That’s all for tonight. I’ll leave you with Jamie Jackson’s report from Old Trafford. Goodnight!
Scott McTominay speaks
We knew they’d be fired up – Neil Lennon’s a great coach – and we know it wouldn’t be easy. We had to be patient, their keeper was different class, but I felt we created enough chances to score. Sometimes you think it’s not gonna be your day, but credit to the team – we managed to get the goal. It’s a massive goal; we want to win the group.
Group E table
Real Sociedad 12pts
Man Utd 9
Sheriff 3
Omonia 0
It will probably all come down to Sociedad v United on 3 November.
Full time: Manchester United 1-0 Omonia Nicosia
Can you have an embarrassing victory? You can certainly have a noble defeat, and that’s what happened to Omonia Nicosia and especially their heroic goalkeeper Francis Uzoho. He lies face down on the turf, trying to make sense of it all, but when he gets to his feet he smiles and embraces the United players.
That is so cruel on Omonia, whose players have become Sammy Kuffour. Sancho did well, teasing a defender on the left side of the area before hitting a shot that deflected towards McTominay, 10 yards out. He made just enough room to rifle a low shot past Uzoho.
GOAL! Man Utd 1-0 Omonia Nicosia (McTominay 90+3)
Scott McTominay has shattered Omonia Nicosia!
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90+2 min A dangerous cross from Fernandes is calmly claimed by Uzoho, the hero of the night.
90 min Five minutes of added time. Can Manchester United score? They sometimes score.
89 min Martinez takes matters into his own hands, charging forward from the back before finding McTominay in space, 25 yards out. He puts it into Row Z.
88 min The away fans are making an almighty racket.
87 min “I’m watching (well, listening to be honest) on a US Spanish language channel, and the announcer insists on referring to CR7 as ‘Mister 700’... in English,” says Alex Whitney. “He’s accompanied by Hristo Stoichkov, who is always entertaining.”
86 min Real Sociedad lead Sheriff 3-0 in the other game. They are heading for the last 16.
85 min Moreto Cassama is replaced by Mikkel Diskerud.
85 min Shots at goal: Manchester United 31-2 Omonia Nicosia.
84 min It’s a training exercise now, attack versus defence. But for all United’s pressure, it’s been a while since Uzoho had to make a difficult save.
82 min The crowd appeal for a penalty when Dalot runs into a defender and falls over. Nothing doing.
81 min Scott McTominay replaces Casemiro, who came closest to scoring with that sizzling shot against the bar in the first half.
80 min I told you this was an easy game.
79 min Shaw fires a low ball into Casemiro on the edge of the area. He lays it off first time to Fernandes, who wafts over the bar.
78 min Omonia are 12 minutes away from a famous draw.
76 min A sweet long-range strike from Eriksen is blocked heroically by Yuste.
75 min If it stays like this, United will be heading for a knockout round playoff against one of the Champions League rejects. And there are going to be some very good teams on that list.
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74 min Two changes for Omonia. Loizos Loizou and Fotis Papoulis replace Bruno and Charalampous.
73 min Make that 28 shots. The corner is half cleared to Rashford, who volleys well wide from the edge of the area.
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73 min Fernandes and Dalot work the ball back to Eriksen on the edge of the D. His shot, United’s 27th of the night, takes a deflection and goes behind for yet another corner.
71 min See 38 min.
70 min A change for United: Christian Eriksen replaces Fred, who didn’t cover himself in glory.
70 min Ronaldo hammers a shot on the turn from a tight angle that is pushed behind by the inevitable Uzoho. He’d expect to save that.
69 min That’s a scandalous decision. Moreto Cassama’s right foot was miles over the ball, and his studs went into Casemiro’s shin.
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68 min Moreto Cassama flies into a dreadful two-footed tackle on Casemiro, who screams with pain. He’s booked, but it should have been a red card. VAR aren’t interested.
67 min Yet another chance for Rashford, whose snapshot hits a defender and spins behind. United take the corner quickly and there’s a big appeal for a penalty when the ball hits the arm of Psaltis. It was tight to his body, though you could argue that he leaned into the ball. Either way, no penalty.
