All of which means I’m gone. But worry not: Scott Murray is still here for you, as Rangers v Fenerbahce pootles into the last 10 minutes of extra time. Join him here below, but otherwise, peace out and to those who celebrate, a freiliche Furim.
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I was waiting for this! “A friend of mine is a HJK supporter,” says Kári Tulinius, “and he once invited me along to a Europa League game in Helsinki in November. It was a proper Finnish winter evening, with snow and a slight, hellishly cold breeze. Even though at the time I didn’t know enough Finnish to understand the chants, I joined in the jumping and shouting just to avoid dying of exposure, trusting my friend to let me know if I was shouting anything that would reflect badly on me as a human.”
Tangentially, I remember Ole Gunnar Solskjær saying it’s difficult to get a racket going in cold places as everyone’s wearing gloves so can’t clap loudly. Maybe people should take a few pots and pans in.
“A complete week,” he says. We showed little bit of the future with the problems of the present.
The physicality was there, he thinks, and that in this competition United – underpowered domestically – can assert themselves in that way. They’re learning about themselves and how to win or draw games in the different competitions.
He’s learning how to use his players – Casemiro, say – and after trying Garnacho on the right in Spain, he saw things he’d not seen before.
Because United play with two 10s they need one player to make the runs, that being Hojlund, and he made some good “connections”. Of course he wants to score and you can see how much in his body language.
After the away game they felt they could progress, then they played well against Arsenal and in training he sensed a mood of “we can do this”.
On Bruno, he says it’s hard for him because sometimes he wants to win too much, trying to do everything because he doesn’t trust the teammates. But he can do some much, penalties under pressure, transitions in the dying minutes, and so on.
As for his position, he needs someone to take the ball to the final third, so he pushes him back as United once did with Ryan Giggs, and they need to get him near the box because he’s so dangerous. You need him as an 8 and a 10, says Scholes; and sometimes as a 6, adds Amorim.
Against Lyon, though, it’ll be a different game. They’re more physical and play in a really physical league, so United will have to find a different way.
Ah, here’s Ruben Amorim…
“Has to be Hamburg 0-3 Schalke in January 2014,” says Mark Robinson. “Temperature was -12 C, with the wind chill it was below -20 C. We survived by drinking gluhwein and coffee with brandy. The locals were trying to drink beer, but unfortunately it was freezing soon after it was poured. A long, frostbitten march back to the S-Bahn reminiscent of the French retreat from Moscow.”
I’ve got a story about Hamburg too, but I don’t think I can tell it.
“Copa del Rey in Pamplona, back in Messi’s glory days, Osasuna v. Barça,” reckons Mark Woldin. “Frigid fog. 400 meter altitude. Real cold. Messi came in for last 30 minutes. And scored.”
But could he do it on a balmy Wednesday night in stoke?
“Ok, I’m cheating on two levels,” admits James Funnell, “but I once stood on the sidelines of an All Blacks training run in Dunedin in mid-winter. It was on the coast and sleet was coming in sideways. I had polyprops, thermal jacket, a stadium jacket (those long padded coats that make you look 300lbs+) and was absolutely frozen. Oh, and alone…”
Yes! “23 seconds onwards…” returns David Birtles.
“I’m going back to my teenager years in Milan,” says Giovanni Cafagna. “13th January 1985. My team AC Milan played Como at San Siro. The weather was typical winter Milanese: freezing fog and snowy. Temperature had dropped several degrees below zero the night before, turning the pitch into an ice rink. The match was famously won by the visiting team, who managed to provide the players with special shoes imported from Germany that had sucker soles instead of the canonical studs. While they were keeping the balance and passing the ball and scoring (twice), my team were skidding about like crazy. Meanwhile us spectators on the terraces, were given a taste of the worst snowfall to hit Milan in living memory. In fact, it continued to blanket the city for the whole week, so much so that it literally paralyzed life, and several roofs collapsed, including the now dismantled Palazzetto dello Sport (nicknamed The Big Steak) that stood opposite San Siro, home to Milan’s basketball team Olympia. The Antarctic cold of that week of 1985 left a shivering mark indelibly etched in all those who had experienced it.”
Sounds class. And not unlike the 1954 World Cup final, in which West Germany’s Adidas boots helped them beat overwhelming favourites Hungary in the driving rain.
