Sky Sports football writers analyse Tuesday’s Champions League action as Man Utd are beaten 1-0 by Bayern Munich; Arsenal ended their successful group campaign with a 1-1 draw at PSV, with Eddie Nketiah impressing by getting on the scoresheet
Where do Man Utd go from here?
Image: Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and his team-mates were left dejected by the manner of their Champions League exit to Bayern Munich on Tuesday night
There was consternation from far beyond Old Trafford about the way Man Utd approached a game they simply had to win against Bayern Munich on Tuesday night.
At 0-0 for the first hour, they could potentially bide their time. At that point, a solitary goal, one moment of magic alone would have been enough to seal their progression to the Champions League last 16 with Copenhagen drawing against Galatasaray.
But by the time Kingsley Coman all but ended their hopes with what would prove the winner 10 minutes later, they still hadn’t taken the handbrake off.
- Man Utd 0-1 Bayern Munich – Match report
- Champions League group tables | Fixtures | Results
Nor did they until the end of the game at Old Trafford, mustering one measly shot on target throughout the 90 minutes – and that came halfway through the first period, from left-back Luke Shaw. And had an xG of 0.02.
Perhaps it should be no surprise – after the 48th minute, they managed only one touch in the Bayern box.
If this was the game plan, and it seems it was, it was bizarre. Erik Ten Hag’s post-match comments only seemed to cement that. “The team did very good, we were very good defensively and in the pressing,” he told TNT Sports. “We had many ball regains, especially second half.”
He has defended his team and hidden his true feelings before. See his loyalty despite the manner of defeat at Newcastle last week. But this rang too true to what we had all seen on the pitch, that there never was a plan to go gung-ho despite the arithmetic.
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Tim Sherwood suggests Andre Onana should’ve been quicker off his line to try to prevent Bayern Munich from taking the lead
Man Utd had played an open game against Chelsea six days earlier on the same ground and emerged victorious, though the Blues were stretched by an injury crisis and passed up numerous opportunities to counter.
Put Bayern up against Chelsea, and the Germans would win nine times out of 10 on current form.
But if this is the level of limitation Ten Hag believes afflicts his side, to a point where he is too apprehensive to open up – at all – against a side who were beaten 5-1 in their last away game at the weekend, well. His post-match hopes that Man Utd “want to be back in the Champions League again” will not be achieved any time soon.
Ron Walker
Bayern could give Kane the silverware he craves – in Europe
Image: Harry Kane set up Kingsley Coman's winner as Bayern Munich won 1-0 at Man Utd
It’s hardly the claim of the century that the second-favourites to win the Champions League might win the Champions League.
But there have already been questions asked of whether Harry Kane will get his hands on any long-awaited silverware this season given Bayer Leverkusen’s indestructible start to the Bundesliga season and Bayern’s humiliation in the DFB-Pokal and German Super Cup.
The Champions League may well be their best bet. Nothing is proven by winning a group containing teams 42nd and 54th in the UEFA club coefficient rankings, and a Manchester United side who spent as much time knocking themselves out of Europe than needing anyone else to do it for them.
But they have passed the first test, without any major bumps in the road, and would not turn down potential trips to clubs like PSV, Napoli or Lazio in the last 16.
This is also a team steeped in European history, led by a coach in Thomas Tuchel whose achievements suggest he is at times better suited to this competition than a domestic league campaign.
The last time Bayern Munich lifted the trophy, it was his PSG side who were narrowly beaten in the final, their first and only appearance at that stage. It was his Chelsea team who lifted the European Cup in 2021, four years after their last Premier League title.
His team now is arguably better than either of those previous two. He has Kane firing on all cylinders in attack, Leroy Sane dancing past defenders and Kingsley Coman popping up when it matters. Jamal Musiala. You could go on.
Kane was, as he always is, diplomatic and non-commital about Bayern’s chances after their win at Old Trafford on Tuesday – but with a steely self-belief you would not have heard during his Tottenham days.
“That’s the aim of the club, to go and win the tournament,” he told TNT Sports. “It’s tough with clubs around Europe thinking the same thing, and we’ve got other levels we can achieve. But if we fight together, we’ve got a chance.”
With Tuchel at the helm and him in the driving seat, you sense there might not be a repeat of last season’s disappointing quarter-final exit to Man City – who themselves don’t look quite at the same level this time around.
Few would begrudge the England captain a chance to lift Europe’s proudest, and certainly biggest, trophy. That’s for sure.
Ron Walker
Nketiah stakes claim for Arsenal striker spot
You wouldn’t have been able to tell that his strike at PSV was Eddie Nketiah’s first Champions League goal.
- PSV 1-1 Arsenal – report and reaction
- How the teams lined up | Match stats
The confidence the Arsenal forward had to blast past goalkeeper Walter Benitez with his weaker left foot gave the impression he had been playing at this level for years, not making his maiden start in Europe’s premier club competition.
Image: Eddie Nketiah gave Arsenal the lead just before half-time
This season, Nketiah has shown flashes of brilliance but has failed to find consistency. For example, his hat-trick against Sheffield United in October was followed by a limp display at Newcastle – and Gabriel Jesus was reinstated as Arsenal’s No 9 with minimal fuss after that.
But while Jesus has been an effective option for Mikel Arteta, he has been very wasteful. Since his return from injury in late November, Jesus has registered 2.34 Expected Goals on Target – the most out of any Arsenal player by some distance – but has one goal to show for it.
One thing Nketiah has that Jesus lacks is a clinical edge. Can he use that to his advantage to edge ahead in the Arsenal striker pecking order?
Sam Blitz
Rice at centre-back shows squad gap Arsenal could fill in January
Image: Declan Rice came on at centre-back in Arsenal's draw with PSV
Many were surprised to see Declan Rice appear in Arsenal’s dead-rubber Champions League tie at PSV. But an even bigger shock was seeing the England midfielder come on in defence.
Rice replaced William Saliba for the final half an hour and filled in at centre-back. Arteta said the experiment was needed as an injury to Saliba or defensive partner Gabriel would leave the Gunners exposed.
“Well he’s played there before and we have to try in case of an emergency,” the Arsenal manager said after the game. “I will have to make sure that we can fill the gap in the right way.”
Rice can play in defence – it was his first position in professional football after all. But it’s far from ideal. Since the 2019-20 season, his first campaign as the defensive midfielder role we recognise him in, he has played centre-back just twice in club football.
Against PSV, Rice was turned easily by Ismael Saibari before the PSV attacker hit the post. It’s not a natural role.
So with Jurrien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu long-term absentees, will Arteta move for a defender in January?
Sam Blitz
Sourse: skysports.com
