A Rasmus Hojlund brace and a converted penalty from Bruno Fernandes were not enough to sink Copenhagen at Parken.

United managed 48% possession to the opposition’s 52% share of the ball.

Erik ten Hag’s men had a total of 9 shots, with eight of these being on target. In comparison, Copenhagen amassed 16 shots with half of these requiring Andre Onana to swing into action.

United put together 497 passes with a success rate of 84%.

Copenhagen strung 517 passes with a pass accuracy of 88%.

One of the Red Devils’ better performers during a disappointing night at Parken was Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

The Englishman made three important clearances during the time he was on the pitch.

Wan-Bissaka also registered four interceptions and came up with three tackles. He was not dribbled past even on one occasion.

The 25-year-old delved into seven ground duels and came out on top an impressive five times. Wan-Bissaka was required to contest two challenges in the air. He won one of these aerial duels.

The right-back lost possession of the ball 12 times and was fouled once. He had 83 touches of the ball to his name.

Wan-Bissaka successfully delivered 50 of the 56 passes he attempted, managing a personal pass accuracy of 89% to his name.

The defender made one key pass. He did not find his teammates with any of his crosses or long balls – an aspect of the game he will undoubtedly be keen to improve.

Wan-Bissaka embarked on one dribble which he completed.

(Stats obtained from Sofascore)

As a result of their defeat, United now have an uphill battle to make it out of the group ahead of crucial clashes vs. Galatasaray and Bayern Munich.

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Wan-Bissaka suffered an injury back on September 16 during a 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford to Brighton.

After a spell on the sidelines, he made his comeback on Wednesday as United were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle in a 3-0 loss.

He was brought on at the interval in place of Diogo Dalot, who was partly culpable for Newcastle’s opener when he failed to mark the run of Miguel Almiron, who ran through on goal before easily beating Andre Onana.

Wan-Bissaka didn’t do anything special but after weeks of being out of competitive action, he looked relatively sharp.

He told club media, “Things were going in the right direction. I’d had pre-season and was looking forward to getting the games under my belt. I’d been playing, so it was unfortunate to pick up an injury at that particular time.”

“I was happy with how I started the season but it’s not just about me, it’s the team. I couldn’t have done it without the team helping me and helping the team. I always just aim to keep going and keep pushing. I was working hard, getting my head down and trying to get back quicker than expected.”

“I don’t find it easy, watching rather than playing. I hate it because I just miss being out there. You know, even when I come into training and doing the rehab, just seeing the boys getting ready for training. At that point, it hits me but I had to keep pushing to get back fit.”

He narrated just how helpful the club’s support staff were in helping him get back to top shape.

Wan-Bissaka noted that going forward, Erik ten Hag made it clear that he wants more from the defender, even as the club tries to get out of their current predicament and get back to winning ways.

The Englishman stated about Ten Hag, “He’s happy with me, with all the development that I’ve had since he came in, so the aim is just to keep going and keep improving.”

Up next for the struggling Red Devils is a trip to Craven Cottage on Saturday to take on Fulham before flying to Denmark to clash against FC Copenhagen on Wednesday.

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Fresh off the back of an embarrassing defeat against Manchester City on Sunday, no doubt Erik ten Hag would have been keen to get his side back to winning ways and in the process, relieve some mounting pressure.

Ten Hag started Andre Onana in goal. In defence, the United boss gave the nod to Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Sergio Reguilon.

Casemiro returned back into the starting XI and slotted next to Hannibal Mejbri and Mason Mount in midfield.

Anthony Martial led the line with Alejandro Garnacho and Antony on either side of the Frenchman. Here are three things we learned from Manchester United’s 3-0 Carabao Cup defeat against Newcastle.

United are extremely poor defensively

The Red Devils demonstrated some control in the early stages of the work but as has been the norm this season, they could only sustain pressure and possession of the ball for roughly 20 minutes before the opposition grew into the game.

Newcastle took some time to get going but when they did, Ten Hag’s men barely had a sniff and primarily played second fiddle.

