Football Daily - Europa League Debrief: Late drama at Old Trafford

Episode Date: January 23, 2025

Manchester United narrowly beat Rangers 2-1 to boost their chances of qualifying for the last 16 of the Europa League. The result also means that Philippe Clement's side are all but through to at least the knockout play-off round.Steve Crossman presents reaction to Thursday's night's game from Old Trafford, alongside former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson and commentator Ian Dennis.Former United first-team coach Rene Meulensteen also joins to provide his view on the game, while you can hear the post-match thoughts of both managers. TIMECODES:00:29 - The story of the game 10:19 - Ruben Amorim 12:41 - Debate on the goalkeepers of both teams 17:59 - Philippe Clement5 Live and BBC Sounds commentaries this week:Saturday 25th January: Aston Villa v Manchester City – WSL – 12pm KO – 5 Sports Extra Wolves v Arsenal – Premier League – 3pm KO – 5 Live Manchester City v Chelsea – Premier League - 5.30pm KO – 5 LiveSunday 26th January: Tottenham v Leicester – Premier League – 2pm KO – 5 Live Crystal Palace v Brentford – Premier League – 2pm KO – 5 Sports Extra Aston Villa v West Ham – Premier League - 4.30pm KO – 5 LiveWednesday 29th January: Manchester City v Club Brugge – Champions League – 8pm KO – 5 LiveThursday 30th January: FCSB v Manchester United – Europa League – 8pm KO – 5 Live

BBC Sounds. Music, radio, podcasts. On the Football Daily Podcast, The Debrief. With Steve Crossman. Listen on BBC Sounds. Hello there, this is the Football Daily Podcast. I'm Steve Crossman. We are inside Old Trafford, away to my right-hand side. Some very, very noisy Rangers supporters. They've been loud all night despite the fact that their team have been beaten 2-1 by Manchester United here in the Europa League.

It was not the most dramatic 85 minutes, but then the last few really made up for it. Manchester United are fourth in the Europa League phase. It's very much in their hands going into their final game away at the team that used to be called Stau Bucharest and are now FC SB Tottenham are sixth because they won 3-2 against Hoffenheim in the Europa League they're on 14 points a win for them in their final game against Elfspur would guarantee their passage through automatically in the Europa League the reality is a draw would probably be enough with us to react to what we've witnessed at Old Trafford,

we've got the former Manchester United first-team coach, René Merlinstein. We've got Paul Robinson here inside Old Trafford with myself and Ian Dennis. Ian, all night, Paul Robinson was saying, it's going to take off, it's going to take off. And then it took off. Well, we had to wait, didn't we, for that late drama.

But you're right, it did take off with two goals in four minutes as fortunes and emotions fluctuated. United were leading through a Jack Butland-owned goal seven minutes into the second half. He made a hash of a corner, punching the ball into his own net. But Manchester United squandered chances in that second period. Garnaccio, Maguire, Prepper had made a goal-line clearance. Remember, they had that goal disallowed in the first half.

But Rangers, who were disrupted by injury in the second half, did remain in the game, and then Dessus off the bench hit a post, before dispatching a sweetly struck equaliser to send the Rangers' travelling support into Raptors with two minutes remaining, and just when it seemed that Manchester United had thrown it away, Bruno Fernandes running in, got on the end of a Martinez cross with a 92nd minute winner. So Manchester United now, as you have already said, in a really, really good position to qualify automatically and avoid the playoffs. Paul, do you remember when people described Eric ten Haag's Manchester United as a team that weren't necessarily capable of being particularly good for

long spells, but would get out of jail through individual quality. This did feel a lot like that under Ruben Amorim. Well, not over the period of his tenureship or his infancy of the tenureship so far, but actually in periods in the game tonight, you could see, I think Rangers were obviously depleted by the injuries that they had. They had to bring a lot of youngsters on. I think the quality that Manchester United were able to bring off the bench

you know look at Malasia, Mainu Hoyland, Ugarte, Maguire that's what they had on the bench, that's what they had in reserve they were able to change it up and I think the thing for Rangers it was such jubilation and such ecstasy for getting back into the game at such a late stage with a brilliant finish all of a sudden they forgot

there was still 5, 6, 7 minutes of the game to go defensively they switched off a little bit, Martinez was allowed so much space, lovely ball in for Fernandes and as you say it was two moments of brilliance, the ball in from Martinez and the finish from Fernandes which you know inevitably got them the points at the end.

