Manchester United managed a 4-2 win over Sheffield United on Wednesday night despite falling behind twice at Old Trafford.
Andre Onana’s howler gave Sheffield United the lead ten minutes into the first half, Jayden Bogle took advantage and put the Blades ahead. But Harry Maguire scored his second goal in two games with a header just wide of the post and equalized before half-time.
Ben Brereton Diaz put the visitors back in the lead just after half-time, but Man Utd scored another equalizer thanks to a Bruno Fernandes penalty. The Portugal international then scored a brilliant goal and set up one for Rasmus Hojlund, which ultimately saw the hosts secure all three points.
How the game developed
After a difficult weekend at Wembley, Manchester United almost made a dream start to calm nerves at Old Trafford. Diogo Dalot, who scored in the second leg, saw his long-range shot tipped over the crossbar by the returning Wes Foderingham after just 30 seconds.
Alejandro Garnacho was next to test the Sheffield United goalkeeper and could have given Man Utd the lead with 23 minutes played. A brilliant effort from the Argentine created a shot opportunity from just ten meters away, but he failed to see the corner from close range.
Despite being completely dominant in the first half, Man Utd found themselves behind ten minutes before half-time due to a terrible Onana error. The Cameroon international’s weak pass was intercepted by Bogle just outside the penalty area and the full-back stepped forward and calmly shot home to give the Blades the lead against the run of play.
However, the Red Devils found an answer just before the half-time whistle when Maguire struck against his former employers. Garnacho’s struck cross was headed into the far corner by the central defender and equalized just before stoppage time.
Man Utd should have taken the lead just moments later, but Foderingham was again denied by the hosts. A long ball across the goal line was deflected by Dalot into the path of Garnacho, but the young player fired his shot too centrally to beat the Sheffield United stopper.
Garnacho’s profligacy proved costly just six minutes after the restart as Sheffield United stunned the home crowd by taking the lead again at Old Trafford. A great move was completed by Brereton Diaz, who lifted Ben Osborn’s accurate cross high over Onana into the Man Utd goal.
But Man Utd showed the determination to get their second equalizer of the game ten minutes later with Fernandes converting the penalty. Aaron Trusty was found guilty of pulling Maguire down in the penalty area, with the Portuguese showing great composure to score the equaliser.
Brereton Diaz had the home fans sweating when his deflected shot whistled inches past Onana’s post and Sheffield United began to frustrate the hosts as they desperately searched for a winner.
But the hosts’ persistence paid off with ten minutes left and it was a bit of Fernandes’ magic that put Man Utd ahead for the first time. The captain picked up the ball from 20 yards out and placed a lovely left-footed shot past Foderingham to save his team blushes.
Fernandes then helped Man Utd clinch the points with five minutes left by releasing an inch-perfect pass to Hojlund. The Dane managed to reach the ball ahead of Foderingham and slot the ball into the net, giving the Red Devils a hard-fought victory.
TW: Andre Onana – 4/10 – A terrible mistake gifted Sheffield United a goal and put the hosts on the defensive.
RB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka – 6/10 – Solid defense for the most part but showed his limitations in Sheffield United’s half.
CB: Casemiro – 6/10 – Performed admirably in an unusual role, largely silencing Sheffield United’s strikers when they came near him.
CB: Harry Maguire – 7/10 – A clever header off the post brought Man Utd level after a frustrating first half, while his presence in the box helped the hosts win their second-half penalty.
LB: Diogo Dalot – 7/10 – Provides some threat on the left side of the United States and pairs well with Garnacho. A promising opening just before the hour was spurned, but it was a strong performance from the Portuguese.
CM: Kobbie Mainoo – 7/10 – Another lively performance from Mainoo who produced some nice touches in and around the Blades penalty area.
CM: Christian Eriksen – 6/10 – As one of two defensive midfielders often deployed to protect the back four, he didn’t look entirely comfortable.
RM: Antony – 5/10 – Offered very little on the right outside the first few minutes and was unsurprisingly pulled back by Erik ten Hag after the break.
AM: Bruno Fernandes – 9/10 – Typically calm and purposeful from the penalty spot, he scored a fantastic winner from distance. He stepped up when the Red Devils needed him and even picked up an assist in the fourth period.
LM: Alejandro Garnacho – 8/10 – This is all positive for Man Utd, even if they should have scored a few goals in the first half alone. When he got the ball, the home fans moved to the edge of their seats.
ST: Rasmus Hojlund – 6/10 – Not a particularly memorable performance from the striker, but he finally got back on the scoresheet.
Substitute
SUB: Amad Diallo (55′ for Antony) – 6/10
SUB: Scott McTominay (64′ for Eriksen) – 6/10
Substitute: Sofyan Amrabat (90th minute for Mainoo) – N/A
Substitute: Ethan Wheatley (90th minute for Hojlund) – not available
Substitutes not used: Altay Bayindir (TW), Habeeb Ogunneye, Harry Amass, Louis Jackson, Omari Forson.
Manager
Erik ten Hag – 6/10 – Another strange evening for his team, who dominated the majority of possession and chances. Nevertheless, they made life difficult for themselves and were anything but convincing in the end.
TW: Wes Foderingham – 7/10 – Tested frequently throughout and made some really impressive saves to deny Man Utd’s forward line. Helpless in the face of all the goals his team conceded.
RB: Jayden Bogle – 7/10 – Did an admirable performance against the tricky Garnacho and even made a surprising start with good anticipation and a good finish.
CB: Mason Holgate – 5/10 – Not exactly the most confident performance from Holgate, who was a little hasty on a few occasions.
CB: Anel Ahmedhodzic – 6/10 – An important intervention to deny Hojlund, but that was his only significant contribution for the Blades.
CB: Auston Trusty – 5/10 – A fantastic tackle that denied Dalot a great scoring opportunity, but his clumsiness in the box earned Man Utd the penalty.
LB: Ben Osborn – 6/10 – Made sure Man Utd kept their left flank quiet and provided a great assist for Brereton Diaz’s shot.
CM: Gustavo Hamer – 6/10 – Provided some impetus from midfield and helped set up Sheffield United’s second half with a nice turn and pass from Cruyff.
CM: Ollie Arblaster – 6/10 – Tried to orchestrate play on the rare occasions that Sheffield United had the ball.
CM: Andre Brooks – 5/10 – Barely touched the ball before it was hooked at half-time.
ST: Ben Brereton Diaz – 7/10 – A great finish to restore Sheffield United’s lead after the break and his physical condition caused some problems.
ST: Cameron Archer – 6/10 – Did his best with very little serve and offered the guests some speed during the break.
Substitute
Substitute: Vinicius Souza (46′ for Brooks) – 6/10 – After his introduction, move his body to the central areas.
SUB: James McAtee (62′ for Archer) – 5/10
SUB: Oliver Norwood (77′ for Bogle) – 6/10
SUB: William Osula (86′ for McAtee) – N/A
Substitutes not used: Ivo Grbic (TW), Yasser Larouci, Sam Curtis, Owen Hampson, Anis Ben Slimane.
Manager
Chris Wilder – 4/10 – He can be proud of his team’s performances for long periods, but they are simply not strong enough defensively against top attackers.