The Magpies created the most chances and got their reward in the 28th minute when Livramento easily cut through the midfield.

The Newcastle right-back powered through the middle of the park and effortlessly shook off Mount and Hannibal, who were left in his wake.

Livramento then passed the ball to Almiron. Dalot looked to be tracking the Newcastle sub, but the Portuguese defender lost his man who then went through on goal before putting the ball into the back of the net, beyond the reach of Onana.

It was a streak of costly defensive blunders from United which saw Newcastle take the lead.

For the second, Dalot was tricked inside his own box by a rival player who used his pace and tricky feet to bypass the United man.

Ten Hag’s players failed in their objective to clear the ball which landed on the feet of Lewis Hall just outside the box. Hall fired a shot which Onana could not keep out, to give Newcastle a two-goal lead heading into the break.

Newcastle’s third of the match came about as a result of Sofyan Amrabat being harried and dispossessed of the ball.

Willock then let loose a shot into the bottom-right corner to all but seal the win for his side and add to United’s woes.

This term, United have been made to suffer dearly for their laxity and defensive mistakes. These errors were harshly punished by the Toon who were ruthless in their execution.

It’s worrying how easily United are cut open and the number of chances they concede during games. There is simply no cohesion on the pitch and it’s hardly surprising that the backline often finds itself exposed.

Ten Hag has recently been speaking about the need to be pragmatic and direct but such a brand of football requires the team to be defensively compact and solid.

As the Dutchman seeks to stem the bleeding and get his side back to getting results, the defensive structure is an aspect of the game that will need to be addressed urgently.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka barely has a fight on his hands for a starting berth

Wan-Bissaka was the surprise inclusion in the United matchday squad.

The Englishman has not featured for the 20-time English champions since the loss vs. Brighton on September 16.

He returned to training just days ago and it seems he was given a clean bill of health to participate if needed against Newcastle.

Dalot had a nightmare during the 45 minutes he was on the pitch and if there were any doubts about whether Wan-Bissaka’s starting status should be immediately restored, these concerns were put to bed.

In Wan-Bissaka’s absence, Dalot has been decent and has done a relatively good job but against Newcastle, he proved that Wan-Bissaka does not need to do much to be above him in the pecking order.

United in shambles

United have now lost eight of their 15 games across all competitions.

After the City game, questions started being asked of Ten Hag’s tenure in the Old Trafford dugout and just how safe his job really is as the club continues to struggle.

A report covered by The Peoples Person indicated that the board and power brokers within United are still backing the 53-year-old coach.

However, one gets the feeling that he is no longer as bulletproof as he once was – the pitchforks are certainly coming out.

Both at half-time and the final whistle, there were audible boos from the crowd who were clearly exasperated by what they saw.

It did not help that the travelling Newcastle supporters incessantly kept singing “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” in reference to the extreme pressure that is mounting on Ten Hag and his staff.

Amidst rumours of unrest in the dressing room and players not really taking to Ten Hag’s methods, it’s not looking good for the former Ajax manager.

The players look completely short of confidence and lack any drive or desire to do even the most basic things.

The situation on the pitch is just as bad off it, what with the imminent partial investment of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the uncertainty that his overhaul of sporting operations could bring.

United are undoubtedly a club in turmoil and an end to the misfortunes does not seem to be near.

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Wan-Bissaka recently returned to training after sustaining an injury during United’s game against Brighton on September 16.

This season, United have struggled with multiple physical setbacks to key members of their backline. Alongside Wan-Bissaka, Erik ten Hag has had to contend with the absences of Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez.

The likes of Raphael Varane and Sergio Reguilon have also been in and out of the team.

It’s expected that Wan-Bissaka will not be rushed back into competitive action as the club are keen not to aggravate his injury.

Early last month, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed that United were set to initiate talks over fresh terms for the Englishman.

Romano explained that Wan-Bissaka had convinced Ten Hag that he can contribute to his project and at the moment, the player is considered a key member of the team.

The Daily Mail have given an update and relayed that negotiations between United and the player’s representatives are no longer moving as fast as they once were.