By contrast Rene, a couple of the subs that Rangers had to bring on were 18 year olds who barely kicked a ball as professional footballers, They brought on Bailey Rice at half-time, I thought it was actually really good. That is the longest amount of time he's ever played in a professional first-team football match.

45 minutes. So Rangers without the bare bones, and I know the result really is all that matters, but Manchester United worked great tonight, didn't they? No, no, no, they were, and like you said, it makes such a difference with Rangers, with, like you said, they're in the bare bones,

bringing young players on, first experiences. So, you know, that doesn't help. But then still, you know, like Paul kept referring, you know, Man United didn't finish the game off. So, you know,

Rangers were still in it. And that one ball, that long ball over the top to Dastas with a great finish, that could have earned them, you know, such an unbelievable important point and then, again, there's an unwritten rule in football it's always the first five to six minutes after the opposition score

you need to reset yourself, you need to get reorganised. I like Paul just said, there was no pressure on the ball with Martinez. I think that was what Tavernier was so angry about for him to get all the chances to cross that ball in and it was a perfect cross for Fernandes and

Fernandes is the type of player that will take those chances and they walk away empty handed, yes, they earn a lot of respect but I think that Clement and his players would have rather walked away with that one point. I actually think Paul this might be quite a difficult question so I'm coming to you with it alright

I noticed you looked past Denno at that point well no because I know if Ian has an opinion he'll jump in as well which is great who played well? Rangers I think you've got to give Rangers a lot of credit we spoke beforehand and Denno was saying about weren't you, about Philip Clement saying that he didn't want to come as the underdog,

that they wanted to come here on the front foot and attack Manchester United, and I thought they give an excellent account of themselves. I think Manchester United played well in spells, they recycled the ball well, they kept possession well, possession without much purpose at times, which they have been guilty of, but I think Rangers... Any individuals, though?

For Manchester United? Well that's what I was trying to think about obviously it's a massive moment at the end for Bruno Fernandes but did any Manchester United players actually play well?

Easy to say Ahmad because he's in that vein of form at the moment I think every time he gets the ball he looks a threat I thought Garnaccio in the first half

played well after everything the noise that surrounded him recently with the potential moves away from the club played with a little bit more flexibility

in that system was allowed to drift onto the left hand side where I feel they got the best out of him, it's easy to pick the ones that didn't play well, I mean me and Denno hardly mentioned Xerxe tonight, didn't mention his name and I think between him and Hoyland he's got a real problem as to who he plays, neither seem to really fit or play well in that system

the back three, Jouro, De Ligt, Martinez and then Maguire came on you can't really pick out a standout performer from Manchester United, but the easy one is Ahmad. Rene, what do you think? It's funny that you say that, because I was going through the team myself, and I looked at it, and I thought I had the same conclusion. You know, there wasn't really any outstanding performance.

I did think that Garnaccio actually caused a bit more of a threat, and Ahmad did what he's done for the last few weeks but them two really, other than that, even Ericsson who normally has got, you know, some really clever passes, you know, to open the opposition up. It was all a bit you know, how do you say it? A bit blend, a bit, I don't

know, there was not really anything that you could shout about and that shows that probably it sums up a little bit the confidence of all the players that all those players at Man United have at the moment. They all play a little bit with a handbrake on, they're not too sure. So hopefully this win will help them in the upcoming game against Fulham on Sunday. Still here, the Rangers fans away to our right-hand side. Not surprisingly, they're just being held back here at Old Trafford,

not being allowed to leave at the same time as all the Manchester United fans who have now departed Old Trafford I suppose Ian one of the major positives coming out of this obviously Manchester United are in very much in poor position to go through Ruben Amorim will desperately have wanted to avoid two more games because he just wants to see these players on the training ground and work out some plans and ideas. Yes, I mean, that's the good thing for Manchester United. You know, they're not going to be in the playoffs now. And if anything, they could still.

