Manchester United secured a late win at Viktoria Plzen
Manchester United secured a late win at Viktoria Plzen but looked laboured and lethargic
For much of this game, Manchester United's players looked as though they had taken full advantage of being in the home of Pilsner lager.
Laboured and lethargic, they fell behind against average but spirited opponents and were ultimately indebted to substitute Rasmus Hojlund for his two goals which yielded a hard-earned win.
While boss Ruben Amorim will have been delighted with the spirit his players showed in coming from behind to seal such a vital win, there was much to concern him about the performance.
Never mind Viktoria Plzen, United would have struggled against a team from Victoria's Secret playing like this, Hojlund's winner two minutes from time failing to mask a pretty dismal display.
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The only saving grace for United, heading into Sunday's derby at Manchester City is that Pep Guardiola's stuttering champions are currently playing even worse than their local rivals.
Yet a win is win – United's first away in Europe since March 2023 - and Amorim now has three victories, two defeats and a draw - a perfect crash course in United's ongoing unpredictability.
Goalkeeper Andre Onana committed another howler which led to a goal, Marcus Rashford had to be subbed before he was sent off and there was little fluency about United's play throughout.
Matej Vydra celebrates taking the lead for Viktoria Plzen
United were stunned as Matej Vydra took advantage of an Andre Onana mistake to take the lead
In a chaotic first 10 minutes, Onana came for a cross and succeeded in punching team-mate Casemiro in the head, then flapped at another cross with one hand, losing the ball in the process.
Amorim could not hide his fury with his players over their sloppy start, rebuking striker Joshua Zirkzee, who lost the ball, under little pressure, a total of 16 times in the first-half.
United made life difficult for themselves throughout the first-half, a collective anxiety and disorder gripping their defence whenever they came under pressure. Incredibly, after such a lacklustre first-half from his team, Amorim decided not to make any changes at the break, Zirkzee, Rashford and Diogo Dalot among those lucky to stay on.
Despite the win, there will be much that concerned Ruben Amorim about the display
Onana was lucky to remain on too, after such a torrid first-half, and Amorim was no doubt wishing he had replaced him when, three minutes after the restart, he gifted Plzen the opener.
Receiving the ball from Lisandro Martinez, Onana sized up a short pass to Matthijs De Ligt, then hesitated, before committing to the pass, which gave Pavel Sulc time to nip in and steal possession.
Sulc took the ball towards the byline before cutting it back for former Burnley, Reading, West Brom and Watford striker Matej Vydra to send a simple finish into the net, with Onana stranded.
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Onana's latest gaffe came on the back of costly blunders against Nottingham Forest, his status as United's No.1 coming under increasing threat with every high-profile error.
Rashford, who was booked just before half-time, was lucky to escape a second yellow card moments after the goal, after clattering into Sampson Dweh, who required treatment. Amorim had seen enough and decided he could not risk Rashford being sent off, so hauled him off just 10 minutes into the second-half, replacing him with Hojlund.
Hojlund equalised in the 62nd minute, a shot from Amad saved by Jedlicka and bouncing into the path of the Denmark striker, who reacted quickest to put it over the line.
Fellow sub Mason Mount had a chance to put United ahead in the 77th minute, but his close-range effort was smothered by Jedlicka.
Mount squandered another chance to win, but Hojlund's clinical finish, from a clever Fernandes free-kick, ultimately spared United's blushes to give Amorim a much-needed win.
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