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66 min “I was confused by the ketchup bans,” says Zach Neeley, “because it doesn’t seem that important compared to the actual meals they eat, but then I saw that not just Conte but Fabio Capello and Paolo Di Canio banned it, so now I think it’s actually a stand against substandard red sauce by proud Italians.”
65 min And another: Paris Psaltis replaces the injured Adam Matthews.
64 min A change for Omonia. Karim Ansarifard, who scored the opening goal last week, replaces Kakoullis.
63 min Sancho plays a give and go with Shaw and cuts the ball back to Fernandes, who volleys over at the near post. He was under pressure but it was still a reasonable chance.
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60 min A double change for United: Luke Shaw and Jadon Sancho replace Malacia and Antony.
60 min: Great chance for United! Rashford breaks beyond the defence, onto a long crossfield pass from Casemiro (I think). His first touch is immaculate but then he sidefoots well wide of the far post. A corner is given, which is bizarre.
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59 min Bruno robs Fred on the halfway line, charges down the left and pokes a cross to Kakoullis at the far post. It comes at an awkward height and he controls it with his arm.
57 min An excellent cross from Antony is headed away well by Yuste. Ronaldo was waiting behind him for No701.
57 min “Dream jobs in football, you say?” muses Matt Dony. “Nutritionist for a mid-size Premier League club. Tell the kitchen to make lots of pasta, chicken and broccoli. Make sure there’s no ketchup around. Throw in whatever superfoods are in fashion. Job done, Wordle and assorted derivatives until clocking-off time.”
And then Nando’s on the way home.
55 min There’s a break in play while Uzoho receives treatment. He’s fine.
54 min Rashford’s snapshot hits a defender and spins high in the air towards the six-yard box. Ronaldo’s presence unsettles Uzoho, who misses a punch at the dropping ball and eventually shovels it behind for a corner.
53 min An imaginative backheader from Fernandes is saved easily by Uzoho. That’s his 429th save of the night.
53 min Bruno cuts inside dangerously from the left. This time he does look for a pass, but plays it behind Kakoullis (I think) on the edge of the area.
51 min Kakoullis tries to chip de Gea from 45 yards, but he doesn’t connect properly and the ball dribbles through to the United keeper.
49 min Kakoullis is booked for pulling back Rashford.
48 min Another double save from Uzoho! Fernandes breaks to the edge of the area and tees up Fred, whose shot from 10 yards is straight at Uzoho. Ronaldo is all over the loose ball, but Uzoho bravely smothers his shot as well. He’s having a Friedel.
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46 min Uzoho makes a terrific double save after 20 seconds of the second half! Ronaldo set up Antony, whose curling shot was pushed away to his right by Uzoho. It rebounded to Rashford, whose mishit shot was going in until Uzoho scrambled across his line to save.
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46 min Peep peep! Omonia begin the second half.
Real Sociedad lead Sheriff 1-0 in the other game. As things stand they are five points clear of United with two games to play.
“Hello Rob,” says Kári Tulinius. “Francis Uzoho, unfortunately, made an error against Ghana that cost Nigeria a berth at the World Cup. Which is a shame, because he seems like an absolutely brilliant goalkeeper who makes very watchable saves. I hope that he gets snapped up by a club in a league where I could see him play more often.”
Half-time reading
Half time: Manchester United 0-0 Omonia Nicosia
Manchester United have had one or two frustrating halves in the decade since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, and here’s another to add to the list. Francis Uzoho made some excellent saves, most notably when he tipped Casemiro’s heatseeker onto the crossbar, but United were nowhere near their best and could have fallen behind just before half-time.
45 min Fernandes’s dipping free-kick from the left is headed a few yards wide by Casemiro. That was a decent chance, though not as good as the one he had at Everton on Sunday.
43 min Another near miss for Omonia! Dalot’s dodgy pass runs towards Kakoullis, with de Gea in no man’s land 25 yards from goal. Martinez leans into Kakoullis and sends him flying, and the referee is happy that it’s a fair challenge. I think he’s right.
