After losing 4–3 at FC Copenhagen, Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag said his team is due a turn around in luck. The Red Devils were close to being kicked out of the Champions League.
Rasmus Hojlund scored twice against his old team, giving United a 2-0 lead in the Danish city in the sixth minute.
A VAR review in the 42nd minute changed the course of the game when Marcus Rashford was shown a red card.
Two goals from Mohamed Elyounoussi and a penalty kick by Diogo Goncalves in the 13 extra minutes at the end of the first half tied the game.
Bruno Fernandes scored from the penalty spot to give United the lead again, but Lukas Lerager and 17-year-old Roony Bardghji scored twice in the last 10 minutes to give Denmark their first Champions League win since 2016.
United is at the bottom of Group A after their third loss in four games.
But Ten Hag didn’t like how the first two goals for Copenhagen were given or how Rashford was sent off.
The former Ajax manager thought that Elyounoussi’s goal should have been called off for offside, and he also thought that Harry Maguire should not have been punished for handball in the area.
“Up until the red card, we played really well.” Everything changed when the red card came out. “Then we give up two goals that shouldn’t have mattered,” Ten Hag said.
“Not just tonight. We are in a time when many choices are being made against us.
“That’s how things are. It will turn for sure. The season lasts a long time, and eventually things will go our way.
A ninth loss in 17 games this season puts more heat on Ten Hag’s job.
The Dutchman, on the other hand, thinks that his team’s play before Rashford was harshly dismissed was good.
The England player’s studs got Elias Jelert on the ankle as he tried to protect the ball, but he didn’t seem to mean to do it.
United may have had their best first 30 minutes of the season so far, as Hojlund scored two goals that put him on track for five Champions League goals in four games.
“I have seen a lot of positives from this game but at the end we lose possibly some focus,” said Ten Hag.
“We were still in charge of the game with 10 men as well.”
“Of course, the players are very upset.” We played great and fought hard, but we still don’t have a single point.
As of now, United is still in the running to join Bayern Munich in the round of 16. They are one point behind Galatasaray and Copenhagen in the race to join them.
In three weeks, Ten Hag’s team will go to Galatasaray. On December 12, they will play Bayern at Old Trafford.