Harry Maguire’s stoppage-time header rescued a point for Manchester United in Porto as they recovered from a stunning collapse to draw 3-3 in the Europa League despite Bruno Fernandes being sent off for the second game running.
United threw away an early two-goal lead after strikes from Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund and looked on course to have a nightmare evening when Fernandes, sent off against Tottenham, was given a second booking for a high foot nine minutes from time.
Porto struck twice in the space of seven minutes to go in level at the break as United wilted in Europe once again. Pepe poked in at the back post before Samu Omorodion, who nearly joined Chelsea in the summer, outmuscled Matthijs De Ligt to power in a header.
Bruno Fernandes is sent off against Porto
Rashford, United’s best player in the first half, was taken off at half-time for “rotation”, Ten Hag said afterwards, and United were blunted in attack for the remainder. Porto only needed five minutes after the restart to go ahead, Omorodion besting De Ligt before scoring emphatically.
United, winless in four games, remain in the knockout play-off spots in 21st after a second draw. Porto are also just in the same bracket in 24th after claiming their first point in the new Europa League format.
United bosses backed Ten Hag after humiliation against Tottenham, but the nature of this performance only adds to the pressure on the manager. A tough trip to Aston Villa awaits on Sunday – live on Sky Sports.
Why did Ten Hag take Rashford off at half-time?
Marcus Rashford was a danger throughout the first half and had a hand in both goals
Ten Hag failed to learn his lesson from resting Rashford at Crystal Palace for last month’s stalemate just when he was finding form and it cost him in Porto.
Rashford was the star turn for United in the first half, scoring and assisting, so it was a surprise to see him being replaced by Alejandro Garnacho before the restart.
“We have to rotate,” Ten Hag told TNT Sports after the game, asked to explain the decision. “We want fresh players on the pitch.”
Rashford had been the source of United’s best attacking moments in the first half and had a game-high eight touches in the opposition box despite playing only 45 minutes.
The forward’s loss was felt in the second half as Garnacho struggled against Porto right-back Joao Mario, who Rashford seemed to have the beating of.
Man Utd crumble in Europe again
Manchester United once again shipped two goals in quick succession in Europe
The seven-minute collapse that led to Porto overturning the early two-goal deficit felt familiar for United in Europe. It was a common occurrence in last season’s disastrous Champions League campaign that ended in them finishing bottom of their group.
Ten Hag’s side conceded two goals in four minutes at Bayern Munich and Copenhagen, and then twice within 10 minutes home and away against Galatasaray. A year has passed, with five signings made for more than £200m, but the same chaotic team remains.
Once Pepe scored Porto’s first, on the rebound after Andre Onana kept out Noussair Mazraoui’s inadvertent header, it only felt a matter of time before the equaliser followed.
These are the concerning characteristics of the team that Ten Hag cannot hide from, regardless of his trophy return or the outcome of the game. This is an unsustainable style of football.
This is a team that never looks safe, even with a two-goal lead.
What could have been for Chelsea – Omorodion looks a star
Samu Omorodion scored twice against Man Utd
Maguire was only on the pitch for his goal, it seemed, because De Ligt and Lisandro Martinez had endured such a torrid evening trying to deal with Omorodion. They were lost.
This was a performance that announced the 20-year-old on the European stage. He now has seven goals in his last five games and Porto appear to have a gem on their hands.
Omorodion was a threat from start to finish and tormented De Ligt, fresh from a difficult display against Spurs, with both his goals coming when up against the Netherlands defender.
Chelsea passed up on the chance to sign Omorodion from Atletico Madrid in the summer after contractual issues held up the transfer. They turned to Joao Felix instead as the player to unlock Conor Gallagher’s move to the Spanish capital.
There may be a few wistful onlookers at Stamford Bridge now.