Away ties in Europe tend to be tricky, dealing with boisterous atmospheres in hostile stadiums in different countries is always a bit of a banana skin.
For most of the game, Man Utd were professional and deserved to be ahead.
After Bruno Fernandes was adjudged to handle the ball in the penalty area in the second half, Real Sociedad were gifted a lifeline to get back into the game as Man Utd couldn’t kill the game off despite having chances.
Andre Onana made some good saves as momentum shifted in Real Sociedad’s favour after the penalty as the game ended up finishing 1-1.
Here are five things we learnt from Man Utd’s first leg in San Sebastian:
1. Mis-firing attack missing chances again
This Man Utd side doesn’t score many goals or create many chances.
The line is being led by a striker who has a lot of pressure on his shoulders and is devoid of confidence and often left to trouble defences alone.
It doesn’t help that overall the decision-making in attack is poor. In the first half, Hojlund made a smart run into the box as Diogo Dalot was sent clear, instead of playing the ball first time into the Danish striker, Dalot waited and the opportunity passed.
Even when Hojlund is making the right movements, the attack around him isn’t clicking.
2. Zirkzee improving
Amorim mentioned in a press-conference that Josh Zirkzee was not an out an out striker, what we’re seeing slowly game in game out from the Dutchman is that in terms of link-up-play, dribbling and his all round game he can be an asset without playing up front.
Connecting the attack, Zirkzee is getting better at understanding his role.
Zirkzee’s end product isn’t the finished article just yet and he could absolutely improve at attacking his man more, but along with the goal and his work without the ball, he’s becoming a player Amorim can use.
3. Contentious penalty changed the game
The UEFA rules on what a penalty is for a hand ball tends to be more lenient than in the Premier League.
Nevertheless, the penalty that Real Sociedad got for Bruno Fernades’s hand ball from a corner changed the game.
Before Real Sociedad’s penalty, Man United were in control of the game and Onana was barely troubled.
With the crowd behind Real Sociedad, the game changed after the penalty with the Spanish team flooding forward and creating more chances.
Man Utd in the end, did well to close the game out and go back to Old Trafford with the game at 1-1.
4. Lack of attacking options
If the attack doesn’t give Man Utd fans much hope, it’s largely because these are the only options Ruben Amorim currently has at his disposal.
It’s salient that the victory against Ipswich Town came from three goals via set-pieces because Man Utd just have so many injuries at the moment the hopes are resting on the attack that’s starting.
The Hojlund-Zirkzee-Garnacho trio is the best Man Utd have at the moment and they’re learning how to form better connections, but it would be good to have someone to bring on to change the game.
In the dying embers of the game, Garnacho was subbed off to bring Christian Eriksen on.
The street-wise midfielder can still find gaps and find cutting passes, but he’s not going to run at defences or score goals.
5. Work to do at Old Trafford
Before the penalty, Man Utd were finding Patrick Dorgu out wide and Diogo Dalot partnering with Alejandro Garancho were working overlaps and underlaps to create chances.
It was possible to find another goal and try take a lead back to Manchester.
The tempo and mood in the ground changed after the penalty and Onana made some good saves to keep it at 1-1.
Man Utd will be quietly satisfied with the result, but with an attack that doesn’t often look threatening it is not a foregone conclusion Man Utd will go through.
There is work to do at Old Trafford next week, if Man Utd want to save their season and progress in the Europa League they will need a huge result in a massive game in the return leg.
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