Fernandes tells TNT that United is all about winning. They need to win games, in this competition there’s no other option and they’ve a long way to go but they’re confident that if they have the right mentality they can win games.
He reckons United reacted quickly to going behind to an unlucky penalty, but a great ball from Casemiro got them back into it and but for the foul, Hojlund would’ve scored.
He thinks confidence is a big thing in football, at United even more so, and they got some after performing well against Arsenal and the players need to understand that they’re there for each other.
He doesn’t reckon United are playing as Amorim wants them to, but they’re getting closer, then he says Hojlund is a striker so wants to score, but the team are behind him and once he gets one the goals will flow.
Spurs and Chelsea are through, but at Ibrox we’re going to extra-time! Join Scott Murray for the evil joy.
FULL TIME: Manchester United (5) 4-1 (2) Real Sociedad
A terrific performance from United, who were good even before the red card. Over the two legs they were by far the better side and fully deserve to progress; they meet Lyon in the last eight.
90+4 min I cannot remember the last time I saw a United team look like they were enjoying themselves.
90+2 min “Not only are fancy-dans Arbroath arrogant with their coldest ground claim,” says David Birtles, “they’re also wrong: Buxton FCs Silverlands stadium is at 1000ft the highest in the UK and the most unforgiving. I’m known as the Buxton Wet Boy having been shown on TV FREEZING in our FA Cup tie against Morecambe on BBC1, and I find it frankly insulting.”
I can’t argue with that, but I think we need the footage.
GOAL! Manchester United (5) 4-1 (2) Real Sociedad (Dalot 90+1)
Hojlund and Dorgu try and tee each other up but can’t find a shooting lane, so Hojlund skirts around the outside, here comes another cut-back … and Dalot roofs his finish. This, for the first time, is the football Ruben Amorim wants to see.
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90 min We’ll have four additional minutes.
89 min Aguerd is booked for a foul.
89 min Change for United, Eriksen on for Zirkzee, who’s been really good.
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GOAL! Manchester United (4) 3-1 (2) Real Sociedad (Fernandes 87)
Goodness me, what a player he is. Dalot picks up a loose bit of control from Oskarsson and swings it forward for Garnacho at inside-right, who holds on waiting for Fernandes on the outside, sliding him in with decent weight. And though he might square to give Hojlund a tap-in, he decides to make sure, nailing a low shot across Remiro for his hat-trick. He’s been brilliant tonight and for the last couple of months; United are going through to face Lyon in the last eight.
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NO PENALTY!
And no hat-trick of penalties for Fernandes. Traore curled his foot around the ball and we see Dorgu telling the ref is wasn’t a foul. The game remains alive.
85 min VAR takes a look…
PENALTY TO UNITED!
84 min Ball down the line from Garnacho to Dorgu, Traore slides in – I think it’s a good challenge but the ref says foul.
81 min Nice from Heaven, moving it upfield and finding zirkzee on the left. The ball makes its way to garnacho, who lays back for Fernandes – Amorim loves a cut-back – and he plays a gorgeous disguised pass that has Robbie Savage purring. Zirkzee shoots, Remiro tips away, and United sustain the attack! This is not a misprint! Mazraoui retrieves possession down the right, the spare centre-back attacking, he beats two men, the second with a meg, lofts to the far post, and Zirkzee heads back across, Hojlund just unable to tuck home. Excellent passage from United.
8o min Sociedad pump a free-kick into the box, Heaven clears, then again, and Traore shoots, the deflected effort almost finding Oskarsson; he replaced Kubo a few minutes ago, presumably when my daughter disturbed me.
80 min Change for Sociedad, Traore replacing Elustondo.
78 min Change for United: off goes Casemiro, who’s played better than he has since perhaps the 2023 League Cup final; on comes Collyer.
77 min More Unirted possession but with a purpose, and Fernandes ends the sequence with a dipping shot that’s straight at Remiro.
75 min United win a corner, Barrenetxea complains, and he’s booked.
73 min In November 2014, I was on Spurs v Everton, and i was absolutely shocked by what I saw: it was only 2-1 but Spurs were incredible that afternoon, far too physical and aggressive for Everton, and though I didn’t know it at the time, it was the first time they played as Mauricio Pochettino wanted them to. This hasn’t been quite as stark as that, but this is the first time we’ve seen united do what Amorim wants, I think.
