Manchester United will begin their only remaining silverware challenge this season when they travel to Spain to face Real Sociedad in the Europa League.
Coming on the back of a defeat in the FA Cup to Fulham, this has an “all or nothing” air to it, even though Ruben Amorim has preached bigger picture.
Man Utd are still severely undermanned, an issue exacerbated further as Chido Obi is not eligible to play Europa League games this season.
During this trying time, it is a sign of how stuck United have been that Erik ten Hag’s three-word desperation last time Man Utd faced Sociedad is still the current Man Utd manager’s big issue.
Erik ten Hag’s message after Man Utd vs Real Sociedad in 2022
United faced Real Sociedad in the 2022/23 Europa League group stages, losing 0-1 at Old Trafford in September before beating them by the same score at their stadium in November.
By the time November had rolled around, Ten Hag had started turning the corner at Old Trafford after a nightmare start had the executives panicking.
United needed a two-goal win that day to confirm first position in the group but could only manage a solitary goal so the mood was sombre despite victory.
After the game, Ten Hag was pleased with Alejandro Garnacho for scoring his first-ever senior goal but lamented his tied hands situation with a three-word desperation – “We need options”, talking about goalscorers.
Ten Hag said: “We need options. We have problems there [up top]. Antony not available, Anthony Martial not available, Jadon Sancho not available, but I’m really happy with that performance and I hope he [Garnacho] can keep the process going.”
Ruben Amorim can strongly relate to Ten Hag’s woes
More than two years later, and it’s remarkable that the manager following Ten Hag can repeat the essence of that quote word-for-word, just changing the personnel name.
Rasmus Hojlund has forgotten how to score, and the hero of that game in 2022, Garnacho, is on a goalless run too.
Joshua Zirkzee is improving but the goals remain missing while Amad’s season-ending injury has removed the attacking talisman from the team.
Marcus Rashford and Antony were let go without replacements and in Chido Obi’s ineligibility, Ruben Amorim literally only has Rasmus Hojlund as the sole striker.
Five transfer windows have gone by since Ten Hag said United need options up top. It’s unforgivable that another manager has been left to cry out for the same in 2025.
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