Nightmare opening leaves United with just too much to do
MANCHESTER United paid a high price for being caught napping as a storming late fightback failed to save their Champions League skins.
Late goals from Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire proved in vain after United left themselves too much to do after trailing RB Leipzig 3-0.
Needing just a point against a side they United had crushed 5-0 at Old Trafford, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side made a desperate start to fall behind inside two minutes.
Marcel Sabitzer’s cross bypassed United’s defenders and Manchester City loanee Angelino fired a shot into the bottom corner.
Things soon went from bad to worse as Angelino turned provider and Amadou Haidara volleyed home his cross. Emil Forsberg really should have made it three from another Angelino cross but fired wide from eight yards and
Leipzig were also thought they had a third on the half hour when Ibrahima Konate’s header hit the post and Willi Orban blasted home, but replays showed he was offside.
United, who have specialised in turning away games on their head recently, brought on Paul Pogba with half an hour left and Bruno Fernandes almost halved the deficit with a lovely dipping free-kick start struck the bar.
But exactly a minute later it was 3-0,
Maguire and goalkeeper David de Gea appearing slow to react as Justin Kluivert found the net.
United did not give up and Peter Gulacsi made fine saves to deny Scott McTominay and Marcus Greenwood before Fernandes gave them hope from the spot with ten minutes left.
Leipzig then felt Maguire had used his hand in bundling home a second but it could not stop United from being consigned to the Europa League.