71 min Lovely form Bruno, sliding a cunning ball between two defenders and in behind for Dorgu, whose cross is blocked behind; the corner yields another.
70 min Hojlund out to Garnacho, who cuts back; a defender gets a touch, Hojlund picks up, and shoots … but hits another defender, though I think the ball was going wide.
69 min Dorgu wriggles away from Elustondo, who yanks him back by the waist and is booked.
68 min “Gayfield,” says Simon McMahon, “home of Arbroath FC, is often cited as the coldest ground in Scotland, backing as it does on to the North Sea, from where actual spray can reach the terraces and combine with ice cold wind, rain and haar to provide a unique ‘experience’. Makes most other grounds in the UK resemble Madrid in high summer.”
Take me there now. And haar, I’ve learnt a new word.
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67 min Dorgu has been very good tonight – he’s exactly the, er, profile of player needed for the position, a one-man flank who can cover up and down, win balls in the air, win tackles, and attack. It’s early days, of course, but he looks a very good fit.
66 min Now Garnacho gets away, and he’s got men in the box but should shoot; he cuts back for Dorgu, whose shot form the edge is blocked.
65 min Fernandes chips in the free-kick, it’s headed away, and De Ligt hammers over the bar.
64 min VAR wants a look, but upholds the call, then Oyarzabal is booked for whinging.
RED CARD FOR ARAMBURU!
63 min Nice from Hojlund, who holds up then sets back for Zirkzee, who plays a lovely ball in behind for Dorgu, who bursts on to it and he’s in! Aguerd might get across, but I’d not back him, so when Aramburu, who only came on eight minutes ago, hauls him down, it’s not surprise to see the ref reach for his top pocket. A goal up and a man up, how will United manage to united this up?
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62 min At Spurs, AZ have scored to level the tie at 2-2 on aggregate.
61 min And look at Dalot doing his best, hoping to shepherd a ball into touch only to be caught by Barrenetxea, whose cross is blocked behind by Casemiro. He’s played well tonight.
61 min Sociedad have lost their way here, but they needn’t worry – I’m sure United will find a way of gifting them a goal soon enough.
59 min “Coldest I’ve felt was at Oldham Athletic v Newcastle United in the Check-a-Trade in November 2017. The chairman handed out free hot pies to the 50-odd away fans in a very kind gesture. I held mine for at least 25 minutes to keep my hands warm.”
That makes a lot of sense: the pies at Old Trafford can scald your tongue clean out.
58 min Hojlund’s off-the-ball work, by the way, has been very good tonight – passes are missing him by fractions and, as I speak, a lovely disguised flick around the corner from Zirkzee sets Hojlund at Zubimendi, now at centre-back. It’s a mismatch really and the striker muscles past on the outside, then looks to scud a low shot towards the near post … but it’s just wide.
56 min Excellent from, Garnacho, who reads Remiro’s pass to Aguerd, slides in, intercepts superbly … and picks out the keeper with his attempted tee-up of Hojlund.
55 min Tripe change for Sociedad: off go Zubeldia, becker and Marin, on come Turrientes, Brrenetxea and Aramburu.
54 min Patrucxk Dorgu is a player. A long ball from Heaven for Dorgu, who easily shucks off Elustodo, but with Fernandes beseeching him for the pull-back, he instead goes square for Hojlund and Remiro dives to intercept.
53 min “Inter-Chievo, 15th of December 2001,” reckons Warren O’Toole.” Inter frontline of Vieri, Recoba, and the Real Ronaldo, just back from injury. Minus ten degrees, couldn’t take off your gloves without your hands seizing up.And yet, the chant-caller in the San Siro had no top on, presumably keeping the cold out with chemical assistance! Inter lost 2-1, Vieri had an open goal when they were drawing and tried to tee up Ronaldo as a crowd-pleaser, but he duly dinked it wide. As some consolation, I met a young Adriano on the streets of Milan the day after, with his Dad, a jolly old guy with a huge gold medallion.”
52 min Zubimendi is booked for something, but it’s not clear what.
51 min Back to Spurs, Scott Murray has all the latest developments.
GOAL! Manchester United (3) 2-1 (2) Real Socidedad
Of course he can! Again, he waits, but he doesn’t jump, instead rolling right once the keeper moves left.
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49 min VAR wants a look: did Dorgu run into Elustondo on purpose? I think the defender didn’t quite stand his ground, he moved forward, so I think this decision will stand … and indeed it does. Can Fernandes hold his nerve again?
