Manchester United face Porto tonight in the second match of their 2024/25 Europa League campaign.
Erik ten Hag’s side are looking to bounce back from their humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Spurs last weekend with the Dutchman is under plenty of pressure after a string of disappointing results.
Rumours have circulated that Ten Hag has just two games to save his job, after a run of results that also included a 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace and a 1-1 draw with FC Twente in United’s first game of the new league phase.
Porto have not had United’s struggles in the league, though they did lose 3-2 to Bodo/Glimt in their first Europa League match, so perhaps tonight can be a much-needed victory for Ten Hag ahead of the weekend’s test away at Aston Villa.
Follow all the latest updates from the Europa League clash below:
Porto 0-1 Manchester United
10 minutes: Another attempted ball in behind to Rashford, with a lot of their attacking play coming down that left hand side.
Diogo Costa gets there first and collects.
Will Castle3 October 2024 20:12
GOAL! Porto 0-1 Manchester United
7 minutes: GOAL! They’ve been largely on the back foot in the early stages, but it only takes one chance.
Direct play from Marcus Rashford to drive into the box, before cutting in and firing towards the bottom left corner of Diogo Costa’s goal.
The keeper gets a foot on it and should do better, but the visitors won’t care. An early boost for Erik ten Hag.
Will Castle3 October 2024 20:10
Porto 0-0 Manchester United
4 minutes: Porto have had three flurries into the final third in as many minutes and are very much on the front foot here during the early stages.
Joao Mario enjoying the ball down the left flank and playing it into Samu Omorodion, who has already had a shot blocked.
Will Castle3 October 2024 20:05
Porto 0-0 Manchester United
1 minute: KICK OFF! We’re underway.
Porto showing early signs of promise and quickly force Onana into his first save of the evening.
Great noise coming from the home fans.
Will Castle3 October 2024 20:02
Here come the teams!
The Estadio do Dragao welcomes the teams after a pretty spectacular display from the Porto fans, put on in celebration of the club’s 500th game in their home stadium.
Will Castle3 October 2024 20:00
Ten Hag: “We need a reaction”
Tonight could well be a massive game for the future of Erik ten Hag, who is under the microscope as Manchester United boss.
There is real scope that a bad performance tonight could cost him his job – and as such, he’s made one final plea to his players.
“We have to see a reaction. Of course, we need a reaction,” he said on TNT Sports.
“We have to do everything well. It’s a very good opponents and it’s a challenge, but we want those challenges. We need to have the winning mentality that things will go well.
“When things are going wrong, that’s the moment you have to keep the faith.”
Will Castle3 October 2024 19:52
Gary Neville lays into ‘absolutely disgusting’ Manchester United performance
“The big story today is that in that first half,” he said on Sky Sports. “You can’t say it came from nowhere because Manchester United have been inconsistent all season, but they have chosen to put in their very worst performance, their very worst possible showing.
“It was an absolutely disgusting performance in that first half in effort, quality, everything you want in a football team and there are going to be questions to answer for that group (of players) and the manager in the next week.”
Mike Jones3 October 2024 19:45
Jamie Carragher unimpressed by Man Utd’s £42m signing: ‘He’s out of position all the time’
In a segment on Monday Night Football, the former Liverpool centre-back highlighted three incidents during the first half at Old Trafford where Spurs were able to counter-attack against United and said De Ligt was at fault.
The Netherlands international and former Ajax, Juventus and Bayern Munich defender has only made four Premier League starts for United but has been caught out in the defeats to Liverpool and now Spurs.
Mike Jones3 October 2024 19:39
More from Vitor Bruno
“I’ve heard a lot of people saying that they have a rope around their necks,” said Bruno when asked by United’s form.
“But, no, no, we are just looking at our objective and that is to reach the next stage. We always see them as a threat, not as a good point to take them on.
“We have to just be ourselves and look at them the way the way we have to look at them, with respect, a lot of respect, with a lot of individuals.
“I know what you mean talking about their last match, but we must see the whole not the last one.”
Mike Jones3 October 2024 19:33
Countdown to kick-off
Just under half an hour to go until things kick off in Porto.
Erik ten Hag will be desperate for his side to bounce back from Sunday’s disastrous defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur, but Porto will no doubt pose a difficult challenge.
Rasmus Hojlund is back up top – can he prove the difference?
Will Castle3 October 2024 19:32