Lazio are top of the table, but it doesn't make any difference whether you finish first or second in the way that the seedings work. And there's still a chance that Manchester United, they're only a point behind Athletic Bilbao and Eintracht Frankfurt. So if they can get into the top two, that would a chance that Manchester United, they're only a point behind Athletic Bilbao and Eintracht Frankfurt so if they can get into the top two

that would be massive for Manchester United who struggled at the start of this Europa League campaign they drew the first three games, they've now won four on the spin so that has got to be a positive. For Rangers I think it's now highly unlikely they'll get into the knockout stages automatically

so they will have to go through the playoffs to get into the last 16. But I'm sure they'll have taken that at the start of the campaign as well. They've still had some very good performances and they're missing a lot of key players. So hopefully when it comes to Union Saint-Gilois at Ibrox, get some players back and still get the points that they still maybe require. Yeah, Rangers would have to win against Union Saint-Germain and hope that five other results go their way. So as Ian says, it looks very much like they'll be in the playoffs.

The other good piece of news for Manchester United, assuming, which we can almost now assume that they avoid the playoffs, Rene, is that right now there are teams managed by Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in those playoffs. Ruben Amarin won't want any of that. No, no, absolutely not. But we would want it. Yes, you're right.

It's very true. That would make some really great viewing, I'm sure. But no, no, no. I think Ruben Amarin will be absolutely delighted that he scraped this one away and he got the win. Settles everything down, hopefully. He can concentrate.

He's obviously still in the FA Cup, still a lot of things to go for. And obviously, like I said, the Europa League is so important because it gives that place and right to go into the Champions League. Ian, obviously we talk a lot about the table and stuff and we talk about the importance of finishing in the top two. Will you just clarify for me, what does the top two, why is the top two different?

Does that seed you in a different way? Yeah, so what they do, the draw will actually split. So if you're finishing in the top two, say for instance, you look at the Europa League table now, Lazio will go into one half of the draw and Eintracht Frankfurt then would go into the other half of the draw and those two sides then would know that they can't face each other then until the final.

But equally, for Manchester Manchester United who are currently fourth and Athletic Club who are third they would then know that they can't face Lazio and Eintracht Frankfurt until the semi-finals so the way it's going to be seeded will certainly carry significance when that draw is finally made. So there is still a fair bit on Manchester United's game next

week away in Romania for them to, there's some good incentive there for them. Well very much so I mean Stauber, Caress or FCSB as they're now known are eight so they will need the points to make sure that they finish in the top eight to get automatic qualification so Manchester United are going to face a Romanian side who are going to need the points but equally Manchester United will need the points to try and get into the top two and we can hear now from the Manchester United manager. Here is Ruben Amari. It's hard to deal. We didn't deserve it. And then I think it was fair for us to win a game,

a game that we already knew was tough. In this moment, we start well. I think the pace of the game helped us because it's different and you can feel it. We tried to do things. We were better with the ball. Sometimes we controlled well in the beginning and then we lost the control for seven minutes

because of some bad passes and some transitions. But then I think we create the best chances to win a game and I think we deserve to win. We have an intensive course here in the Premier League with set pieces and we can use it in Europe. Sometimes the rule is a little bit different. I mean in Premier League you can do a little bit more to score a goal, but in that aspect it was a good performance. It's not other manager players. Now they are my players. Then you know the situation of the club. And then we have to, before doing anything,

