SIR JIM RATCLIFFE’S fellow knight Dave Brailsford knows all about marginal gains. This was about as marginal as it gets.
2024/2025 UEFA Europa League
0-2
Match Report
True enough, Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United team are through to the last 16 after what ended up being a comfortable win in Bucharest.
That avoids a tricky two-legged play-off and crucially gives the Portuguese boss more time on the training ground to push through his ideas.
Yet ironically, although United are the only club still unbeaten in either the Europa League or Champions League this season, victory in Romania could mean they face stiffer opposition next.
The Red Devils will now face one team out of Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, AZ Alkmaar and Midtjylland.
In contrast, it would have been FCSB, Ajax, Union Saint-Gilloise or PAOK - had United not won.
But at least, thanks to Diogo Dalot’s opener and a sensational second from Kobbie Mainoo inside nine second-half minutes, United ARE now moving forward.
Once upon a time the small achievement of avoiding a play-off to reach the knockout stages of Europe’s second tier tournament would have been no big deal.
But this very much was for the Old Trafford boss and the Ineos hierarchy part-owner Ratcliffe and his No 2 Brailsford.
But up until that dynamic double, Amorim’s team only underlined how much work he still has to do, no matter that it was a third successive victory for the first time this season.
The club are still working on bringing in Lecce wing back Patrick Dorgu with a deal not expected to go through for at least another 24 hours.
But a striker who actually scores goals has to be the priority this summer although at least Dalot’s strike calmed prompted a decent finale.
Yet United, for all Amorim’s “worst-ever” woes, without a Prem title in what will be a dozen seasons, still have attraction, especially in the outlands of Europe.
This clash took place in Romania’s National Stadium, capacity 55,000 and well packed out as opposed to their opponents’ own Ghencea Stadium which holds that number and where they place less high-profile games.
Not that Amorim’s white-clad side bear any resemblance to the glory days of old — too many of them really only plodders and sometimes even plonkers. They could have been behind within 11 minutes, too.
Amorim had his coaches working with the team for 20 minutes on set– pieces but when three opponents thundered forward in a line to meet a free kick the defensive reaction was zero.
Mihai Popescu met the ball less than ten yards out but from a great, central position somehow managed to squeeze his shot wide.
Christian Eriksen and Mainoo produced weak attempts to trouble the goalkeeper and then the home–grown midfielder blew the perfect opportunity to put United ahead.
Rasmus Hojlund raced down the left flank, his pace taking him clear of his marker and the delivery could not have been better.
Yet Mainoo, called back into the side as one of four changes, completely lost his head. No wonder he was holding it in disbelief a split second later as the ball arced high up into the stand.
The whole FCSB squad cost a total of £32million and earlier in the competition lost 4-0 to Rangers in Glasgow. Amorim’s starting line–up alone was worth £267.5m yet that Mainoo miss apart, they found themselves anxious and being dictated to.
The only attacker to thrive since the Portuguese replaced Erik ten Hag — Amad Diallo — was on the bench along with the physical presences of Manuel Ugarte and Harry Maguire.
The side were surely well aware of how important this clash was but there was only hesitancy and often indecision as opposed to a set of players trying to beat a team lying second in one of the least powerful leagues on the continent.
And in the 30th minute another fine opportunity — and another effort that spoke volumes of a lack of cold –eyed determination.
This time it fell to Hojlund and he barely made Stefan Tarnovanu blink.
Lisandro Martinez picked out the striker with a peach of a chip, straight onto his head. The result was weak, straight at the keeper who grabbed it with ease.
Once again we were watching a desperate Dane who cost £64m and has only scored in FIVE of his 29 appearances this season.
Everybody knows that Amorim will not give Marcus Rashford a sniff.
Hojlund is not the only struggling striker as £36.5m summer arrival Joshua Zirkzee has only scored in three of his last 34 appearances this season, so no wonder the United boss left him on the bench again.
The Portuguese may secretly be hoping that the lost boy of Old Trafford finds his way out of Manchester this transfer window.
Yet United should have been ahead just over a minute after the break after a defensive blunder left Alejandro Garnacho clear.
He had only just replaced Toby Collyer and suddenly found himself with a gift but his shot clipped the outside of a post.
Dalot did a whole lot better after Bruno Fernandes whipped in a screamer that struck the bar.
United reacted quickest and Mainoo, so quiet and ineffectual for the previous 59 minutes, delivered a cross that the Portuguse defender connected with.
Suddenly the nerves and tension were gone and eight minutes later Mainoo produced a killer blow.
He won the ball 30 yards out, fired it towards Garnacho then kept going to meet the return and side-footed stylishly into the net.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
5' Matthijs de Ligt‘s’ header misses to the left. Assisted by Christian Eriksen.
8' Yellow Card! Malacia committed a reckless challenge
10' Mihai Popescu’s shot from very close range following a set piece situation
15' Kobbie Mainoo right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved.
16' Attempt Saved. Christian Eriksen's shot from the left side of the box is saved.
18' Kobbie Mainoo's shot from the centre of the box is too high.
25' Fernandes lost possession in midfield but quickly pressed to disrupt.
30' Højlund's header is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Martínez.
47' Garnacho hits the woodwork with a left footed shot from the centre of the box.
56' Rasmus Højlund's left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved.
59' Match Event for Fotbal Club FCSB vs Man Utd
60' GOAL! Fotbal Club FCSB 0-1 Man Utd (Diogo Dalot)
63' Daniel Bîrligea (FCSB) hits the bar with a shot from outside the box.
68' GOAL! Fotbal Club FCSB 0-2 Man Utd (Kobbie Mainoo)
77' Oops. A fan ran into the pitch.
78' Rasmus Højlund's shot from a difficult angle on the right was close but missed.
81' Stefanescu's shot from outside the box is saved. Assisted by Daniel Bîrligea.
89' Bruno Fernandes's shot from the left side of the box is close, but still misses.
Line-ups
Fotbal Club FCSB XI: Valentin Crețu, Risto Radunovic, Florin Tănase, Malcom Edjouma, Mihai Popescu, Adrian Șut, Siyabonga Ngezana, David Miculescu, Ștefan Târnovanu, J. Dawa, Daniel Bîrligea
Subs: Chiriches, Alexandru Băluță, Daniel Popa, Mihai Udrea, Baba Alhassan, Marius Ștefănescu, Alexandru Pantea, Alexandru Musi, Mihai Toma
Man Utd XI: Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Mazraoui, Altay Bayındır, De Ligt, Dalot, Lisandro Martinez, Malacia, Højlund, Collyer, Mainoo
Subs: Heaton, Casemiro, Lindelof, Maguire, Onana, Ugarte, Zirkzee, Garnacho, Amad Diallo Traore, Yoro