Thomas Tuchel is wary of Manchester United’s ‘outstanding transition game’ with Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Rasmus Hojlund singled out ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League blockbuster with Bayern Munich.
Amid all the drama, the disillusion and the doom-mongering, dare we argue that things are maybe not quite as abysmally bad as they may seem? Manchester United were, after all, mere millimetres away from winning away at Arsenal before the international break, and created more than enough chances to kill off Brighton too; Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund showing plenty of promise as a new look front two on Saturday afternoon.
Tuchel certainly isn’t taking a United side coming off the back of successive defeats lightly.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, via Bayern and Germany on Twitter, the former Chelsea boss believes that the results do not reflect the manner of United’s performances in their last two games, while insisting that the Bundesliga champions cannot afford to relax up against a frontline brimming with guile, speed and threat.
Bayern Munich host Manchester United in UCL
“Their results so far don’t say much about them. You can never be sure in a game against United,” Tuchel says.
“When you think you’re in control, they can sit deep and rely on their outstanding transition game, with Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and now Rasmus Hojlund up front. We can never switch off.
“United are always dangerous. They have a lot of individual quality.”
Rashford and Hojlund is the future of United’s attack
After a sluggish start to the season, neither Arsenal nor Brighton could live with a revived Rashford. And the England international is likely to start in his favoured left-wing role again if Ten Hag opts to hand Hojlund his first Champions League start at the Allianz Arena.
Hojlund was denied a goal on his full United debut against Brighton; Rashford’s cross adjudged to have crossed the line moments before the £64 million signing snaffled up the sort of chance he was brought in to put away.