Manchester United’s hopes of advancing to the knockout stages of the Champions League are hanging by a thread after they twice let two-goal leads slip against Galatasaray on Wednesday night to draw 3-3.
At 2-0 and 3-1 up United should have been able to close out the game, but the Hakim Ziyech inspired Turks kept coming back at them. Ziyech, who is on loan from Chelsea scored twice and provided an assist with the result leaving United rooted to the bottom of the table with four points.
Speaking after the game a disappointed United manager Erik ten Hag told TNT Sports: “We were winning and then we’re losing it. We should have taken three points, that’s clear.
“We did this in other games. I was pleased with how we played but at the same time I have to criticise the team because the defending is not good enough. We are leading 3-1 and we cannot afford mistakes as it makes a difference.
“Every goal has its own story. Whether it’s a transition moment and we don’t block the middle or the second goal, which is a free-kick and the third goal we are organized but have an overload. That cannot happen. We have to learn from that.
“I am very pleased because you see the style of this team, which is pro-active, dynamic and brave. I was pleased with the performance because we created so many chances but at the same time, we have to win this game.”
Asked who should be blamed for throwing games away he took the responsibility onto his own shoulders: “It’s always me. I am responsible for this. We know we are in a project. We are making improvements so that’s very hopeful.
“We are going in the right direction so I know we will be successful in the long-term but if you want to stay in the Champions League you need to win these games,” he said.
His words were echoed by skipper Bruno Fernandes who added: “It’s really hard. We conceded really bad goals. We have to take control of the situations in all of them.
“We were on top of the game twice and we had far too many chances to have the game closed. We were not clinical enough.
“I have nothing to explain. We concede the two goals and there’s nothing we can do now. Obviously, we could have done better with those two goals, but it is what it is.
“Every time we conceded a goal, we had many chances to score again. At the end of the game, we had four chances. We have to lift our heads up and try to get the best players in the best positions and not take chances ourselves. We need to put the team first. It was mistakes by ourselves on the goals we conceded.
“It’s too hard to be honest, I don’t want to be too negative. But what we have been doing in the Champions League is not enough. It is not the first game we’ve had like this. We have to secure the result.
“We have to understand in these types of games and stages we have to be smart enough and manage the game better. Everyone has to step up and take responsibility of their own mistakes. Now we don’t depend on ourselves, but it is what it is.”
United’s final game in Group A is at home to Bayern Munich on 12 December.