we have to think what brought us to this moment and to this situation. So we have to be really clear on everything. So my focus is on the next game. The Debrief. Listen on BBC Sounds. The Football Daily Podcast. I'm Ian Dennis, John Murray, Ali Bruce Ball and myself are five live football commentators. We'll be hosting and getting together on a new podcast on the Football Daily feed. Bringing our own insight into what it's like being in the commentary box and in the media areas. If anyone's tuned in for this wondering what commentators were going to talk about and thought it might be a little bit geeky,

then they've got exactly that in the first place. It's insight, John. From Wembley to Wrexham and from Bradford to the Burnabout, the commentator's view on the Football Daily Feed. Listen on BBC Sounds. On the Football Daily Podcast, daily feed listen on bbc sounds on the football daily podcast the debrief with steve crossman listen on bbc sounds rangers players out doing a bit of a cool down now which is why you can hear some more applause away to our right hand side and let's talk about jack butler and paul robinson the rangers goalkeeper i don't want to be too harsh

here but there is a big part of me that watched his performance and thought I think that might be why he never really took that extra step to be a top Premier League goalkeeper or an England goalkeeper he makes some great saves but I think the perception is there is an error in him well it was a

clear error tonight wasn't it I've seen a different Jack Butland at Rangers north of the border whether his game involvement is less than it would be at other teams down here with Rangers sat second in the league and having good performances and good points

tallies if you like, you look at the way that he's played north of the border you could argue that he's probably playing some of his best football, he was exposed a little bit tonight I thought he made some good saves, I thought his all round game was okay, I thought he played reasonably well but the one mistake that you said it looked like at one point

it cost his team, he made the right decision, he came for the cross, he came over the top of the defenders, the attackers he made the right decision in going for a one handed punch, one fist. But his connection, like I said in commentary, it just wasn't there. He connected with the underside of the ball rather than the middle or the bottom half of the ball,

where you punch it up and away. He connected with the underside of the ball. His knuckles kind of rolled underneath the ball. The ball had a lot of backspin, went over his own head and went into his own goal. It was just an unfortunate one for him. It's only just before the Euros, actually, last summer, that Gareth Southgate came to watch the Old Firm derby,

ostensibly to have another look at Jack Butland, who'd been in his England squads before. He was in the England squad for the World Cup in Russia. What about the Manchester United goalkeeper then, Rene? I asked you before the game about Altai Bayonet, whether or not there should be a fight now to be, not literally, Manchester United's number one goalkeeper. I'm not

necessarily saying this performance shifts the dial at all, but how significant do you think that question is in the minute? Well, it will be on Ruben Amarim's mind, I have to say. I think I'm not a goalkeeping coach or expert like Paul is, but I think he equipped himself very well.

Anything he had to do, he dealt well with, so no problem at all from that end. Obviously, it's been very clear why Eric Ten Hag brought Unana in Manchester United, because he's obviously worked with him at Ajax, he's very good with his feet, he's very comfortable in his range of passing, but he has got that lackness in him sometimes, this decision making about hitting those passes and causing problems

and therefore conceding goals but that is probably the reason I don't think there's too much difference in terms of goalkeeping qualities but by Jinder so far I think he's when he's been asked upon he's done okay and he's done okay tonight. I tell you what

Rene, Paul's got some fascinating figures here on the breakdown of goalkeepers. Well, I just thought it might be interesting. I was predicting what we were going to do tonight before the game, and after Onana's mistake at the weekend, I just thought we might be having a chat. And for me, I don't think the best goalkeeper is here at Old Trafford. I think David de Gea left, paid £43 million for Onana,

and I think David de Gea at 34 years of age still. The Golden Glove winner last season before he left Manchester United after 12 years. Playing extremely well at Fiorentina. Stats this season compared to Onana. Errors leading to goals. Onana 4, de Gea none. Goals against. Onana 41, de Gea 22.

