Manchester United bowed out of Europe with a whimper as a 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich rounded off a miserable Champions League campaign that has put Erik ten Hag’s future as manager in doubt.
United have lost 12 of their opening 24 games of the season — a run that has also ended their defence of the League Cup and sees them languishing sixth in the Premier League.
It is just the fourth time an English club has finished bottom of a Champions League group.
Only Manchester City in 2012 — in a tough section involving Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Ajax — have ever taken fewer points than the four United managed in Group A.
The real damage was not done against the German champions, who were able to coast to victory despite having already qualified before their trip to England.
When the draw was made, many saw United cruising through along Bayern in a group that also contained FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray.
“It’s a huge club and not what you expect when you see the group,” said Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel. “You immediately expect Man United is challenging to win the group.”
But the three-time European champions won just one of four meetings against Copenhagen and Galatasaray, conceding 11 goals in the process.
In both away games they let two-goal leads slip away.
“To score three goals in each of their away games and not come away with much points, it’s criminal,” former United defender Rio Ferdinand told TNT Sports.
“You get what you deserve. If you’re not clinical or you can’t close matches out.” However, there was no such threat on Tuesday as United mustered just one shot on target — a long-range effort early on from Luke Shaw that was easily saved by Manuel Neuer.
“I think it was a frightened performance more than anything,” said ex-United midfielder Paul Scholes.—AFP
