GREAT SCOTT!
This United team does not lack heart, fight or spirit, but Ten Hag knew Mctominay – and the willing Old Trafford fans – had averted a result that would have turned the queries about his future into serious questions
AFTER his struggling Manchester United had snatched the most unlikely of victories from the jaws of another dismal defeat, Erik ten Hag went onto the pitch and hugged each and every one of his players.
Inside a cacophonous Old Trafford, those players then went on a mini-lap of honour… for beating Brentford.
Ten Hag KNEW how important the two added-time goals from Scott Mctominay had been.
The players (right) KNEW how important they had been, the fans KNEW how important they had been.
And, apart from Mctominay demonstrating his unsung predatory skills, at least the dramatic comeback showed this is a United team that does not lack heart, does not lack fight, does not lack spirit.
It lacks defensive acumen, it lacks a high-class goalkeeper, it lacks a distinctive game plan… but at least it sticks at it.
Old-fashioned grit produced a couple of old-fashioned goals to avert a result that would have turned the queries about Ten Hag’s future into serious questions.
At least Ten Hag and United can go into the international break on some sort of relative high and at least he should now know he can rely on a couple of no-nonsense players who have been on the fringes of the Dutchman’s plans.
Harry Maguire’s assist for Mctominay’s winner should not go unnoticed. No wonder the hapless Andre Onana gave Maguire a special hug after the final whistle. And the noise around the ground should inject a shot of confidence into a team that looked rudderless throughout most of the match, although, in truth, there was an awful lot of forgettable football played in this contest. Maguire was making his first Premier League start of the season, his appearance enforced by the absence of Ten Hag’s entire firstchoice defensive line-up. While Ten Hag’s stock has, without question, been sliding, the United manager has had to deal with a variety of injury issues and Maguire was a last-resort selection.
At least he was not directly culpable for Mathias Jensen’s first-half opener, although you still had a choice of villains.
Casemiro, for surrendering possession so meekly? Victor Lindelof, for a clearance that was nothing of the sort? Or Onana, for again failing to save a shot he could have thrown his cap on?
Earlier in the week, Ten Hag had this to say about Onana.
“He has the capabilities to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world.”
So far, Onana has kept those capabilities well under wraps.
As his collection of errors becomes a catalogue, his confidence is being eroded by the minute.
The home fans actually cheered when he made the most basic of catches early in the second half.
Of course, it does not help that he is behind a defensive unit that has forgotten how to defend, but, nevertheless, Onana is playing like a novice.
Unlike Casemiro, who is doing a surprise impression of a has-been. There should be a good few years left in the Brazilian, but, right now, he is not worth his place, even in a strictly mediocre United team. Even more shockingly, the same goes for Marcus Rashford (left).
Having been taken off in the 77th minute of the defeat by Crystal Palace, Rashford was hooked after 68 minutes of the loss to Galatasaray. He lasted until the 62nd minute here, but goodness knows how.
It is hard to say whether he is bereft of confidence or bereft of interest. Either way, his contributions to United’s cause are becoming more and more negligible.
But even if he has not forced his way into Ten Hag’s starting plans, Mctominay’s contribution to United’s season is already hugely significant.
And credit to the United manager for calling on Mctominay’s physical presence very late in the game when he had other options available.
It meant what looked like being a low point of Ten Hag’s tenure became a small, personal, much-needed triumph.
And as Ten Hag (right) made a jubilant beeline for his players, he knew it.