Manchester United 4-2 Sheffield United (Maguire 42’, Fernandes 61′ pen, 81′, Hojlund 85′ | Bogle 35′, Brereton Diaz 50′)
OLD TRAFFORD — Erik ten Hag “performed” live at Old Trafford for the first time under new Manchester United technical director Jason Wilcox as his team put in a laboured performance that hardly smacked of job security.
Two goals from Bruno Fernandes eventually brought three points against Chris Wilder’s doomed relegation favourites Sheffield United.
Fernandes gave United the lead for the first time, 10 minutes from time, finding space for once and hitting a terrific, precise 20-yard winner and the Portuguese then laid on a cross for Rasmus Hojlund to force home a flattering fourth for his side, four minutes later.
But it was hard work. Ten Hag had lambasted media, and critics in general, for describing his team’s weekend FA Cup semi-final win over Coventry as “embarrassing,” turning the phrase on his detractors, whom he also labelled a “disgrace.”
Against one of the worst Premier League sides in history, it took United 34 minutes to show him the true meaning of the word when they gifted Jayden Bogle an opening goal.
It was entirely self-inflicted, with goalkeeper Andre Onana under little pressure as he mis-hit a simple pass out to the wing, to full-back Diogo Dalot.
Bogle pounced on the ball and advanced unmolested before firing an impressive finish inside the keeper and in at his near post.
It was a stunning development, given that United had enjoyed so much possession but, fortunately, for the home side at least, they were level before the interval.
A Fernandes free-kick was half cleared and Alejandro Garnacho played an accurate cross back into the area for Harry Maguire to glance in.
It was tough luck on Blades’ keeper Wes Foderingham, who had been brilliant to that point in keeping United at bay as ten Hag’s side continued their stuttering bid to secure European football next season.
But this was another underwhelming evening for Ten Hag, as he seeks to avoid a worst-ever Premier League finish – the seventh place recorded by David Moyes a decade ago.
And it was about to get worse.
Just four minutes into the second half, the visitors slalomed their way through the home defence far too easily, passes playing markers out of the game until Gustavo Hamer found Ben Osborn whose excellent cross was turned in from seven yards by Ben Brereton Diaz.
Ten Hag might not like it but this performance and result was heading rapidly towards the territory of “embarrassment” and “disgrace.”
But disaster was averted in bizarre fashion on 61 minutes, however, when Dalot had the ball in the visitors’ net but referee Michael Salisbury had already blown for Auston Trusty’s foul on Maguire.
A Fernandes penalty, one of the few things Ten Hag has been able to rely on this season, duly levelled the scores.