Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United endured a rollercoaster ride in their Europa League clash with Porto, salvaging a 3-3 draw thanks to a late Harry Maguire equalizer. The result came amidst mounting pressure on Ten Hag, whose team has struggled in the Premier League this season.
Ten Hag’s plea for patience until the end of the season highlights the challenges he faces. Despite winning the League Cup and FA Cup in his first two seasons, United’s poor start to the current campaign has raised concerns. The Red Devils languish in 13th place in the Premier League and have drawn their opening two Europa League games.
The match in Porto started brightly for United, with Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund giving them a 2-0 lead within 20 minutes. However, Porto fought back with goals from Pepe and Samu Omorodion before halftime. Omorodion put the home side ahead early in the second half, and United’s woes were compounded by Bruno Fernandes’ red card.
Maguire’s header from a corner rescued a point for Ten Hag, but the performance raised questions about United’s defensive solidity. The English giants have failed to win any of their last four away European games despite scoring three times in each of them.
Ten Hag acknowledged the need for improvement, stating, “We will get there, don’t judge us in this moment. Judge us in the end of the season. We will improve, we have two seasons where we achieved finals. Just wait, we will develop and progress this team.”
Maguire, who has lost his starting spot to Matthijs de Ligt, defended his manager, saying, “When you go on a bad spell players come under pressure and also the manager does. He’s experienced enough and been at this club long enough so I’m sure he knows how to deal with it.”
The upcoming international break could provide a crucial opportunity for Ten Hag to reassess his team’s performance and prepare for the challenges ahead. United’s next match is against Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.
