MANCHESTER UNITED OUT OF UCL AFTER LOSS TO BAYERN

Wednesday 13 December 2023

UEFA Champions League 2023/24

Matchday 6, Game 3/16.

Old Trafford, Manchester.

MANCHESTER UNITED OUT OF UCL AFTER LOSS TO BAYERN

All the Bayern Munich Players celebrate with the travelling fans after beating Manchester United at Old Trafford.

PREVIEW:

We are in the final group stage games of the UEFA Champions League and its Groups A-D that will battle it out today to see who will make the last 16 of the UCL knockouts and who will make it to the UEFA Europa League prelim knockout rounds and who will compete in neither. Manchester United need to win this game and hope that FC Copenhagen and Turkish side Galatasaray draw in Denmark to have any chance of qualifying. Bayern Munich have already confirmed their place in the knockouts after 4 wins in a row, before a goalless draw at home against the Danish side on Matchday 5, confirmed them as Group A winners. Both sides lost their previous encounters in their respective leagues. Manchester United suffered another home loss in the Premier League by losing 3-0 to AFC Bournemouth thanks to goals from Philip Billing, Dominic Solanke and Marcos Senesi to wrap up 3 huge points for the visitors. Whereas Bayern Munich also lost in the Bundesliga. They lost 5-1 away at Eintracht Frankfurt, which ended their unbeaten start to the season. In the previous encounter in the UCL group stage, dating back to Matchday 1 on Wednesday 20 September 2023. Bayern edged out the 3-time UCL winners 4-3 at the Allianz Arena thanks to goals from Harry Kane, Serge Gnabry, Mathys Tel and Leroy Sané for Bayern & Rasmus Højlund and Casemiro double for Manchester United. But it was not enough for United to take a point away from Munich. Can United take a win at home and qualify for the knockouts or will Bayern do the double over Man United?

TEAM NEWS:

There is no Antony Martial and Marcus Rashford for Manchester United, with the team showing two changes from their home defeat to Bournemouth in the Premier League, with Rasmus Højlund and Raphael Varane starting this game, the 30-year-old former Real Madrid CB, once again partners up with Harry Maguire as the two CBs, with a change up top for the hosts, Martial misses out due to an injury and Rashford serves the final game of the 3-game ban following his red card away at Copenhagen on Matchday 4. This means that 23-year-old Brazilian winger Antony, 19-year-old Alejandro Garnacho and 20-year-old Danish striker Rasmus Højlund all get a chance to start in a must-win game for the hosts in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Manchester United's starting XI before the kick-off

Meanwhile Thomas Tuchel keeps the same XI that lost to Eintracht Frankfurt in the weekend, in a 4-2-3-1 formation that sees Harry Kane spearhead the attack as he returns to England to face off United in Bayern colours, with Davies and Mazraoui playing the full-backs role with Kingsley Coman and Leroy Sané playing on the wing.

KICK-OFF: FIRST HALF

Underway we go at Old Trafford, with the hosts kicking off searching for a crucial win against the 6-time UCL winners in Bayern Munich. It has been a quiet first half for both sides, with chances coming at both ends. For the hosts, they were lucky enough to survive an offside call against Harry Kane after Musiala couldn’t stab in from close range and ultimately the flag goes up.

Scott McTominay and Captain Bruno Fernandes in action for Manchester United with Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich as they battle for possession in the first half.

And on 18 minutes, Bayern appealed for a penalty after Harry Maguire caught Musiala in the penalty area, but there was insufficient contact from the 30-year-old CB to warrant a penalty for Bayern Munich. Lucky escape for the hosts, even after the VAR check was completed and there was no need to give a penalty for the visitors and eventually, the game continued.

Another big moment arrived for the visitors. This time on the half-an-hour mark, a huge chance for Bayern. Following a corner to United, the visitors break away with a lightning-quick counterattack led by Alphonso Davies and Kinglsey Coman, with the 27-year-old Frenchman finding teammate Sane, but a weak touch from the former Manchester City winger, makes it easy for United to clear away and it should’ve been 1-0 to the visitors.

On 37 minutes, an injury blow for Manchester United. It was Harry Maguire who was holding his groin after intercepting Jamal Musiala and signals the physios to come and help him. Even though he was back on the field, Ten Hag has already signalled the former Leicester City defender to come off the pitch and he will be replaced by the returning 35-year-old Northern Ireland defender, Jonny Evans. 