ANOTHER PENALTY TO UNITED!
48 min First, Hojlund lays back to Zirkzee, whose shot is saved, then Dorgu shoves it past Elustondo and the two collide; the ref has a look, allows play to continue, then points to the spot.
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47 min Spurs now lead AZ 2-0 on the night and 2-1 on aggregate BUT EXCUSE ME WHILE I INTERRUPT MYSELF!
46 min Lovely footwork from Zirkzee in centrefield, and it may be that the 11th best team in his level, or it may be that actually, last season’s second-top scorer in Serie A and Dutch international can actually play a bit and just needed a bit of time to settle.
46 min We go again. More of the same, please, boys.
“Cold? Cold?” asks Keiron Reay. “It was December, probably ’85 or ‘86. The journey to watch Exeter City at Burnley was life-threatening due to the blizzard. Stood there for the two hours in the vast, icy concrete of the Burnley stadium.
The snow kept on piling up and up, eventually reaching halfway up my shins. Nearly couldn’t move at the final whistle.”
I take so much pleasure in the players being cold. I’m a terrible person.
I meant to say at the time that, when facing a penalty, Andre Onana has developed a habit of launching himself at one corner roughly 17 minutes before the kick is actually taken. Amazingly, it’s not going well for him.
Half-time email: “Coldest game ever,” says Nicholas Alvarez. “Freezing fog at the FA Cup 3rd round replay, York City v Arsenal, January 1975. Brian Kidd scored a hat-trick, two goals in extra-time. My feet were numb in my shoes and my jaw was aching from the shivering.”
That’s what I’m talking about.
Elsewhere:
HALF-TIME: Manchester United (2) 1-1 (2) Real Socidedad
A really entertaining half. Sociedad started superbly but United responded well. They’ve been the better side, but the visitors look dangerous when they go forward.
45+3 min The ball bounces about inside the United box, Casemiro, Heaven and Mazraoui all trying to force clear before Casemiro blocks a shot behind. Heaven then heads the corner away, and that’s the first half almost done.
45 min We’ll have four additional minutes, we seems stingy given how long it took to award both penalties. Anyhow, lovely, driven pass crossfield from Casemiro, but Zirkzee’s touch is off. Oh and then Casemiro goes again, lifting over the top for Fernandes, right side of the box, and he tries to touch Hojlund in … but the big Dane is on his heels.
45 min Sociedad get Zubimendi on the ball in the box and Casemiro slides in … winning the ball, then Heaven wins the goalkick. That could’ve gone very wrong.
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43 min Nice chest-down from Fernandes who spreads to Dorgu, driving forward. Hojlund’s run takes the man away and though he also wants a pass, United lack players willing to take responsibility, so the eventuating shot makes sense, it’s just straight at Remiro.
43 min Kubo goes at Heaven down the outside, who stands up to him physically, knocks the ball behind, and is rewarded with an incorrectly awarded goalkick.
42 min A little earlier we discussed Amorim’s coaching chops; well, the performances we’re seeing tonight from Zirkzee and Hojlund, though not world-beating, show they’ve listened and learnt. Meantime, United win a free-kick that Fernandes will swerve in … or paste over the bar for no apparent reason/
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41 min Nie from Zirkzee again, controlling well, running across two men and sliding through for Hojlund … but Aguerd makes the tackle and the whistle then goes for a foul.
40 min Fernandes sends the corner flat towards Dorgu on the edge of the box, and he volleys … just over the bar.
39 min united keep it well, then Dalot sends it down the side for Garnacho, whose cross is blocked behind by Aguerd; Marin is then booked for I’m not sure what.
38 min Excellent from Casemiro, flicking up to himself before finding Fernandes, whose lovely touch allows hi to set Garnacho away … but Elustondo makes a good challenge.
37 min gosh, Heaven has some composure: under pressure inside his own box, he sways and eases back to Onana when he might easily have panicked. I’ve no idea if he’s good enough for the top level, but he definitely believes he is, and that’s a good chunk of the battle.
35 min On Zirkzee, I’m not sure he has the physicality to excel in the Prem, but his touch and imagination are lovely. If he can take a bit more responsibility – he seems more eager to pass or dummy than to shoot – he’s a chance of developing into a useful squad player.
