Tactical Analysis: Defensive Frailties Haunt Manchester United in Thrilling Porto Draw
Last night’s Europa League clash between FC Porto and Manchester United was a match defined by its sheer unpredictability, ending in a thrilling 3-3 draw. The Red Devils, desperate to bounce back from their 3-0 humbling at the hands of Tottenham, a result that put Erik ten Hag’s job security in question, came out of the gates flying. Marcus Rashford opened the scoring with a clinical finish, followed by a season debut goal for Rasmus Højlund, seemingly silencing the doubters and easing the pressure on their manager.
Just when it seemed like United were cruising towards a crucial victory, Porto roared back into the game. Pepe halved the deficit with a powerful header from the rebound, and then Samuel Omorodion levelled the score before the break. The second half witnessed Omorodion complete his brace, putting Porto in the lead and leaving United staring down the barrel of another disappointing defeat.
Despite being reduced to 10 men after Bruno Fernandes’s red card, United refused to give up. In a moment of redemption, Harry Maguire, who has faced intense criticism this season, headed home a dramatic equalizer in stoppage time, salvaging a point and perhaps offering Ten Hag a temporary reprieve.
While Ten Hag opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation on paper, the Red Devils displayed a fluid 3-2 structure during the build-up phase. Diogo Dalot stepped into midfield alongside Casemiro, forming a double pivot that allowed for greater control in possession. Noussair Mazraoui, the other fullback hugged the touchline on the right flank, providing the width that stretched Porto’s defensive shape.
Further up the pitch, Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes operated between the lines, seeking pockets of space to receive the ball and dictate the tempo of the attack. The attacking line consisted of Rashford, Højlund, and Amad Diallo.
This fluidity proved particularly effective in the early stages, with Rashford enjoying a stellar performance. The England international was a constant threat, scoring a clinical goal and delivering an assist for Højlund’s goal. The combination play between Rashford and Eriksen was a joy to watch, with their intricate passing and intelligent movement unlocking Porto’s defence on multiple occasions.
While Rashford’s offensive contributions were undeniable, his performance without the ball left much to be desired. Ten Hag implemented a 4-2-4 pressing structure when out of possession, aiming to disrupt Porto’s build-up play high up the pitch. However, the effectiveness of this system was significantly hampered by the lacklustre pressing from both wingers, particularly Rashford.
Instead of applying intense pressure on the ball carrier or closing down passing lanes, Rashford often remained in a passive halfway position. This hesitancy allowed Porto’s right-back, João Mário, to receive the ball with time and space.
With Rashford failing to cut off the passing lane, Mário had ample opportunity to pick out a forward pass, finding Pepe lurking in behind United’s defensive line. This pattern repeated itself throughout the first half, with Rashford consistently failing to fulfil his defensive duties.
Porto exploited this weakness, channelling 46% of their attacks down their right flank, a clear indication of Rashford’s struggles. His lack of intensity and awareness in pressing allowed Porto to bypass United’s first line of pressure and create dangerous opportunities.
Photo: WhoScored
Ultimately, despite his impressive offensive display, Rashford’s defensive deficiencies could not be ignored. Ten Hag made the bold decision to substitute him at the break, despite his impressive offensive contributions. However, the introduction of Alejandro Garnacho failed to fully shore up the left flank, as the young winger also struggled to take João Mário on throughout the game.
Manchester United’s midfield setup, while effective in possession, proved to be a vulnerability when defending. With Bruno pushing forward and only Casemiro and Eriksen occupying the central areas, United were often outnumbered in midfield. This numerical disadvantage created spaces for Porto to exploit.
In this scenario, Casemiro was unable to win the aerial duel against Omorodion. This allowed Porto to gain possession and quickly advance into the open space in midfield.
With United’s defence scrambling to recover, Diallo failed to track the run of Francisco Moura, who found himself in a dangerous position. Only a crucial save from Andre Onana prevented Porto from capitalizing on this opportunity.
This recurring theme highlighted a key tactical weakness in United’s approach. The lack of midfield cover left Casemiro and Eriksen with an immense workload, forcing them to cover vast areas of the pitch. This left them susceptible to quick transitions and incisive passes from Porto, who repeatedly found spaces through the central channels.
Furthermore, the struggles extended to the United’s center-backs. Despite their individual quality, both Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martínez endured a difficult night. Porto’s wide players consistently found space to deliver crosses into the box, and the United centre-backs struggled to deal with the aerial bombardment. Their inability to effectively command the penalty area forced Ten Hag to replace both centre-backs.
While the early dominance hinted at a comfortable victory for Manchester United, their persistent defensive frailties transformed the match into a nail-biting affair. This 3-3 draw, while showcasing glimpses of United’s attacking potential, serves as a stark reminder of their ongoing defensive woes. With only one win in their last ten European outings, Ten Hag faces a crucial challenge. He must find solutions to these issues if he hopes to guide his team to success both domestically and on the continental stage.
By: Amartya Das Dip / @amartyadasdip
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Eurasia Sport Images / Getty Images