“Contract talks between United and Aaron Wan-Bissaka appear to have gone quiet.”

“Negotiations over a new deal looked to be heading for a positive conclusion once the transfer window closed in the summer, but Confidential understands it now seems more likely that United will trigger a 12-month extension to keep Wan-Bissaka under contract until June 2025 and look at his situation again in the New Year.”

“If United didn’t activate the one-year contract extension for Wan-Bissaka – or Victor Lindelof – both players would be able to speak to foreign clubs on January 1 and leave as free agents in the summer.”

Another play in the same position as Wan-Bissaka and Lindelof is Anthony Martial. The Mail however states that the French striker is unlikely to be offered a new deal to extend his tenure at Old Trafford.

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Manchester United´s start to the season has been somewhat of a rollercoaster ride. Another unfortunate characteristic of Erik ten Hag´s side is the inability to score the number of goals expected of a top-class side.

However, it must be stated that the lack of consistency from the team is also significantly linked to the injury crisis the club are going through at the minute.

If all the players were at the coach’s disposal, the manager would pick a team that looked something like this.

In goal, Andre Onana must be the first choice. He has already had his fair share of embarrassing moments this season, but he is the ball playing keeper the manager wants and needs.

His confidence will also be boosted from his recent heroics in the Champions League against Copenhagen.

The defence largely picks itself with Luke Shaw, Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez all mainstays in most fans´first team. Probably the biggest debate is who should come in at right back.

In theory, Diogo Dalot fits the bill as a more well-rounded modern day full-back. However, he has flattered to deceive one too many times and that is why Aaron Wan-Bissaka seems the sensible choice.

Despite his weaknesses in attack, he provides great tackling prowess and Ten Hag has been convinced enough to reinstate him as his first choice.

The midfield also provides a little bit of a conundrum. Balance in this department has been an issue all season.

The selection of Mason Mount and Bruno Fernandes playing together with only Casemiro providing defensive cover has hardly covered itself in glory this season.

This was brutally exposed on opening day when Wolves cut through the midfield time and time again

Therefore, a selection of Casemiro, Sofyan Amrabat and Bruno Fernandes should provide a sufficient mix of silk and steel.

Mainly, Amrabat’s deep-lying playmaking and defensive instincts will not only allow Bruno to spend more time doing what he does best in chance creation, but also give the 31 year-old Casemiro some much needed assistance in the middle.

Finally, the attack must include Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund and Antony for different reasons. Irrespective of his quiet start to the campaign, Rashford is still the most dangerous experienced attacking outlet.

Hojlund has yet to hit the back of the net in the Premier League but has shown his talent in the Champions League.

Moving on to the last position of right winger, currently, the manager does not have much choice after the Jadon Sancho and Mason Greenwood incidents.

So despite his problems, Antony takes the final spot over the inexperienced Facundo Pellistri.

Certain players such as Alejandro Garnacho and Mason Mount would, in an ideal world, be knocking down the door to break into the starting side but it must be remembered it is a squad game.

Although, if everyone was fit and available, this would be United’s best eleven to fight on all fronts.

The post Manchester United’s best XI when injury-free analysed appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Manchester United’s defensive injury crisis has been a major reason behind the stuttering start to Erik ten Hag’s second season in charge at Old Trafford.

The United coach hasn’t been able to field his strongest back-four since the opening rounds of the campaign and performances have suffered as a consequence.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been one of those missing for the majority of the season after hobbing off with a hamstring injury in the home defeat to Brighton six weeks ago.

However, the right-back is heading toward a return to the first-team and has been training on the grass at United’s Carrington training complex this week.

As reported by The Daily Mail, Wan-Bissaka is now in the last stages of his rehabilitation and will be itching to get back into action.

With regular starters Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez still long-term absentees, Ten Hag has been short on options.

Raphael Varane, Sergio Reguilon, Jonny Evans, Tyrell Malacia and Wan-Bissaka have all spent spells on the sidelines this season so having the former Crystal Palace man back in the fold will please the boss.