33 min “That Hojlund ‘foul’ is now the way,” writes Philip Haran. |A forward lifts his hands, touches the defender and it’s a foul but a defender can push an attacker over and it’s ok.”
I think that’s always been the way – even when attackers had more scope to get handsy, defenders were given more leeway. My sense is we’re trying to preserve the rarity of goals, so the game tends to side with defenders and keeprs.
31 min Now Sociedad sweep forward, Becker crossing low from the left … and United clearing. This is a really fun contest, the 11th-best team in Spain the rough equivalent of the 14th-best team in England.
30 min United are doing an unusually reasonable job of keeping possession and progressing the ball getting it forward. They find Zirkzee down the left side of the box, he totally diddles Elustondo on the outside, stands up the next man, and crosses low for Hojlund, making another good run and flicking across goal … and just wide of the far post.
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29 min In north London, Spurs lead AZ 1-0 on the night, so it’s 1-1 on aggregate. Join Scott Murray for all the fun.
27 min Heaven plays Caemiro a ball he doesn’t want but the return is way too hard and forces the young defender to concede a corner. Which goes shot, Kubo allowed to mooch along the by-line and he’s opened a shooting lane … but fires straight at Onana.
26 min Er, is this an engaging game of football featuring … Manchester United? I cannot believe what I’m seeing, dear reader.
24 min Fernandes’ delivery is good – he’s got so much better at that in recent weeks – and Zirkzee makes first contact, only for Zubimendi to thigh then kick away … and Oyarzabal is one on one with Dorgu, who makes a terrific and important challenge.
23 min A lovely touch around the corner form Hojlund gets United going again, Dorgu oozes down the left, stands up a cross, and a fine touch from the defenders, Munoz i think, takes it away from Dalot, Garnacho eventually winning a corner.
21 min Hojlund is into this. he isolates Zubeldia down thevleft, brushes him off … and the ref appraises a foul for an arm to the phizog. Harsh, I think, but either way, we’re seeing Hojlund do much more of the stuff he’s there to do.
20 min “It might have been unlucky for De Ligt to clip the Real player in the process of clearing the ball,” offers Andy Flintoff, “but maybe a better positioned defender wouldn’t have had to stretch to make the clearance in the first place.”
I agree. I’d need to see it again, but generally speaking I was staggered United let Ten Hag sign him given they already had a centre-back with no recovery pace in Lisandro Martinez, and I’ve seen little to make me change that opinion – though a defender who goes up for set-pieces looking to force the issue makes a change.
19 min Fair play to United, they started in their usual abysmal style, but they’ve been good since conceding and, as I type, Fernandes turns nicely around the corner for Dalot, flips the return to the back post, and Remiro does well, punching clear and nailing Hojlund too, then Casemiro shoots wide.
18 min Zubeldia by the way, was booked for his tackle – and so too was De Ligt.
GOAL! Manchester United (2) 1-1 (2) Real Sociedad (Fernandes 16 pen)
A delay, a leap, and a tap into the bottom-left.
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PENALTY TO UNITED!
14 min United have woken up! Lovely ball from Casemiro, over the top to Bruno, who bursts into the box, squares to Hojlund – brave move – and from behind, Zubeldia slides in to impede him as he shoots. He should’ve scored, but he’ll take what he’s got, and does now seem to be making the right runs.
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13 min Better again, Dalot swinging over a decent cross from the right and, at the back post, Dorgu is up well … heading just wide. Wing-back to wing-back, that’s what Amorim will want to see.
12 mi Better from United, Garnacho moving in off the right to drill a low shot straight at Remiro.
11 min United find it so difficult to start games; it’s as if someone sprinkles mogadon on their pasta.
GOAL! Manchester United (1) 0-1 (2) Real Sociedad (Oyarzabal pen 10)
Two penalties in 30 minutes for Oyarzabal, who sweeps right as Onana dives left. And foul or not, Sociedad have earned it with how well they’ve started the game.
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PENALTY TO SOCIEDAD!
9 min Yup De Ligt caught the foot. Unlucky, but a pen.
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8 min The ref goes over for a look and to me it looks the kind of tackle you can allow or not allow … De Ligt tackles from side-on but he does go go through Oyarzabal’s back leg, and I think this’ll be given.
6 min I’ve just realised my Discovery Player has lagged so I’m behind; Kubol down the right, crosses low, De Ligt cuts out, but did he take Oyarzabal first?
