Manchester United were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Real Sociedad in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League play-off tie on Thursday evening.
Despite taking the lead through Joshua Zirkzee in the 57th minute, the Red Devils were unable to hold on, as Mikel Oyarzabal converted a 70th-minute penalty to equalize for the hosts. While some United players delivered decent performances, several underwhelmed in a match where they needed more control and composure. Here are the five worst performers for Manchester United.

1. Bruno Fernandes

United's captain struggled to impose himself in midfield and was guilty of a crucial error leading to Real Sociedad’s equalizer. His handball inside the penalty area was spotted by VAR, allowing Oyarzabal to level the score. Fernandes also received a yellow card for dissent in the 56th minute and failed to create any significant chances for his teammates.

2. Rasmus Højlund

Højlund endured a frustrating night up front, repeatedly getting caught offside, including in the 80th minute when he was flagged once again. His movement was predictable, and he lacked the sharpness needed to trouble Real Sociedad’s defense. The Danish forward never looked like scoring and failed to capitalize on the limited chances that came his way.

3. Noussair Mazraoui

The right-back was sloppy in possession and conceded unnecessary fouls, including one in the 87th minute that disrupted United’s rhythm. He struggled to contain Real Sociedad’s attacking movements, particularly from Sheraldo Becker and Takefusa Kubo. Mazraoui’s defensive positioning was questionable, and he failed to contribute much going forward.

4. Casemiro

The experienced midfielder had a quiet game, failing to dictate play in midfield. His passing lacked precision, and he was often overrun by Sociedad’s energetic midfielders. He attempted a pass in the 82nd minute but failed to find a teammate, summing up his ineffective display. Casemiro's lack of control in midfield allowed Sociedad to dominate possession for large periods.

5. Alejandro Garnacho

Despite assisting Zirkzee’s goal, Garnacho missed several clear chances that could have put the game beyond Sociedad’s reach. In the 63rd minute, he turned his defender inside the box but dragged his shot wide. A similar miss followed in the 52nd minute when he failed to tap the ball into an open net. His finishing let him down in an otherwise promising display.

Source: https://news-af.feednews.com/news/detail/ffcc01c3e93c4c463c0d1c06ea96ce53?client=news
2 2

Garnacho na the worst of them all joor
2 1

Garnacho was shit today
2 2

Fernandes spoilt everything for us
2 2

Bench Højlund abeg!!
3 2

He pain me say Chido obi wasn't included in the squad
2 2

We should have won this game
2 2

Onana can't deceive us ooo

He almost made me vomit my heart at the very early seconds of the match. Not even up to a minute 🤣🤣
2 2

Wanted too many chances
Do this in the second leg and you will see yourself saying goodbye to Europa league
2 2

Nawa oo
1 1

Last last 😅
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