With Treble winning Manchester City up next for United, Ten Hag might be tempted to throw the defender into the key game which could define United’s season.

With Diogo Dalot comfortably able to shift to left-back, Wan Bissaka could make his return and provide United with much more solidity.

No doubt the 25-year-old’s defensive attributes far outweigh those of any full-back available to Ten Hag at the moment and in a game in which United are going to have to defend well – his impact could prove vital.

Additionally, some of Wan-Bissaka’s best performances in a red shirt have come in the Derby and he relishes the opportunity to test himself against whoever Guardiola picks on the left side of his attack.

However, the contest might come too soon for Wan-Bissaka. Alternatively, Sergio Reguilon will continue at left-back, with Dalot on the other side.

It’s been an incredible twelve months for Wan-Bissaka as this time last season, he found himself out in the cold at Old Trafford and his future at the club looked bleak.

However, an outstanding second half to the campaign has catapulted the Englishman to become first choice under Ten Hag and become a key cog in the United back four.

United will be desperate to welcome Wan-Bissaka back into a winning team but will need their best performance of the season to overcome City on Sunday afternoon.

The post Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka back in training appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Mainoo was United’s breakout star of pre-season but received a blow when he picked up an injury during a friendly game vs. Real Madrid.

He returned to training during the October international break. During his presser before the Sheffield United match, Ten Hag told reporters that the Englishman was not fit enough to feature at Bramall Lane, although he was nearing a return to action.

Manchester Evening News have provided an update on Mainoo and indicated that he could be available for selection to face FC Copenhagen.

“Mainoo’s return to the United line-up is on the horizon after the young midfielder featured in training. There had been hope he would feature against the Blades but he was not a member of the squad,” the outlet says.

Another player expected to be included in the starting XI is Sergio Reguilon.

Unlike Mainoo, the Spaniard was a surprise exclusion from the matchday squad that travelled to face Paul Heckingbottom’s men on Saturday.

MEN states on Reguilon, “The issue with the on-loan Tottenham Hotspur defender is not thought to be serious and he should be making a return to the line-up shortly after a good start at Old Trafford.”

Against the Blades, Jonny Evans formed a solid centre-back partnership with Harry Maguire in the absence of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane who was on the bench, seemingly not yet fully fit after a brief period on the sidelines.

There were concerns when Evans – who has started well at United during his second spell – went down and had to be replaced by Varane.

However, it’s understood that he was only substituted as a precaution and it was nothing serious.

The North Ireland international should be good to play in the Champions League this week as United look to get out of their group and proceed to the next round of the competition.

Ten Hag will not be able to count on the services of Casemiro who is still in Brazil recovering from a physical setback sustained during the international break.

In any case, the 31-year-old was suspended after being red-carded against Galatasaray.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw remain long-term absentees.

Wan-Bissaka who suffered a hamstring injury could return in November, with Shaw a little bit further away from making a comeback.

As per MEN, there is a real possibility that Martinez has played his last game of the year, with January 2024 looking like a realistic return period for the World Cup winner.

With respect to Amad Diallo, “The young winger has been posting updates on his social media channels documenting his progress. He has been training which suggests a return may not be far off but a time frame has not been revealed yet.”

The post Kobbie Mainoo’s return to Man United line-up “on the horizon” ahead of FC Copenhagen clash appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

Mainoo was undoubtedly United’s breakout star of pre-season before he sustained an unfortunate ankle injury during United’s clash against Real Madrid that has kept him out since late July.

A recent report covered by The Peoples Person revealed that Mainoo played in a behind-closed-door friendly against Barnsley during the international break.

It was relayed that he “looked sharp.”

Ahead of his side’s game vs. Sheffield at Bramall Lane, Ten Hag was asked about Mainoo’s availability. He said, “He [Mainoo] is close. He’s already training with us. Not today, but I think next week he will have some minutes in the team so then he can catch up his game minutes. And so yeah, he’s really improving and ready to get back in the squad for games.”

The United boss gave further injury updates on the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Shaw.