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4 min “Cold,” begins Pau; Howarth. “I remember being at Old Trafford New Year’s Day years ago, winds and hail blowing in your face and ended 0-0.”
3 min Zirkzee heads the corner away and when the ball comes back, Onana comes to claim. And, usually, he sets away an immediate attack, going long for Garnacho … far too long.
2 min Now it’s Oyarzabal running at the United defence and crossing; De Ligt clears but Sociedad have started quickly here, Kubo megging Heaven down the left of the box … but Dorgu is on-hand to tackle at cost of a corner.
1 min A nice touch from Heaven to start, finding Dorgu; those two could build a pretty decent partnership, I think, and, as I type, Heaven steps inside and into Marin to make a decent challenge
1 min Away we go!
Where is the game? United, I think, will hope to play into Zirkzee with Bruno backing him up, while getting Garnacho and Dorgu one-on-one with their markers; Sociedad will want to take the heat out of the game and target the space behind the wing-backs, as well as looking to get their attackers running off Casemiro and at De Ligt.
Our teams are tunnelled and here they come!
“The reason Højlund and United are scoring even fewer than they did under Ten Hag,” says Ben Barclay, “is because Amorim’s 5-4-1 narrow midfield box doesn’t establish enough attackers or get the ball to them. No striker can live off stubborn dogma, misplaced blame, and random counter-attacks. Amorim can’t coach his way out of a wet paper bag.”
Can anyone? How does one? I dunno, though – he did an incredible job at Sporting, inherited a side on its arse in the middle of season at its busiest point and has had to deal with all manner of injury to a squad already not good enough and now largely unsuited to the way he wants to play. Maybe he’s not the right man for the job, but I’d want to see him in friendlier circumstances before I decided.
Paul Scholes, who used to watch Oldham and play at Old Trafford, is complaining that he’s cold. I don’t get it, at all. On which point, when have you been the coldest at the game? Lots of United fans will say Boundary Park, Boxing Day 1991; for me, it’s St Andrews, 28 December 2005 (I think it was then and not February 2003).
Amorim tells TNT that Heaven is ready. You have to be patient with new players but he showed confidence in the last game and they trust him.
He’s told Højlund he can score in the next game and shown him good stuff he does for the tea. He’s doing the right things, he just needs to get the first one.
Asked about attacking the Scoreboard End in the second half, he laughs and says he’s not fussed about that.
Otherwise, he has plenty of praise for Zubimendi, good at building and foiling attacks and able to change the nature of his team.
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I love AZ.
Also tonight, Spurs are looking to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit against AZ. Scott Murray will bring you that, along with updates from Rangers v Fenerbahce and Chelsea v Copenhagen.
Email! “Let’s hope it’s an evening where ‘Heaven, nothing ever happens’ for the young man tonight!” beseeches Robert Hisnay.
“Everyone is trying to get to the bar
The name of the bar, the bar is called Heaven
The band in Heaven, they play my favorite song
Play it one more time, play it all night long
Oh, Heaven
Heaven is the place
A place where nothing
Nothing ever happens
Heaven
Heaven is a place
A place where nothing
Nothing ever happens
There is a party, everyone is there
Everyone will leave at exactly the same time
When this party’s over, it will start again
Will not be any different, will be exactly the same
Oh, Heaven
Heaven is a place
A place where nothing
Nothing ever happens
When this kiss is over, it will start again
Will not be any different, will be exactly the same
It’s hard to imagine that nothing at all
Could be so exciting, could be this much fun
Oh, Heaven
Heaven is a place
A place where nothing
Nothing ever happens
Heaven
Heaven is a place
A place where nothing
Nothing ever happens.”
I’m anticipating a “Heaven knows he’s miserable now.”
It’s big night tonight for Højlund. He’s improved a bit in the last couple of games – he’s getting chances and missing them, rather than disappearing – and has done well in Europe since joining United. I think Amorim has him pegged, as it goes:
“We have to look at Rasmus as a player – he has the pace, he has the technique, he’s scored some goals that are really hard to score. Sometimes he doesn’t choose the better run, sometimes he’s so anxious to touch the ball and he moves away from the goal. We address that in training but sometimes it is the confidence of the player.”
If you look at his United goals, he’s had to create almost all of them for himself. That’s partly because he’s in a poor team playing poorly, but he does also need to get better at making the right runs – to the front post and down the channels – instead of spending entire matches fighting fruitlessly with defenders.
