Man United are gifted a goal just FIFTY seconds into Ruben Amorim’s Old Trafford debut – after comical gaffe from Bodo/Glimt goalkeeper
- Alejandro Garnacho took the lead after 50 seconds thanks to a blunder by the goalkeeper
- Ruben Amorim is making a habit of starting quickly, having also scored early in Ipswich
- This Man City team is ready and Pep Guardiola has been sleeping on the job – LISTEN to It’s All Kicking Off NOW! New episodes every Monday and Thursday
Manchester United took advantage of a comical goalkeeping error on Thursday to score just 50 seconds after Ruben Amorim’s Old Trafford debut.
The Red Devils, eager to secure their first win under new manager Amorim after a 1-1 draw with Ipswich last weekend, couldn’t have asked for a better start as Bodo/Glimt gifted Alejandro Garnacho with the easiest tap-ins, less than one minute into the match.
Almost immediately from the kick-off, Bodo/Glimt centre-back Jostein Gundersen picked up the ball and passed back to his goalkeeper Nikita Khaikin, who was under intense pressure from Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund.
The 29-year-old Khaikin decided to let the ball run over him and ended up in a complete mess as he tried to clear the ball, with Hojlund sliding in to make things difficult for the goalkeeper.
With both players jostling for the ball on the ground, Garnacho was the most alert to the situation and stormed towards the six-yard box to give Amorim a dream start in his first ever game at Old Trafford.
The Portuguese manager has made a habit of starting quickly in his first month with the Red Devils as Marcus Rashford put United ahead against Ipswich Town last weekend just two minutes into the Premier League match.
Manchester United took advantage of a comical goalkeeping error to score just 50 seconds after Ruben Amorim’s Old Trafford debut as the Red Devils hosted Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League
Amorim has made a habit of scoring goals quickly in matches and letting the lead slip away
But as Manchester United continued to get to grips with Amorim’s favored 3-4-3 formation, a significant change from the 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 shape they employed under Ten Hag came Ipswich regained their footing in the competition. match and equalized before half time through Omari Hutchinson.
Amorim’s struggle to hold onto their lead continued against the Norwegian side as Bodo/Glimt’s Hakon Evjen scored a fantastic goal from outside the penalty area to level the scoreboard in the 19th minute.
Much to the Portuguese manager’s dismay, Bodo/Glimt struck again just four minutes later through Philip Zinckernagel, sliding his effort under Andre Onana to take a shock lead.
Fans of the Norwegian team, who currently sit above the Red Devils in the Europa League ahead of Thursday’s match at Old Trafford, were in good spirits ahead of kick-off having already defeated Portuguese clubs Porto and Braga in the competition this season had defeated.
Eager to make their voices heard ahead of Amorim’s Old Trafford debut, the yellow-shirted Bodo/Glimt fans were filmed singing, chanting and drinking in various pubs and bars across Manchester before making their way to the historic stadium.
As they marched in large numbers through Deansgate, several fans set off pyrotechnic flares to blanket the streets of Manchester in yellow smoke.
Although Khaikin’s early mistake was a head-in-hand moment for the traveling fans, they found themselves in dreamland more than 20 minutes later after Evjen’s well-taken goal.
That was until Hojlund, in many ways the architect of United’s opening match, gloriously brought the Red Devils level at the end of the first half, cleverly controlling Noussair Mazraoui’s cross and sending the ball home with a controlled finish to play volleyball in the bottom corner.
Manchester United had dropped to 14th in the Premier League before Erik ten Hag was sacked and have since risen to 12th under the interim management of Ruud van Nistelrooy and more recently Amorim.
Meanwhile, in the Europa League, United had managed just one win and three draws in their first four games ahead of Thursday’s match at Old Trafford, leaving them languishing in mid-table.
Forgotten Manchester United defender Tyrell Malacia made his first start for the club in 550 days, while Amorim stuck to his 3-4-3 formation against the Norwegian side.
Antony, United’s £86million flop, also made a rare start in a new role at right full-back, where Amad Diallo, another striker, played at the weekend.