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42 min: Chance for Bruno! Omonia should be in front. Bruno scorches past Lindelof on the left, into the area, but then toebungs a wretched shot wide of the near post. He had Kakoullis screaming for a tap-in at the far post.
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41 min “The 4-2-3-1 you mentioned staples two midfielders to the defensive 18-yard box,” says Ben Barclay. “Now with Casemiro on board, what do you think of United switching to a 4-3-3 which would pull Fernandes back into midfield connection, and push Eriksen further up? Like City with Rodri?”
I prefer that formation – I suspect ten Hag does too, more importantly – but I just don’t think you can play it with Fernandes. He’s a No10 rather than a No8.
39 min: Great chance for Fred! Antony cuts inside from the right and arrows a flat cross towards Fred, who flicks a header over the bar from eight yards. That was probably the best chance so far.
39 min Antony lobs a pass over the top towards Ronaldo, but Miletic does well to shepherd it through to Uzoho.
38 min See 35 min.
36 min Malacia’s fierce cutback is turned over the bar by Ronaldo, eight yards out. It was a half chance at best as the ball was behind him.
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35 min The camera cuts to Erik ten Hag, who looks… displeased.
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33 min: Casemiro hits the bar! Out of nothing, Casemiro whistles an insouciant rising drive from 25 yards that clatters off the top of the crossbar. In fact, Uzoho got a touch on it with his left hand as he dived past the ball. That’s a terrific save.
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32 min Dalot plays a short pass to Ronaldo, back to goal on the edge of the area. He shifts it neatly away from Miletic and hits a left-footed shot on the turn that goes a few yards wide of the far post. A nice effort.
30 min It hasn’t been a particularly good performance from United so far, though they should be ahead. There’s still a lack of wit against deep-lying defences, especially with Eriksen and Sancho on the bench.
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29 min “Strength and conditioning coach for a mid-ranked Championship team?” sniffs Simon McMahon. “I suppose that’s why you’re doing the MBM and I’m emailing it, Rob. Club mascot for a barely surviving Scottish League Two side would have done me. Baxter the Bridie or Bluebell the Coo, can you hear me?”
28 min Rashford v Uzoho, part three. Rashford cuts inside from the left, 20 yards from goal, and rifles a shot towards the far corner. Uzoho sees it late but just manages to fingertip it round the post. That’s an excellent save.
27 min “Speaking of cushy jobs on club staffs, our local team here, the Philadelphia Union, hired their own club tattooist a few years ago,” says Justin Kavanagh. “Although, if United were to do so, that’d be some expensive canvas on which to get creative, bringing its own pressure. Or ‘presssshhhure’, as I’m sure Steve McClaren would pronounce it.”
25 min Dalot fires a good pass into Fernandes, unmarked 25 yards from goal. He shifts the ball to the side and whips a lovely curling shot that goes just wide of the far post. The keeper didn’t move.
24 min Rashford and Ronaldo have shots blocked in quick succession, the former after some lovely skill near the byline.
22 min: Excellent save by Uzoho! Fernandes wins the ball high up the field, plays a one-two with Ronaldo and then slips the ball across to Rashford in the area. His left-footed shot, a slightly tame effort, is well blocked by the outrushing Uzoho.
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21 min Malacia’s cross is too deep for Fernandes, who complains that he was blocked by Panayiotou. The referee isn’t interested.
19 min Ronaldo tries to alleviate the boredom by wandering out to the left and finding the overlapping Malacia. His cross is blocked.
19 min This isn’t the greatest game in the history of football.
16 min Antony cuts inside and shapes a decent cross that is nutted away by Miletic at the far post.
13 min Dalot is lucky to avoid a yellow card for a foul on Bruno. Omonia have started pretty well.
12 min “So suddenly ten Hag has decided that two defensive midfielders are needed against Omonía and weren’t needed against Man City,” says Richie Patterson. “Doh.”
I know what you mean but I think that’s slightly unfair. The shape was 4-2-3-1 in both games; if anything Fred is playing further forward than Eriksen does.
