MANCHESTER United manager Erik ten Hag often reverts back to a simple demand when asked about players who are performing at a level below that required in a theatre as grand as Old Trafford.
“They need to step up,” the Dutchman likes to say.
In the Champions League against Copenhagen, on a night when United were honouring one of their greatest players and when the manager admitted “victory is our only option”, two of his most criticised players certainly did step up.
Harry Maguire and Andre Onana have been heavily scrutinised in recent times.
Maguire lost captaincy in the summer and West Ham United had a bid for him accepted. The 30-year-old opted to remain at Old Trafford but, having slipped to fifth-choice central defender – behind left-back Luke Shaw – no-one was sure why.
Some uncertain moments in the first half for the England defender did nothing to suggest a revival for Maguire.
Not that many people have been sure why Ten Hag paid £47m to sign Onana from Inter Milan either.
The Cameroon goalkeeper’s perceived strength is distribution, but against Copenhagen that was not in great evidence – with the two diagonal passes sent straight out of play in the first half.
However, with 18 minutes remaining, it was Maguire who forced his way onto the end of Christian Eriksen’s brilliant curling cross to the far post.
And with the final action of the game, deep into added time, it was Onana who beat away Jordan Larsson’s penalty to secure a first win of United’s European campaign and keep their hopes of qualification for the Champions League last 16 alive.
