Rio Ferdinand absolves Manchester United star Luke Shaw of blame for Tottenham Hotspur’s winner
Manchester United entered the Europa League final clinging more to hope than conviction. Their domestic campaign had been bleak—bereft of rhythm, confidence, and consistent joy, and the European stage became their last remaining shot at redemption. In Bilbao, thousands of fans arrived dreaming of a defiant, heroic finale. Facing a Tottenham side who had endured a similarly disappointing league season, the clash promised to be tightly contested. The atmosphere inside the stadium was heavy, almost anxious, as though everyone sensed that a single mistake could decide the outcome.
For long stretches, United lacked both control and conviction. Their insecurity on the ball and hesitancy in transitions eventually shaped the match’s defining moment. Tottenham struck in the 42nd minute. Brennan Johnson, as precise and opportunistic as he’s been all season, capitalized on a chaotic sequence in the box.
A cross from the left ricocheted awkwardly, falling kindly at his feet after Luke Shaw inadvertently deflected it. Patrick Dorgu hesitated, too slow to react or raise the alarm in a moment that demanded urgency. Johnson surged forward unchallenged, while United’s backline hesitated fatally. Goalkeeper André Onana dived desperately, managing only the slightest touch as the ball nestled into the net. It was a goal born from hesitation and punished with brutal efficiency, the kind that decides European finals.
Rio Ferdinand defends Luke Shaw and blames Patrick Dorgu for the goal that Manchester United conceded against Tottenham Hotspur
Rio Ferdinand absolves Manchester United star Luke Shaw of blame for Tottenham Hotspur's winner.
Rio Ferdinand analyses the goal that Manchester United conceded against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final
Former Manchester United player, Rio Ferdinand, commented on TNT Sports (h/t Mirror) after the game that the goal was not down to a bad bounce or a fluke, but that there was a glaring miscommunication in the United defence. From his analysis, Dorgu did not open his mouth at the key moment, and he never alerted Luke Shaw that Brennan Johnson was coming in at full speed. In situations like that, according to Ferdinand, the defenders furthest away from the play have to function as the eyes and ears of the rest. They have to shout, to call out, to do everything they can to let their team-mates know what is going on around them.
Ferdinand suggested that this may be a lack of experience, but it does not excuse it. Dorgu showed no communicative reflexes or leadership. He gave no warning, and by the time Shaw realised, the Spurs attacker had already crossed. It was too late.
“Dorgu, at no point in this does he speak to Luke Shaw. I think you always need that help. Maybe it’s an experience thing. He doesn’t let him know. By the time he sees the white shirt flash across him, it’s too late, and the ball ends up in the back of the net. I always say the defender the furthest away is your talker and your eyes and your ears. He has to signal the other players. He has to shout, scream, push, whatever, and let them know players are running across them, and he didn’t do that, and they got punished.”
What happened wasn’t merely an unfortunate accident, it was the symptom of a defence that never truly gelled. The blame, in our view, is shared. Luke Shaw had a clear view of the danger in the box, yet Patrick Dorgu failed to communicate or react with the urgency the situation demanded. In matches of this magnitude, defensive coordination cannot be left to instinct or luck; communication must be constant, and passivity is inexcusable.
The bigger question now is what future these two players have after such a performance. Shaw remains a big name at the club, but his ongoing physical setbacks and moments of tactical disconnection make him a liability rather than a cornerstone. Dorgu, on the other hand, still has the benefit of youth and potential, which likely secures his short-term future. However, he must begin to shoulder more responsibility. Hiding behind inexperience won’t be an option for much longer, not at a club that demands growth under pressure. If he is to thrive at United, leadership and defensive maturity must become part of his game.
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This club cannot continue to hope for miracles from a group that lacks cohesion, resilience, and emotional investment. From a fan perspective, the disappointment cuts deeper. Supporters travelled with hope, saw their team on a European final stage, but were met with a performance devoid of the soul, grit, and pride that the Manchester United badge demands.
Then there’s the mental fragility. This group doesn’t know how to suffer, not in the way championship teams do. One setback, one defensive lapse, and the collapse begins. The goal conceded in Bilbao was not just a tactical error, it was a psychological unraveling. Until that mentality shifts, these defeats will become a pattern, not an exception.