Clean sheet, 7 apiece. But it's taken Onana 10 more games than de Gea. Shot percentage saved. Onana 63.7, De Gea 72.5%. And the most interesting stat that I looked at is the distribution, which is apparently why David De Gea was moved on, because he didn't play in the way that Eric Ten Hag wanted them to play. Distribution, short passes, Onana edges it, 72 to 71. Long range passes, Onana's completion, 3271 long range passes Onana's completion

32.4 De Gea's 47.1 read into that what you will you come armed don't you they do me best

a lot of time for that a lot of time for that I mean I did actually have a David De Gea based question in mind just as Paul started speaking there ironically which is

I remember his first season at Manchester United and he really struggled early on and he really struggled early on. And he went on to be a multiple player of the year winner. And I just wonder with Onana, whether or not we are now past the time where you can look at a goalkeeper and say, ah, but it's early. Because it's no longer that early, is it?

No, no, no, definitely not. But just to back up a bit, Paulo, but I think it's right. Sometimes it's good to do that research and look at the stats because numbers don't lie, simple as that. And I was fortunate to work with David De Gea for a number of years and he had to come to terms with the Premier League, which took him a season, which is normal. But he became a world-class goalkeeper and so important for Manchester United.

And like you said, multiple times he won the Player of the Year award and again, you question the fact that they let him go. Fiorentina has jumped on it and they brought in a fantastic goalkeeper but I still think that... I've got a feeling that Ruben Amarim will still sort of go back to Onana on Sunday against Fulham because I do think somehow he still sees him as the number one goalkeeper.

But he can't keep making those mistakes that he has done because obviously that's one of the reasons why Man United are in the position they were in. All right, let's hear from the Rangers manager. Here's Philippe Clément. I saw everybody gutted in the dressing room, disappointed that we lost after playing that kind of game. So I'm also clearly, because you want to win, you want to take the points that you deserve also. But on the other side, and that's maybe stronger now, I'm also very proud what the team did today. Sticking to the plan, following the tactics all the way,

also with really young players coming on the pitch, staying like that. So we had to make two changes in halftime, putting players in positions that they normally don't play. There were so many circumstances, but the team stayed compact,

they stayed well-organised and they stayed brave on the ball because we created enough chances. A lot of positive also with this young group with eight players who could be starting 11 who were not here today with really young lads coming on the pitch and throwing themselves for the colours of the club and also the other experienced guys around them supporting them all the way so those are very positive signs also. we did good and we want to get to the final in Bilbao this team has to win every game

they are a little way away from that at the moment Rene Paul Ian thank you all very much indeed great stuff

Ian Dennis Paul Robinson and Rene Merlinstein who've been with us on the Football Daily Podcast the next episode will be the commentators view Ian

the commentators views the next episode it will have you done it yet? Can you trail it? No, it's being recorded in the morning. Right. Have you thought about doing something based on the traitors? Because I think that might be quite good.

Well, I'm not the man who decides these ideas. Who's the man who decides? It's Matt. Is it? I thought it would be John Murray. No, no. I just turn up, pitch up, told what I've got to say, and then flounder badly at quizzes. I'm saying, Paul, John Murray, faithful.

Ian Dennis, faithful. Ali Breezeball, traitor. Well, I don't think they've ever forgiven me when I did the first commentary with ABB, when they first did it. I trailed it. I said it was like Last of the Summer Wine. Last of the Summer Wine, available on BBC Sounds.

As always, from Old Trafford, thank you so much for listening. Hello, Gary Lineker here. Join myself, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards for The Rest Is Football, the essential podcast for football fans. We'll be bringing strong opinions on all the latest stories from the Premier League and indeed the wider world of football in a show that combines topical debate with the most outrageous tales from our own careers. Will Liverpool have enough to win the Premier League this season? Will Real Madrid's new Galacticos era be a success? Why did Gaza bring an ostrich to training? The rest is football.

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