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The entire fate of Manchester United’s season is set to be determined tonight as they host Olympique Lyonnais for the second leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter-final clash.
Having exited both the League Cup and FA Cup while their Premier League campaign is all but over, the Europa League is Man United’s last chance at victory this season.
Still, they will need to be as vigilant as ever in order to come away with a vital win in front of the Old Trafford crowd, especially after what happened last time.
During the first leg, United made a valiant effort to come back from behind and take a 2-1 lead, with a crucial away win seeming all but guaranteed.
Sadly, it was just seconds before the final whistle that Lyon equalised, five minutes into stoppage time.
To rub salt in the wounds, it was a goal that could have been completely avoided if Andre Onana caught the initial shot or at least didn’t parry the ball into the pathway of another attacker just metres ahead of the goal line.
During their 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Newcastle United on Sunday, United showed another poor lapse in concentration. Following what was a decent first-half showing that saw them draw level at 1-1, Ruben Amorim’s team yet again fell behind just four minutes after the half-time break. At that moment, the team capitulated, letting in another two goals before the final whistle.
But it wasn’t just lapses in concentration that have let United down in recent times – it was also explicit goalkeeping errors. Much like Onana in the first leg against Lyon, Bayindir suffered a howler against Newcastle, rolling the ball straight to the opposition and conceding as a result.
This shows that United are suffering something of a goalkeeping crisis. This makes one question what goalkeeping coaches Craig Mawson and Jorge Vital are teaching their players in training, especially since so many errors seem to persist week in and week out.
While Newcastle have emerged as a fearsome force at the top level of football, the mistakes made against Lyon in the first leg were what led to United’s downfall.
Both of Lyon’s goals on the night could have been prevented by a more consistent goalkeeper, and it appeared that for large portions of the night, the French side struggled to penetrate against United’s low press.
On the attacking front, United appear to be rediscovering their momentum after a brief goal drought.
Joshua Zirkzee showed how lethal he can be when in the right position during the Lyon draw, while Alejandro Garnacho scored a rare goal against Newcastle, finally finding the back of the net after firing countless shots off target this season. Of course, Bruno Fernandes is a reliable source for goals, arguably emerging as United’s most consistent performer this campaign.
If the first leg clash was indicative of anything, it’s that United are fully capable of defeating Lyon. They have the build-up play and the attacking threat. All that is needed is more goalkeeping awareness and for Amorim’s men to maintain their focus for the full 90 minutes plus stoppage time.
Should United manage to tighten up at the back and ensure that their focus remains in check, Amorim’s men should make quick work of Lyon in front of the Old Trafford crowd this evening. The Europa League semi-finals are calling.
Featured image Michael Steele via Getty Images
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