He explained that Wan-Bissaka is not far from coming back into the team but Shaw is likely to be unavailable in the upcoming “block of games,” – possibly suggesting that the English left-back may not recover before the November international break.

Ten Hag added, “If you can’t use, every time, the same players, you can’t bring in the routines. Some routines slipped away in the last weeks and, yeah, that had a bad effect on the results.”

“I never use it as an excuse. We still have a good squad, we still have to win.”

On Casemiro, the Dutch coach mentioned that the Brazil international suffered a “small injury” while playing for the Selecao, but confirmed it’s nothing serious and the 31-year-old is on track to feature in the next Premier League clash against Manchester City at Old Trafford on October 29.

When put to task about whether he was unhappy Casemiro was selected in Brazil’s starting XI to face Uruguay while there were major doubts about his fitness, Ten Hag remarked, “You can’t be. That is the rule. He’s playing for a nation and he’s playing for us. And we all understand that Casemiro is a soldier and he is available for every game. So he will always give his best, for his nation and for Manchester United.”

Another matter that came to the fore during Ten Hag’s presser was the ongoing partial investment of Sir Jim Ratcliffe into the club.

Ten Hag pointed out that United co-chairman Joel Glazer has so far kept him in the dark about the ongoing process.

The post “He is close”: Erik ten Hag gives Kobbie Mainoo injury update and reveals return date appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

This is according to Football Transfers, who report that Ten Hag is keen on signing a right-back as he is unsure about the suitability of his current options – Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Mukiele joined PSG from RB Leipzig in 2022 for a fee of £13.5million.

However, the 25-year-old has found life at the Parc des Princes extremely difficult. He has struggled for first-team minutes with the Ligue 1 champions.

“Erik Ten Hag wants to bring in a right back to Manchester United in January and sees Paris Saint-Germain defender Nordi Mukiele as a viable target, FootballTransfers has been told.”

“The Dutchman is a fan of the Frenchman’s versatility, given that he can play at centre-back either on the right or left, while he also has been deployed on the flank before.”

It’s understood that the Red Devils thought about bringing in Mukiele last summer but ultimately, a decision was made to hand Dalot and Wan-Bissaka the chance to prove themselves.

The belief is that neither of the two current United stars have been totally convincing so far.

As per Football Transfers, Ten Hag has doubts over Wan-Bissaka’s temperament and whether the Englishman has what it takes to be part of a title-winning side.

On the other hand, there are apparently concerns over Dalot’s physicality and his defensive abilities.

Dalot’s struggles in containing the tricky Wilfried Zaha during United’s loss against Galatasaray on Tuesday are seen as an instance of the Portuguese’s shortcomings.

Within Old Trafford, Mukiele is seen as an upgrade.

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The Red Devils will be visiting the Allianz Arena to take on the German champions as the Champions League gets underway.

As reported by the Manchester United official site, Bayern will be boosted by the return to full fitness of several key players.

Portuguese international, Raphael Guerreiro, has been out with a calf injury since July but has now returned to training. There is no clear indication as to whether he is expected to play a role in Wednesday’s game, however.

The 29-year-old defender has yet to play for the Bavarian giants after signing for them in the summer.

Meanwhile, veteran goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer continues his recovery after suffering a broken leg in a skiing accident last year.

But players who could definitely be returning to face United include Joshua Kimmich and Kingsley Coman.

Against Bayer Leverkusen, the veteran midfielder was withdrawn as was the French winger.

Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel has now confirmed that Kimmich’s withdrawal was merely a precaution, and the midfielder is expected to be fit for this game.

Tuchel is quoted as having said, “Joshua had an inflamed tendon and we didn’t want to take any risk with him.”

“The medical team clearly said he could only play 60 minutes and that’s why we brought him off in the 60th minute.”

Similarly, Coman who suffered a muscle injury is expected to be fit enough to play a part in the game.

Ironically, however, Tuchel himself will not be available for the game as he will be serving out a touchline suspension.

On the United side, Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been confirmed to have picked up an injury when he came on in the dying minutes of last Saturday’s defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion.

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