Manchester United tarted their game against Bayern Munich in a decent fashion, but it did not take long before things came crashing down in the opening half at the Allianz Arena.
While the Premier League club looked threatening in the opening exchanges, they would be undone by a clear individual error just before the half hour mark.
Leroy Sane was the man to get the goal, although he had a large helping hand from Andre Onana. The United goalkeeper failed to make what should have been a routine save, allowing the German's strike to roll into the net.
André Onana has had a howler here 🫣
Leroy Sané's effort slips under the Man Utd stopper's gloves to give Bayern the lead...#UCL pic.twitter.com/GMErAGOBwE— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 20, 2023
Things would get worse for Manchester United a few minutes later.
The second goal was not down to the type of clear individual error we saw from Onana for the opener, but it did feature some questionable team defending as Jamal Musiala was allowed to set up Serge Gnabry.
How about this run from Jamal Musiala... 🤤
He sets up Serge Gnabry to strike the ball into the net!
Bayern double their lead! ⚽️⚽️#UCL pic.twitter.com/IPOneEjWo7— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 20, 2023
This half was the latest in a long line of poor defensive showing from Erik ten Hag's side.
Dunne & Scholes spot Manchester United man's role in Bayern goals
While Andre Onana will rightly be blamed for Bayern Munich's opening goal, there was another Manchester United player that played a sizeable role in conceding both strikes.
Speaking on Virgin Media, Richard Dunne pointed out Lisandro Martinez's failure to marshal Harry Kane in the buildup to Sane's shot.
"What a mess!"
"It's the basics of goalkeeping!"
"Eriksen is a liability defensively!"
Brian Kerr & Richard Dunne say it wasn't just Onana at fault for Bayern's opener. #BAYMUN | #UCL pic.twitter.com/VlG2kEJrMp— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) September 20, 2023
It's so easy. The goalkeeper has to have lost concentration, Eriksen allows the pass inside.
Harry Kane does well to pin Martinez, but he has to be braver as a centre back, try and come up as Sane is coming up to the ball.
It was such a blow for United.
It wasn't just the first goal that Martinez was found wanting for.
He completely failed to notice the threat posed by Serge Gnabry in the box on that occasion, with Paul Scholes criticising at halftime on TNT Sports.
I'm not sure what Martinez is doing for that goal.
I know [Diogo] Dalot is beaten (by Malia), but Martinez goes backwards. Him and [Sergio] Reguilon have one man between them. Reguilon should take that man and Martinez should then be getting out to Gnabry, who scores the goal.
If anything, he goes backwards and blocks the goalkeeper's view.
Many Manchester United fans were expecting a big season from Lisandro Martinez, but the Argentine defender has had a very difficult start to the campaign up to this point.
He has not been helped by some of those around him, although he has also produced quite a few individual errors.
Manchester United will need to quickly tighten up at the back if they are to experience any sort of success over the coming months.
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