty about the direction the team is heading.
Ten Hag and his team will undoubtedly take positives from their ability to come from behind despite being down to ten, but the result against Porto feels like the latest indication that the current process is not working. It increases the pressure on Ten Hag, who survived last season’s poor performances and seemingly received a vote of confidence from United’s senior players with a string of new signings. The rumor mill is already acting accordingly, already providing links to new managers as the Red Devils struggle to find wins.
While a match against Porto should not be considered easy, their Europa League berth was a chance to prove they are among the continent’s top teams. They entered the competition as the second favorites to win the whole thing. Combined with the fact that no surprise teams missed out on a place in the UEFA Champions League and none will drop out thanks to the new format, United were expected to show some stability in the early stages of the competition. That hasn’t happened, and it’s not easy to imagine it will happen anytime soon.
Ten Hag may have lasted a few more months at United, but the consensus is almost unanimous: the end feels near, and not unfair. But even without him at the helm, there are just as many questions about the players’ ability to provide stability. Their habit of unforced errors is unlikely to disappear with a change in management, teasing that the post-Sir Alex Ferguson rebuild will continue for some time, more than a decade after he retired.