It all looks to be doom and gloom for Manchester United following their 3-3 draw against Galatasaray in the Champions League.
However, Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United performed better than many people may have expected during the Champions League encounter in the incredibly hostile RAMS Stadium.
United should have held on for the win and are now facing an uphill battle to get out of the group. They will need to beat Bayern Munich and hope that FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray draw otherwise it could be Europa League football for the Red Devils.
Despite all of the doom and gloom, here are three positives to take from the draw in Istanbul.
United’s attackers perform
One of the consistent issues for United has been their attacker’s lack of goals or assists this season. Up until the win over Everton, Marcus Rashford was the only forward who had scored in the Premier League and Rasmus Hojlund was the only forward who had scored in the Champions League.
However, Yesterday’s draw in Galatasaray allowed Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes to score. Garnacho, in particular, looks to be a rich vein of form and the hope will be that the Argentine can continue his goalscoring groove.
The confidence of the 19-year-old to fire the ball into the roof of the net with his left foot was a joy to behold and that stunning overhead kick looks to have increased his confidence.
Kobbie Mainoo’s cameo
Bringing on an 18-year-old for a 27-year-old with the aim of adding more control to the midfield is certainly not ideal but that is a credit to just how good Kobbie Mainoo is.
Robbie Savage and Rio Ferdinand, on TNT Sports commentary, were left purring by the confidence and composure the 18-year-old brought to United’s midfield and Mainoo’s simple passes out to Luke Shaw or his through balls through the lines helped the Red Devils settle.
The midfielder has to start for the Red Devils this Saturday against Newcastle United as the Englishman brings a semblance of control to an engine room that is lacking exactly that at the moment.
Luke Shaw’s return
One United player who has looked superb since his return from injury is Luke Shaw. The English left-back had been out of action for the Red Devils since August.
It is no coincidence that United have scored six times in the two games Shaw has started. the 28-year-old has the ability to play the ball through the lines to Fernandes or Garnacho, which help United create chances.
The Englishman’s return to the team, in an attacking sense, has been vital for the Red Devils and they look much more cohesive going forward with the former Southampton defender in the team.
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