Football News

Man Utd 0-1 Bayern Munich: Player ratings as Red Devils exit Europe

By Mohamed Moallim

Published: 21:55, 12 December 2023

Manchester United were fighting to maintain their Champions League status when hosting Bayern Munich at Old Trafford this evening.

Erik ten Hag’s men needed to collect all three points and hope for good news from the Danish capital with FC Copenhagen hosting Galatasaray.

English football’s most decorated champions, who came into this showdown following a humbling 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth, required victory and the other Group A match ending with both teams cancelling out each other.

Thomas Tuchel’s side, already booked their Round of 16 spot, were also licking their wounds after Eintracht Frankfurt gave them a bloody nose last time out.

With a swirling Theatre of Dreams the final group stage game of this campaign ended in a nightmare as Bayern ran out 1-0 winners. Kingsley Coman decided the contest to end United’s campaign in Europe before winter had concluded.

As the dust begins to settle here is how we rated the players:

Man Utd

André Onana – 5.5 – Didn’t put a foot wrong until a slick Bayern move led to Coman smashing the ball past him.

Luke Shaw – 5 – His ambitious 25-yarder was about as good as it’s got for Man Utd in the opening half. Shaw appeared to be in pain for a short period before the break and he was unable to run it off.

Raphaël Varane – 5 – Making his first start for Man Utd since a 1-0 win over FC Copenhagen in October so to say the Frenchman was rusty would be an understatement.

Harry Maguire – 4.5 – Survived a penalty scare when he clumsily made contact with Musiala just inside the area. Came off with a suspected groin injury before half-time.

Diogo Dalot – 6 – Had to be on his A-game when dealing with such threats as Sane and to be fair the Portuguese full-back gave a credible account of himself. Won possession in the final third four times, the most by a Man Utd player in a Champions League game since Wayne Rooney against FC Porto in April 2009 (also four).

Sofyan Amrabat – 4 – Found himself at times facing an onrushing Bayern storm on his own as United’s sole holding midfielder. Frustration got the better of him as he found himself in the referee’s book.

Scott McTominay – 4.5 – Operated high up the pitch alongside Fernandes when United are chasing the ball, forming a 4-1-4-1 formation with Amrabat as the only holding midfielder.

Alejandro Garnacho – 4 – Just lacked the final pass/end product. Made some powerful runs towards Bayern’s area but more often than not was dispossessed at the last moment.

Bruno Fernandes – 5 – Often had to drop deep when United regained possession, leaving McTominay in a more advanced position in between Garnacho and Antony. Had the chance to put United in front shortly after half-time but he skied his effort from 20 yards.

Antony – 3.5 – Had the first real effort in anger but his curling, left-footed strike went high and wide. That proved to be a bright spot as he drifted out of the game since then.

Rasmus Højlund – 4 – Had just nine touches in the first half and found it challenging against Bayern’s imposing central defensive pair.

Substitutes:

Jonny Evans (for Maguire 40) – 4 – Aged 35 years and 343 days, he became the oldest Manchester United substitute in the Champions League since Zlatan Ibrahimovic against Basel in November 2017 (36y 50d).

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (for Shaw 46) – 4.5 – An enforced sub as Shaw came off with a suspected hamstring injury. He still ended up making two interceptions, joint most by any United player.

Hannibal Mejbri (for Garnacho 74) – N/A – A late sub.

Facundo Pellistri (for Antony 74) – N/A – A late sub.

Kobbie Mainoo (for Varane 78) – N/A – A late sub.

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Bayern Munich

Manuel Neuer – 7.5 – Tonight was a milestone moment in the storied career of Bayern’s goalkeeper as he made his 700th appearance of his professional career. 317 of those have now ended with Neuer keeping a clean sheet.

Alphonso Davies – 7 – Enjoyed a fascinating battle with Antony down Bayern’s left flank. A duel the speedy Canadian full-back often came out top. It wasn’t just the Brazilian forward as Davies’ pace was giving United all sorts of problems. He came off at half-time in that Frankfurt humiliation but looks to be back to his dynamic and lively best.

Kim Min-Jae – 7 – The ‘monster’ wasn’t called into action too often much to United supporters’ displeasure. There was a moment when he made a vital intervention preventing Højlund from trying to turn for a sight of goal after receiving Bruno Fernandes’ clever pass in the area.

Dayot Upamecano – 8 – Started nervously before finishing strongly. Nothing illustrated that momentum shift more when he timed a challenge to perfection to dispossess Garnacho.

Noussair Mazraoui – 6 – Made some purposeful runs forward much to his manager’s content following a difficult outing at Frankfurt last time out.

Leon Goretzka – 6 – Had an early sighter from 25 yards which Onana gobbled up. Picked up a late booking.

Joshua Kimmich – 7 – Channeled his inner Fernandes by hitting Row Z from around 20 yards out. That being said, no one in a Bayern jersey completed more interceptions (3) or passes into the final third (16).

Leroy Sané – 6.5 – Glided through United’s midfield — in particular making Amrabat look very slow — before Maguire and company squeezed him out at the expense of a corner.

Jamal Musiala – 7 – His movement caused problems for Man Utd’s midfielders, finding space between McTominay and Amrabat whenever Bayern go forward.

Kingsley Coman – 8 – Solid at both ends of the pitch. Coman sufficiently tracked back to keep tabs on Garnacho while threatening down their right flank and was rewarded with the game’s opener. Each of his last five goals in the Champions League has come away from home.

Harry Kane – 6.5 – Enjoyed a relatively quiet evening before producing a delicious flick round the corner from which Coman profited. He subsequently became the first player in the big five European leagues across all competitions this season to reach 30 goal involvements (22 goals and eight assists), registering his third assist in the Champions League this season, his most in a single edition of the competition.

Substitutes:

Konrad Laimer (for Mazraoui 46) – 5.5 – Picked up from where the Morrocan international he replaced left off.

Thomas Müller (for Musiala 67) – 5 – Could have come on a lot sooner. Entered during a lull in the game but he never stopped running.

Mathys Tel (for Coman 77) – N/A – A late sub.

Raphaël Guerreiro (for Sané 90) – N/A – A late sub.

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