Maguire Rescues Man Utd from Further Agony in Porto

Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund gave Manchester United a dream start, scoring two goals within the first 20 minutes. However, their early lead was threatened as Samu Omorodion scored twice, following Pepe’s goal that brought Porto back into contention, leaving the English giants on the brink of defeat.

Things took a turn for the worse when captain Bruno Fernandes received a red card for the second consecutive match. Despite being reduced to ten men, United managed to salvage a point when Harry Maguire headed in a corner late in the game.

Now, after two draws in their Europa League campaign, having also been held at home by FC Twente last week, Ten Hag’s side sits 21st in the 36-team table. The nature of their collapse after a promising start raises further questions about the manager’s position ahead of a challenging Premier League match against Aston Villa on Sunday.

“We started the game very well; we dominated and scored two good goals, but then we lost control,” Ten Hag reflected. “The middle part of the match was not good.”

Despite the scrutiny, the former Ajax boss has stood by his record, having won the League Cup and FA Cup in his first two seasons at Old Trafford, breaking United’s six-year trophy drought. Ten Hag insisted that he should be judged at the season’s end, saying, “We will get there; don’t judge us in this moment. Judge us at the end of the season. We will improve; we have two seasons where we reached finals. Just wait, we will develop and progress this team.”

Ten Hag couldn’t have asked for a better start, though Porto contributed to their own downfall. Rashford showcased glimpses of his former self, scoring his fourth goal of the season by maneuvering between two Porto defenders before unleashing a shot that should have been saved by Portugal’s number one, Diogo Costa. He later assisted Hojlund, who also found the net with a powerful strike.

Just as Ten Hag was beginning to relax on the sidelines, United’s two-goal advantage evaporated within seven minutes. Pepe pulled one back by heading in a rebound after Andre Onana’s impressive save had kept Noussair Mazraoui’s header from scoring. Omorodion, who could have been a Chelsea player had a failed medical not derailed his transfer from Atletico Madrid, leveled the score with a powerful header, making it seven goals in his first six games for Porto.

Things worsened for the visitors after halftime, as Rashford’s promising performance was cut short, replaced by Alejandro Garnacho in anticipation of the upcoming trip to Villa. The United defense faltered again in the 50th minute, as Pepe sprinted down the left wing and delivered a low cross that Omorodion blasted past Onana, evading Matthijs de Ligt’s marking.

Fernandes then received a second yellow card in his return to Portugal. However, it was the man stripped of the captaincy who ultimately came to Ten Hag’s rescue. In the 91st minute, Maguire rose above the defense to power home a corner taken by Christian Eriksen, securing a vital point for United.