Man United fend off Europa League humiliation as Erik ten Hag fields strong squad

MANCHESTER, England -- It took Manchester United much than 90 minutes to bash it, but they recovered a mode past Omonia Nicosia successful the Europa League connected Thursday, winning 1-0.

- Report: Man United-Omonia Nicosia | Europa League table | Upcoming fixtures

Although manager Erik 10 Hag fielded a beardown line-up, it was a substitute disconnected the bench, Scott McTominay who scored the game-winner successful stoppage time.

ESPN's Rob Dawson has absorption and investigation from Old Trafford.

JUMP TO: Player ratings | Best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | Post-match quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures

Rapid reaction

1. Man United saved from nightmare Europa League fate

A gully astatine location against Omonia Nicosia would person been embarrassing capable -- but it would person besides meant Manchester United would beryllium each but definite of finishing 2nd successful Group E of the Europa League. From there, they would've faced a last-32 necktie against a squad dropping down from the Champions League, perchance Barcelona, Milan oregon Juventus.

Erik 10 Hag volition beryllium thankful, then, for Scott McTominay's victor heavy into stoppage time.

For the 4th crippled successful a row, 1 of Ten Hag's substitutes came connected to score. This clip it was McTominay, who was lone introduced 9 minutes from time, with the midfielder poking the shot into the nett from six yards out.

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Aside from redeeming United's blushes, it means Ten Hag's broadside inactive person the accidental to decorativeness apical of their radical and advancement consecutive into the last-16 successful the caller year. Real Sociedad beryllium top, 3 points clear, courtesy of their triumph astatine Old Trafford successful September, but United inactive person to question to San Sebastian for the past crippled successful the group.

It should person been acold much comfy against Omonia -- United had 34 attempts connected extremity -- but successful the extremity it was lone the effect which mattered and McTominay was successful the close spot astatine the close time.

2. Ten Hag taking the Europa League seriously

The Dutchman said astatine his pre-match quality league his squad would spell "all out" to bushed Omonia, and the manager did his part.

Starting connected Sunday, United person got Newcastle, Tottenham and Chelsea successful the abstraction of 7 days, but Ten Hag resisted the temptation to rotate his squad and picked David De Gea, Lisandro Martinez, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Cristiano Ronaldo against the Cypriot side. McTominay, suspended against Newcastle aft picking up 5 yellowish cards successful the Premier League, looked definite to commencement but Ten Hag kept him connected the seat successful favour of Casemiro, who should beryllium successful the XI again connected Sunday.

Ten Hag has been accordant successful his connection that United are not yet bully capable to look beyond the adjacent crippled and helium backed it up with his squad enactment against Omonia erstwhile it would person been casual to person 1 oculus connected a pugnacious tally of league fixtures.

Ten Hag isn't taking the Europa League lightly and adjacent though United were made to sweat much than they would person liked, they got 3 points successful the end. Rashford successful peculiar should person been much clinical, but helium whitethorn consciousness it's amended to miss chances against Omonia than against Newcastle connected Sunday.

3. Omonia's back-up goalkeeper has a nighttime to remember

A thorax wounded ruled retired Omonia's No. 1 Fabiano, but successful his spot Francis Uzoho enactment successful a show of a lifetime.

It hasn't been an casual twelvemonth for Uzoho, who was blamed for conceding a extremity playing for Nigeria against Ghana successful March, which yet led to his state missing retired connected a spot astatine the World Cup. But if that was a debased point, his show astatine Old Trafford was precisely the opposite.

The 23-year-old made an aboriginal prevention rushing retired to halt Rashford but that was lone the start. He tipped a Casemiro heap operator onto the crossbar, and conscionable 12 seconds into the 2nd fractional made an unthinkable treble prevention to contradict Antony and past Rashford.

Uzoho faced 34 attempts connected goal, 13 of which were connected target, but was lone beaten successful the 93rd infinitesimal aft a scramble successful the punishment area. He didn't merit to beryllium connected the losing broadside and was truthful disappointed astatine the last whistle that helium needed to beryllium picked disconnected the level by Omonia's coaching staff. Still, it was a nighttime helium won't soon hide successful beforehand of a afloat location astatine Old Trafford and a raucous distant support.

Player ratings

Man United: De Gea 6, Dalot 6, Malacia 7, Martinez 6, Lindelof 6, Casemiro 7, Fred 6, Fernandes 7, Antony 6, Rashford 7, Ronaldo 6.

Subs: Sancho 6, Shaw 6, Eriksen 6, McTominay 7.

Omonia: Uzoho 9, Yuste 7, Miletic 6, Lang 6, Kitsos 7, Matthews 6, Charalampous 6, Cassama 7, Panagiotou 6, Kakoulli 6, Bruno 6.

Subs: Loizou 6, Papoulis 6, Psaltis 6, Ansarifard 6, Diskerud 6.

Best and worst performers

BEST: Francis Uzoho, Omonia Nicosia

He wouldn't person played had Fabiano been acceptable capable to instrumentality his spot successful extremity for Omonia but the Nigerian pulled disconnected a drawstring of saves to frustrate United.

WORST: Marcus Rashford, Manchester United

If helium had his shooting boots with him, the crippled would person been implicit agelong earlier McTominay's injury-time goal.

Highlights and notable moments

Manchester United came excruciatingly adjacent to a extremity successful the 32nd minute, courtesy of Casemiro.

The Brazilian got the shot extracurricular the container and connected for a laser strike, but it rattled disconnected the crossbar:

After the match: What the players and managers said

Check backmost shortly...

Key stats (provided by ESPN Stats & Information)

• Scott McTominay's extremity (92:26) was the latest extremity by Man United this play successful each competitions. It was besides the latest by the squad successful European contention Since Sept. 29, 2021 vs. Villareal (94:15).

Up next

Manchester United: The Red Devils person a speedy turnaround to instrumentality to Premier League enactment connected Sunday, Oct. 16, against Newcastle. Their adjacent Europa League fixture is connected Thursday, Oct. 27 erstwhile they big Sheriff Tiraspol astatine 3 p.m. ET.

Omonia Nicosia: I Basilissa instrumentality to Europa League enactment connected Thursday, Oct. 27 erstwhile they big Real Sociedad astatine 3 p.m. ET successful Cyprus.