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Score an early goal out of nowhere, settle back and play for a result while hoping for a chance on the counter.
That was Erik ten Hag’s game plan for Manchester City and it was almost working too, even after Phil Foden scored one of his own “out of nowhere”.
However, a late flurry added gloss to the scoreline for City and they ran out ultimately as the victors.
The late flurry, coincidentally, also came when Ten Hag sent on Antony and later, Sofyan Amrabat.
It is a sign of United’s weak bench that when United wanted a goal, a defensive midfielder came on alongside a player feels like he hasn’t scored one in ages.
Well, at least Antony didn’t concede one and make it harder for United than it already was. Credit for that goes to Sofyan Amrabat.
The Moroccan was robbed in his own half by Rodri who slipped in a simple pass for Haaland in behind to score City’s third and end the game as a contest on the scoreboard as well.
In his eight-minute appearance, Amrabat managed to drop a disasterclass for the ages.
He lost possession two times in a game where United rarely had the ball in the first place, failed to complete his only dribble, lost both his ground duels, lost his aerial duel, and topped it off with an error leading to the goal.
Questions abounded over Amrabat struggling to match the intensity of the Premier League and they were once again answered in emphatic fashion.
Add to that Antony adding further pressure on United by either straying offside, or running into blind alleys with the ball only to lose it, and the reality of Ten Hag’s recruitment was laid bare.
The decision to not sign Amrabat permanently has turned out to be a masterstroke but it perhaps symbolises current United perfectly.
Even the one decision that ages well in the market is because the player has been worse than advertised.
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