Erik ten Hag criticized the first-half red card for Marcus Rashford — which the Manchester United coach said «changed everything» — as his team surrendered a 2-0 lead to lose 4-3 against FC Copenhagen.
United are now bottom of Champions League Group A having suffered their third defeat in four games. They must now beat Galatasaray in Istanbul later this month and Bayern Munich at Old Trafford in their final game to have a realistic chance of reaching the round of 16. — Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) But after racing into an early lead through two Rasmus Hojlund goals, United's night turned sour when Rashford was sent off following the intervention of VAR for a 42nd-minute foul on Elias Jelert.
Rashford caught the Copenhagen player on the shin with the sole of his boot and was shown a red card by referee Donatas Rumsas, but Ten Hag called the decision «harsh.» «The red card changed everything,» Ten Hag said. «We then conceded two goals before half-time that should never have counted — the first was offside, their player was stood in front of André Onana, and the penalty [for the second] was very debatable. »The red card was harsh. [Rashford] went for the ball, but the referee had such a long time to make it a red card.
When you freeze it, it always looks worse. They took so long to make a red card of it. «I'm very disappointed with the decisions, the game was never meant to be like this.