The ESPN FC panel discuss what it will take for Manchester United to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League.
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Wolfsburg won the group with 12 points and PSV also advanced with 10 points, two more than United.
United knew anything but a win would leave them exposed to events elsewhere, but at least they still controlled their own destiny. Header saved by Benaglio.
United took the lead against Wolfsburg and levelled in the second half to spark some hope but Van Gaal wasn’t happy with United’s defence.
United, who are a point above PSV Eindhoven in group B, head into final game against leaders Wolfsburg knowing a win against the German side would see them finish at the top.
In mitigation, Martial has not been helped by a pretty conservative United midfield that has meant he’s often found himself isolated when playing as the lone striker. The dam finally burst in the 29th minute, when Julian Draxler went on a slaloming run through Manchester’s defense, moving the ball around in give-and-gos to keep Manchester’s defense scrambling.
Manchester United had a goal ruled out for offside late in the first half when the offside player, Juan Mata, never even touched the ball.
“He is very talented but he is just 20 years old”, Van Gaal said of the forward, who scored four goals in his first four matches following a £36 million (Dh199m) transfer from Monaco in September. The protests were not created to get rid of the manager, but were borne more of frustration, which has been building, slowly but surely.
Manchester United must prove they merit a place in the Champions League last 16 by beating Wolfsburg in their crucial group tie, says boss Louis van Gaal.
But United were ahead for a matter of minutes as Naldo, who looked sluggish in the build up to Martial’s goal, brilliantly volleyed home Ricardo Rodriguez’s inswinging free kick.
The Champions League win over CSKA broke Wayne Rooney’s 404-minute goalless drought.
United, already without Luke Shaw, Antonio Valencia, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo, were forced into a defensive change – 18-year-old Cameron Borthwick-Jackson replacing the injured Matteo Darmian – before being dealt another blow by the officials this time. The club has been well-known in their history to grow players from the youth team and introduce them to the first team through time, just as was done with the Class of 92.
Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger is to contest his violent conduct charge for an alleged elbow on West Ham defender Winston Reid, Press Association Sport reports. The bells of doom were tolling for Manchester United’s Champions League dreams.
Bayern Munich’s Pep Guardiola is rightly regarded as the best coach in the world at present.
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Perhaps Cristiano Ronaldo wasn’t aware that Real Madrid’s match against Malmo was mostly meaningless.
