‘We should have taken three points’ says ten Hag as United feel the heat in Hell

“We’re winning, then we’re losing, we should have taken three points,” said ten Hag.

Champions League: GALATASARAY 3 MANCHESTER UNITED 3

ANOTHER European road trip, another dizzying, wonderful, madcap memorable game involving Manchester United but the first away point of this Champions League group campaign was far from enough for manager Erik ten Hag.

By the time dust had settled on this early kick-off and a chaotic 3-3 draw, only Atletico Madrid and holders Manchester City had more than United’s 12 goals to their name.

Indeed, if ten Hag had been told pre-tournament that his side would score nine times in their three away games, the Dutchman would presumably have been rubbing his hands together, banking on at least a couple of victories.

Instead, after twice throwing away the lead and losing 4-3 in Copenhagen at the start of the month, United repeated the feat in Turkey, this time twice throwing away a two-goal lead.

That left United knowing their Champions League fate is out of their own hands and, as was the case in the 4-3 defeat at Bayern Munich, as well as the other two road fixtures, the performance and suitability of goalkeeper Andre Onana were again under an intense spotlight.

Twice he let direct free-kicks from Chelsea loanee Hakim Ziyech through his body and the lack of confidence in their goalkeeper was apparent in the performance of the defenders in front of him.

The Cameroon international was supposed to be an upgrade on legendary favourite David de Gea after ten Hag took the bold, if controversial, decision to end his United career and replace him with Onana this summer.

That explained why, as well as being among the competition’s leading scorers, they also boast one of their worst defences, with Celtic and Royal Anywerp the only rivals to have leaked more.

It must also leave a huge question mark over Onana’s position as ten Hag’s undisputed number one, whatever the fall-out that may come from dropping a player signed for nearly £50 million last summer.

His manager, of course, refused to criticise the goalkeeper, blaming only himself for the European setbacks and claiming, as he has for some time, that his team is heading in the right direction – although game management and goalkeeping are presumably two areas in which that is not the case.

“We’re winning, then we’re losing, we should have taken three points,” said ten Hag.

“There are more games: at home against Galatasary, in Copenhagen. We play so good, it’s a big compliment to the team, but also, in the same moment, I have to criticise the team, and me as a manager, we are not defending well enough.”

Just as they had in Copenhagen at the start of the month, United raced into a quick 2-0 lead. And, just as was the case in Denmark, they spent the rest of the game apparently trying to throw that lead away.

It was home sub Kerem Akturkoglu who blasted a 71st minute super strike that made it 3-3 but ten Hag can only wonder how his side managed to squander a two-goal lead not once, but twice …. and the answer, on both occasions, could be seen standing between his posts.

It had all started so well for the Reds and, after the game had survived a pre-match pitch inspection due to torrential rain, the quality of the two United goals and the strong opening might have dampened home spirits.