Manchester United needed a resilient display and tactical change to secure just a second Europa League win of the season when the Norwegian Bodo/Glimt pair arrived at Old Trafford.
Alejandro Garnacho looked to have set the tone for a perfect night when Ruben Amorim led the Red Devils to the Teatro dels Somnis for the first time. But it threatened to become a nightmare as Hakon Evjen and Philip Zinckernagel struck in quick succession for the visitors.
Rasmus Hojlund pulled back to make it 2-2 late in the first half, before the Dane grabbed a decisive second after the break to seal victory and all three points.
How the game developed
It was a blazing start unitedmoving in front after just 48 seconds. Hojlund had not started against Ipswich Town and looked determined to impress, looking for the ball as Bodo/Glimt passed again to goalkeeper Nikita Haikin. The raw talent got possession of the nick a few yards from goal and Garnacho was there to pounce in front of an empty net.
United looked confident and in control, but disaster struck out of nowhere as the visitors scored twice in the space of three minutes to turn the game around.
First, Bodo/Glimt played out of midfield after receiving a clearance, with Evjen running onto a Sondre Brunstad Fet cut-back to sweep home from the edge of the box. A long ball down the right channel then saw Zinckernagel win a race with the returning Tyrell Malacia and finish calmly.
United risked falling further behind in another moment of defensive disarray when Evjen lifted a fine chance over the bar. But Amorim’s team managed to regain a foothold that ended the half at a higher and later level.
Hojlund’s equaliser, which came after Bodo/Glimt almost scored an own goal, had arrived amid a head of steam. Manuel Ugarte pressed high to win the ball, forcing a hasty clearance from Noussair Mazraoui, whose silky footwork created space for a cross that Hojlund controlled and fired home in what looked like a fluid move .
The half-time arrival of Diogo Dalot in place of Malacia marked a partial change in formation away from the 3-4-3, with United reverting to a 4-2-3-1 when out of possession. The problem in the first half had been defensively and there was no problem going forward as evidenced when Mason Mount agonizingly hit the crossbar with a curling effort into the top corner.
Mount also played a big part moments later when Hojlund’s second put United back in front, flicking a clever pass from Mazraoui into the path of Ugarte, who got the number 9 to finish a few yards . A VAR check for possible offside was cleared without action.
Moments later, Haikin made a powerful save on Garnacho, and it was clear that United had fought hard to regain control. Bodo/Glimt’s threat in the first half was very little, although there was a hairy moment when Andre Onana almost got caught with the ball out of his own goal and accidentally touched it with his hand while he was fighting not to lose it, the VAR didn’t. see enough to warrant a possible red card. United then went straight up the other end and Garnacho had a good chance.
In the closing stages and substitute Marcus Rashford dragged a shot wide, while Onana made a useful save, even if an offside flag meant a goal would not have counted anyway. His next secured the three points, beating a 92nd minute free kick from Patrick Berg.
While some managers with a deeply rooted tactical philosophy stick firmly to that philosophy no matter what, Amorim showed an admirable willingness to adapt and be flexible.
Much has been made of the 3-4-3 system he perfected at Sporting CP, but United struggled to settle against Ipswich at the weekend and it was clear when Bodo/Glimt scored the its double quick that this group will need more time to learn. their roles.
At half-time, Amorim instructed his players to defend with a 4-2-3-1, but attack with a 3-4-3. He brought the familiarity of a back four, automatically making the team more solid defensively in the second half, but he didn’t abandon the long-term vision either.
Before the start, Hojlund had scored just two goals in all competitions this season. Now, he has doubled that number in one night thanks to a match-winning brace.
The Dane had something to prove after failing to get the nod in Amorim’s starting line-up a few days earlier and took each of his goals with a clinical edge. It was also a sign that, with consistent quality service, he will find the bottom of the net.
More than 550 days after his last appearance for the senior club, Tyrell Malacia was perhaps a surprise inclusion in the starting line-up. The Dutchman has put injury hell behind him and should be an asset to the squad once he’s back up to full speed.
It was remarkable that Zinckernagel scorched Malacia’s pace for Bodo/Glimt’s second goal, which might not have been the case had he not returned after an 18-month layoff.
Amorim took him off at half-time for Diogo Dalot, which may have been an expected change as it was his first game back. You’d think it was because he didn’t play well because, in general, that wasn’t the case.