Harry Maguire couldn't continue on after 37 minutes as he was subbed off with a groin injury

And from there, end-to-end action at both ends of the pitch, but no goals seen from both sides and chances at bay. HT in Manchester. Bayern will feel very happy as they have contained the hosts with some good attacks and chances at their end with their defending also top-class today, even striker Harry Kane made useful contributions to help the defence clear the ball away at times. So goalless at the break, and which team will break the ice and score? To also keep an eye on the other game in Copenhagen, it was also goalless at HT there between Copenhagen and Galatasaray.

Harry Kane attempts to shoot, and Bruno Fernandes attempts to block.

KICK-OFF: SECOND HALF

With the injury blow to Harry Maguire, can Manchester United find a way to score, as the second half commences. But another injury concern for the hosts, as Luke Shaw was replaced by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, this saw Diogo Dalot switch to LB and the English fullback will fill in at right-back. And straight away, a big chance for Manchester United, after the hosts break away with the visitors a bit unorganised in the defence. Wan-Bissaka fires a cut-back to Bruno Fernandes, but only for the 29-year-old captain to fire over the bar.

Bruno Fernandes couldn’t believe that his shot was wide on 55 minutes.

And United’s hopes were falling as on 57 minutes, Copenhagen scored which was a wake-up call for Manchester United, as they continued to create chances to find a way to score and hoped that visitors Galatasaray equalised at Copenhagen, but ultimately the Old Trafford atmosphere has silenced the moment the Danes scored.

Tuchel decided to bring on the experienced 34-year-old Thomas Müller, on for Musiala, who has had a quiet night in Manchester, the former England U-19 international, was subbed off on 67 minutes as Müller got his minutes on till the end. And the misery continued for the hosts, as on 70 minutes, Bayern struck with 20 minutes to play. The visitors were patient to wait, and they found a way through the United backline. Harry Kane’s pass found Kingsley Coman and the winger made no mistake. Is this the goal that would end Manchester United’s hopes of qualifying for the Europa League preliminary rounds? Or is the group stage run completely over for the Red Devils?

Kingsley Coman celebrates with his teammates after putting Bayern 1-0 up on 70 minutes.

With this assist, Harry Kane has 30 goal contributions (22 goals and 8 assists), 6 more than Erling Haaland in all competitions, with 24 goal contributions (19 goals and 5 assists)

After the goal, Ten Hag’s reaction was a double substitution, with Uruguayan youngster Facundo Pellistri and Tunisian midfielder Hannibal Mejbri coming on for Argentine Garnacho and Brazilian Antony, so that’s a change in the flanks for Manchester United. After another successful contribution on the away games, Kingsley Coman receives a round of applause from the travelling support as he is subbed off with Mathys Tel coming on to round off the 90 minutes.

As for United, their final change sees Varane off and Kobbie Mainoo on for the final 10 minutes of the game.

Kobbie Mainoo comes on for Raphael Varane for the final 10 minutes.

And Bayern once again nearly had another goal. This time from Joshua Kimmich’s corner, he found Harry Kane, unmarked in the area, but his header was just off-target, but only just. He was looking to find the top corner, but the ball went out of play for a goal kick. United’s time is really running out, with almost no options to find an equaliser. 

Facundo Pellistri battling with Leon Goretzka on 88 minutes, as United search for a leveller.

5 minutes of added time to go at Old Trafford, with the hosts tired and flattened after finding no way of scoring. FT it was in Copenhagen, so Bayern and the Danish giants (FC Copenhagen) will join them in the last 16, and Galatasaray will head into the Europa League preliminary round, and this results in Manchester United out of all the European competitions for the second time in their history. And that is that!! FT at Old Trafford, with all the Manchester United players sinking down on their knees as the boos come from the home supporters after they couldn’t find a way back into the game after Coman’s goal on 70 minutes, so this means that Bayern Munich have done the double over Man United, to consign a 4^th defeat in the group stage for the hosts. 

Antony, Bruno Fernandes, and Rasmus Højlund, praising their fans for their support through the game.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Manchester United will now face a difficult trip away to Liverpool on Sunday, as they will be without their skipper Bruno Fernandes after he picked up 5 yellow cards through this season, with his 5^th coming in the home loss to Bournemouth. Can Manchester United put behind their disappointing loss in Europe to return to winning ways in the league on Sunday 17 December?

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich host Stuttgart on Sunday at the Allianz Arena, after the visitors drew 1-1 with unbeaten leaders Leverkusen on Sunday 10 December at the Mercedes-Benz Arena. Can Bayern catch up to Leverkusen in the Bundesliga?

POST-MATCH PHOTOS:

Harry Kane, Rio Ferdinand, and Leroy Sané catch up after the game.

Harry Kane speaks to TNT Sports after his side’s win over Manchester United.

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane shakes hands with United captain Bruno Fernandes after the match.