‘Everyone wants to play Manchester United’, and even Paul Scholes has run out of ideas, but Erik ten Hag keeps the faith

Just when things finally went right for Manchester United, it still ended up going so, so wrong.

The Red Devils looked on their way to an easy win against Copenhagen after a brilliant Rasmus Hojlund two-goal start, but a Marcus Rashford red card saw them collapse to a 2-2 half-time scoreline.

Then, after impressing with ten men in the second period and putting themselves back ahead through a Bruno Fernandes penalty, once again everything that could go wrong went wrong, as their Danish opponents scored twice for a 4-3 win.

The result leaves United bottom of Champions League Group A, and with Bayern Munich now qualified for the last 16, it’s up to them to scrap it out with Copenhagen and Galatasaray for the remaining spot.

Zooming out a little further, though, and it’s now nine defeats in 17 games for Erik ten Hag’s team this season, and there was an air of sympathy around after what could have been a great night.

His countryman and legendary AC Milan forward Ruud Gullit summed up the mood perfectly, just baffled at how things can keep going wrong.

“Nobody’s afraid of them, everybody wants to play them,” he brutally began. “They all think they have a chance. 

“That’s the energy you have to take care of, every time you think they’ve stopped the bleeding and put a plaster on it, all of a sudden something comes out. 

“Today again, you start well and then something strange happens and you’re out of control.”

talkSPORT’s Scott Minto felt similar, stunned that even with a good display things can still go wrong.

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“Off the top of my head I can’t think of a better performance this season from Manchester United,” the former Chelsea defender said. 

“There was a lot of character and the way they dominated the game from the very first minute, scored early, they were in complete control. 

“Even in the second half they were somehow again controlling the tempo of the game even with ten men.”

Results speak for themselves, though, and Ten Hag will undoubtedly have question marks hanging over his head, but club legend Paul Scholes doesn’t think there’s any reason to act.

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“I still don’t feel like there’s that much pressure on him,” the midfield great said. “He had a good year and bought a bit of time, he’s had bad injuries. 

“I know managers have been sacked in that second and third year, but I don’t think we can afford to keep doing it anymore, I think we’ve got to let this fella get on with it.”

Whether United let Ten Hag get on with it remains to be seen, but for his part he will keep pushing, convinced brighter days are just around the corner.

“This squad is resilient,” he said post-match. “And the whole season so many decisions have gone against us.

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“So many setbacks with injuries, but every time there is spirit and there is fight, we will keep going. 

“I said to the lads it will turn, in one moment in the season it will turn in our favour.”