Oh and on TNT, we’re seeing footage from Sunday of him chatting to Peter Schmeichel; I’ve actually heard via the big man that his mentality is spot-on.
As for Sociedad, the main man is back. Zubimendi is a lovely footballer, one of few able to control a game. I’d expect his team to have much better-quality possession, and Oyarzabal to have much better service; if United have any sense, their two 10s will get around him like Sam Allardyce’s Bolton did to Claude Makélélé.
Otherwise, having Dorgu back should make a difference. He gives the team balance, also bringing the pace and strength it so severely lacks, and his intelligence on and off the ball might be important tonight – already, he looks to be building an understanding with Bruno Fernandes.
Ahead of that, I imagine Garnacho will play from the right, as he gives United a bit of width on that flank – he has the ability to go on the outside – withe the improving but still lacking Zirkzee operating as the left 10.
So that United team, then. I’m a little surprised Manuel Ugarte hasn’t come in for Casemiro, though he did fairly well against Arsenal, because United might want his scavenging ahead of the ball. Otherwise, though, it makes sense that it’s Heaven not Lindelöf: Heaven played well against Arsenal and has the physicality and pace to defend wide areas behind the wing-back, as well as being decent in the air and on the ball. Given neither De Ligt nor Mazraoui can run, United would look (extra-)vulnerable with a third defender unable to sprint.
More on that in a minute – we’re watching an interview with Amorim, who says he’s got a good relationship with Jim Ratcliffe, who enjoys being told to “fuck off” by him. . They’re both blunt, he explains, before going on to say he thinks it’s funny that you’ll be able to see United’s new ground from Liverpool, he’s pleased about that. He wants to take the club into it, but he’s focused on winning in the old one.
Imanol Alguacil, meanwhile, makes three changes: out go Benat Turrientes, replaced by Zubimendi; Luka Sučić, whose spot goes to Pablo Marin; and
Ander Barrenetxea, giving way to Sheraldo Becker.
Ruben Amorim makes three changes to the side that wasn’t that dreadful against Arsenal: Leny Yoro is injured, replaced by Ayden Heaven, only recently signed from Arsenal and making his first start; Patrick Dorgu, suspended in the league, replaces Victor Lindelöf; and Rasmus Højlund is in for Christian Eriksen.
I’m going to write these down, then we’ll wonder what they might mean.
Teams!
Manchester United (3-4-2-1): Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Heaven; Dalot, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dorgu; Garnacho, Zirkzee; Hojlund. Subs: Harrison, Mee, Amass, Fredricson, Lindelof, Collyer, Eriksen, Fletcher, Ugarte, Scanlon.
Real Sociedad (4-3-3): Remiro; Elustondo, Zubeldia, Aguerd, Munoz; Marin, Zubimendi, Mendez; Becker, Oyarzabal, Kubo. Subs: Marrero, Barrenetxea, Oskarsson, Lopez, Olasagasti, Gomez, Traore, Aramburu, Turrientes, Martin, Beitia, Mariezkurrena.
Referee: Benoît Bastien (France)
Preamble
The humans among us tend to operate on two, often competing levels: rational and emotional. Occasionally, though, these two aspects coalesce, which is where Manchester United find themselves tonight: they must progress tonight because they must finance yet another rebuild for yet another manager, and they must progress tonight because the alternative promises two months of unrelenting misery. Football, it’s like life, yeah?
Both sides will know that really, this tie should already be over – United’s superiority in the first 70 minutes of the first leg ought to have seen them build a near-unassailable lead. But they didn’t, of course they didn’t, instead giving away a freakish penalty after which Sociedad might’ve won as their visitors folded in predictable fashion. And now, with Martin Zubimendi back and Mikel Oyarzabal unlikely to play as poorly again, they arrive at Old Trafford with every chance.
Ah, Old Trafford. United have struggled badly at home this season – yes, and away – so much so that they’ve opted to kick away from the Stretford End in each of the last three games. Just as well, perhaps, given we learnt earlier this week that it’s not long for this world, the old place likely be replaced by the world’s largest circus tent; sometimes the hilarity writes itself.
In the meantime, though, we’re all set for a night of desperate tension and terrible entertainment. Football, it’s like life, yeah?
Kick-off: 8pm GMT
