Manchester United are officially out of this year’s UEFA Champions League tournament after a 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich in the final group stage game, a result which saw them not only exit the competition but break yet another unwanted record under Erik ten Hag.
With just four points in six games to their name, Man United have officially recorded their worst-ever Champions League performance in club history.
Despite having scored 12 goals over the course of half a dozen matches — the same amount as Bayern, whose single goal on Wednesday night was enough to bury any hope of the Reds remaining in Europe — they also conceded 15, the most by a Premier League side in any group stage of the competition.
It’s also only the second time ever they have finished bottom of their group; the last time they did so was in the 2005/06 season, taking six points and only coming last after conceding two more goals than Lille.
Man United make history once again 👀
They become the first English club to concede 15 #UCL goals!
To make that stat even more damning, only two other English sides (Manchester City and Blackburn) have ever finished bottom of their UCL group, making United the only team to have now picked up that unwanted record twice.
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Having only returned to the top-flight European competition this season, fans were by no means expecting anything miraculous but will have certainly been hoping to make it through to the knockouts. However, history since Sir Alex Ferguson shows that even that isn’t always a given anymore.
The Red Devils have now been knocked out in the group stages in three out of the seven seasons they have spent in the Champions League since Fergie retired — the same number of times that happened in his entire tenure — and have only made it as far as the quarter-finals.
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But the stats just keep coming, as the defeat against the Bundesliga giants also marked their 12th in all competitions, the same number of matches they lost in the entire 22/23 season. Unfortunately for Erik ten Hag, it seems Man United’s long list of unwanted records just keeps growing at the minute.
The manager insisted that he thought many of the performances on Wednesday were good but did admit that they “didn’t lose it today”, i.e. having thrown away multiple 2-0 leads in the previous fixtures and making result-defining errors throughout this year’s Champions League campaign.
Having finished bottom of the group, this also means that they won’t be playing in UEFA’s second-rate competition, the Europa League, for the rest of the season either and with now just the FA Cup and a very tall order of the Premier League to fight for, the chance of consecutive silverware looks slim.
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Even more concerningly for Reds, though, ten Hag’s team face Liverpool away at Anfield on Sunday, with Jurgen Klopp’s side currently sitting top of the table and with the highest goal difference in the league — not to mention Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw were both withdrawn due to injuries.
United might have been the most in-form team in the Prem a few games back but now that stat belongs to their historic rivals, they’re even more injury-riddled than they were a week ago and they’ve had more than a few disappointing derby days at home of late, let alone on Merseyside.
Featured Images — Manchester United (via Instagram)
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Paul Scholes blasts Ruben Amorim for ‘bull****’ response to Kobbie Mainoo question
Danny Jones
Club legend Paul Scholes has called out Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim for what he dubbed a “bull****” reaction to a question from a journalist regarding Kobbie Mainoo on Thursday.
The Portuguese coach saw his Premier League win rate clock in at just under 44% (the lowest of any Man United manager for, let’s just say, some time) after the 1-1 home draw against West Ham.
Conceding a late goal against the Irons, who are currently sat in the relegation zone, the Red Devils ultimately dropped another two points against a side that they should be beating, both based on present form and if they have any hopes of competing for the top spots.
Unsurprisingly, Amorim was pressed on why he didn’t make a more offensive substitution to try and claw back the victory, to which he then asked what looked to be a somewhat loaded question and gave this reaction after the response:
The laughter, in particular, hasn’t gone down well with everyone, especially the Class of ’92 graduate and retired midfielder.
Jumping on social media after the quotes from the Amorim press conference were out, Scholes posted on his Instagram story: Bull****. This kid is being ruined, not being played in a team that can’t control a game of football.”
He went on to add: “Hate seeing homegrown players leave, but it’s probably best for him now – enough is enough.”
First off, Reds – do you agree?
It isn’t the first time Scholes has levelled criticism at Amorim, his tactics, management and overall coaching style, having said this of their previous appointment at Old Trafford.
Paul Scholes on Ruben Amorim's tactics against 10-man Everton which frustrated him 😬 pic.twitter.com/AgsESuH83h
Safe to say he isn’t his biggest supporter at the moment.
Fellow former teammate and England international turned pundit, Gary Neville, was also left not just confused but frustrated by the performance, telling Sky Sports in his post-match interview that he noted the camera picking up “real dejection” on the faces of the fans after the full-time whistle.
With an away trip against Wolves, a home match against Bournemouth, as well as travelling to face high-flying European place competitors, Aston Villa, before hosting Newcastle on Boxing Day, it’s anyone’s guess as to how the results will pan out.
You can see the highlights from Man United vs West Ham down below.
How many points do you see them picking up over the next four fixtures?
BBC releases first look of new drama series based on inspirational journey of England men’s football team
Emily Sergeant
First look images of a new BBC drama series based on award-winning play Dear England have been released.
The four-part series based on James Graham’s Olivier-award winning play of the same name tells the story of Gareth Southgate and the England men’s football team journey to renewed success, and it’s set to air on BBC One and iPlayer next year.
Dear England is a fictionalised account of the struggles and successes of England’s football teams, based on extensive research and interviews.
The stage play premiered at the National Theatre to five-star reviews, winning an Olivier award for ‘Best New Play’, and enjoying a sell-out run in 2023 before it returned to the National Theatre earlier this year and then embarked on a national tour.
The first look images of new BBC series Dear England have been released / Credit: BBC
With the worst team track record for penalties in the world when he takes over as manager, Gareth knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt to take England back to the promised land.
The country that gave the world football has delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can’t the England team win at their own game?
Joseph Fiennes will reprise his Olivier award-nominated role as Gareth Southgate in the new series.
Joseph Fiennes will star as former manager Gareth Southgate / Credit: BBC
The first look pictures see Fiennes in his role for the first time in scenes depicting England’s triumphant Euro 2024 Semi-Final celebrations, where the men’s team reached their first final of a major tournament on foreign soil.
Fiennes is joined by Jodie Whittaker as England men’s team psychologist Pippa Grange, and Daniel Ryan as Steve Holland the former assistant manager, whilst Will Antenbring stars as Harry Kane, joined by an ensemble cast of upcoming actors as the rest of the team.
Among the squad cast is Adam Hugill, Josh Barrow, and screen newcomer Lewis Shepherd, who are all reprising their respective stage roles as Harry Maguire, Jordan Pickford, and Dele Alli.
Danny Jones -
13th December 2023 