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11 min Fernandes takes the corner short, gets it back and whacks a cross shot that flashes through the six-yard box.
10 min Rashford sits Miletic down in the area with a nice piece of skill and curls a shot that hits Morteo Cassama and loops over the bar.
9 min: Chance for Ronaldo! Rashford collected a loose ball 25 yards out and slid it through the inside-left channel for Ronaldo. He took the shot first time with his left foot but screwed it into the side netting.
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8 min Dalot’s inswinging cross is too heavy for Rashford at the far post.
6 min It’s a bit stop-start at the moment. United don’t really do fast starts anymore.
4 min “I wonder if Frederico Fred is feeling upstaged by Charalampos Charalampous,” says Peter Oh. “And imagine if the substitute Loizos Loizou comes on.”
Wait till Eric Djemba-Djemba comes back from the metaphorical dead.
2 min Fred has an early long-range shot which goes about 20 yards wide. It did hit a defender, to be fair, so it’s a corner for United. Fernandes takes it short to Rashford, unmarked on the left corner of the area. He curls a nice shot towards the far top corner that is pushed over by Uzoho. Good save.
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1 min Peep peep! United kick off from right to left as we watch.
“Is that FC Twente’s Steve McClaren in the top photo?” says Zach Neeley. “Am I wrong that being on a coaching staff could be much more enjoyable than being the actual manager? Get to hang out with amazing players, run drills, stand on the side line looking supportively stern or share in celebrations, without ever having your name in headlines or #ZachOUT social campaigns.”
Well, you do have to do some work, but I know what you mean. My dream was always to be a strength and conditioning coach for a mid-ranked Championship team.
The players are ready for action. It’s a chilly enough night in Manchester. Let’s play!
Elsewhere in the Europa League, the competition favourites Arsenal took another step closer to the last 16.
It’s time to work, Reds 👊 #MUFC || #UEL pic.twitter.com/aizPZiCS2T
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 13, 2022
Football is nothing without fans (2022 remix)
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Team news
Only a peedie bit of rotation from Erik ten Hag. Christian Eriksen and Luke Shaw are given a rest, with Fred and Tyrell Malacia coming into the side. Cristiano Ronaldo replaces the injured Anthony Martial up front.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1) de Gea; Dalot, Lindelof, Martinez, Malacia; Casemiro, Fred; Antony, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford; Ronaldo.
Substitutes: Heaton, Dubravka, Eriksen, Varane, Shaw, Sancho, Pellistri, Elanga McTominay, Garnacho, Iqbal.
Omonia Nicosia (5-3-2) Uzoho; Matthews, Lang, Miletic, Yuste, Kitsos; Panagiotou, Moreto Cassama, Charalampous; Bruno, Kakoullis.
Substitutes: Panayi, Psaltis, Loizou, Barker, Papoulis, Lecjaks, Ansarifard, Zachariou, Diskerud, Venizelou, Savva, Bezus.
Referee Jerome Brisard (France)
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Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Manchester United v Omonia Nicosia at Old Trafford. It’s pretty simple: United need to win this and their next home game, against Sheriff, to set up a group decider against Real Sociedad in San Sebastian on 3 November. Then they need to win that game, ideally while scoring at least two goals. Don’t ask me to explain the permutations, that’s not what the internet was invented for.
It’s easy to forget that, in the new, improved Europa League, only one team in each group qualifies automatically for the last 16. The runners-up go into the catchily entitled knockout round playoffs, where they will face one of the eight teams who have dropped out of the Champions League. Potential opponents include Barcelona, Juventus, Milan and Atletico Madrid. If you don’t mind, Uefa, United would rather not. Nice of you to ask though.
United are facing that unwelcome scenario because of a damaging defeat to Real Sociedad on the opening matchday. That’s the only time Erik ten Hag has really rotated since taking over as United manager. Once bitten and all that, but he really should make multiple changes tonight. There’s a big week coming up for United, who face Newcastle, Tottenham and Chelsea in the space of seven days. With the caveat that football is weird and York City can win 3-0 at Old Trafford, this is by far the easiest match of the four.
Kick off 8pm.
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