Not many expected Manchester United to move into the Round Of 16 of the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League campaign after their draw with Galatasaray on Matchday 5. To do the improbable, they first had to beat Group A winners Bayern Munich on Matchday 6 and needed FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray to play out a draw at Parken.
Neither criterion was fulfilled on Tuesday night (December 12), as the Mancunians lost to the Bavarians at home, and the Danish side beat the Turks in their backyard.
Bayern Munich Comfortably Beat A Spent Manchester United At Old Trafford
Erik ten Hag has come under heavy fire for Manchester United’s poor display this season, and justifiably so. Despite having quite a few gifted players in their ranks, United have looked clueless not only in defense but also in attack. More disappointingly, they have often lacked the courage to take the fight to their opponents.
On the brink of elimination, Manchester United were expected to put their best foot forward at home against the German champions on Tuesday. Instead, they opted for a cautious approach, only to concede a late goal and end their campaign with another defeat.
In the 70th minute, Harry Kane opened up space inside the Manchester United box with a deft touch. In-form Bayern winger pounced on the opportunity and applied a clinical finish to send the ball beyond Andre Onana and into the back of the net. Coman’s strike ensured a 1-0 victory for the Bundesliga holders in Manchester.
Over the course of the night, United attempted five shots, only one of which was on target. They finished the game without creating any big chances and with an xG of 0.24. Bayern Munich, meanwhile, lodged three shots on target from 10 attempts. They created one big chance and had an xG of 1.3.
Manchester United Record Their Worst-Ever Champions League Campaign
Picking up only four points from six Champions League matches (1 W, 1 D, 4 L), the Red Devils finished in fourth place in Group A, marking their first fourth-place finish since 2005. It was also United’s worst-ever performance in the Champions League, as the team had never earned fewer than six points in the Champions League group stage.
On the back of such a disastrous Champions League campaign, Manchester United must turn their attention to the Premier League and push as hard as possible for a top-four finish. However, given how demoralized the team looked on Tuesday, Ten Hag could have quite a difficult time preparing them for this weekend’s blockbuster clash against Premier League leaders Liverpool at Anfield.
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