Erik ten Hag has been ruthless with his Manchester United players again

Manchester United had been exposed to a video nasty of their Etihad horror show in the days leading up to the Europa League trip to Cyprus, with Erik ten Hag adding substance to his diagnosis that his players had lacked belief.

If confidence was brittle then it must have been on the floor at half-time in the away changing room at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia. United had played well against their average Cypriot opponents, but a stronger-than-expected team were behind and staring another embarrassment in the face.

In his tenth game in charge, this was when Ten Hag needed to make a difference. Had United lost his record would have read five wins and five defeats, it would have been a disaster.

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Instead, the Dutchman found the Midas touch. For the sixth time this season Ten Hag made changes at half-time and one of them made an immediate impact.

Marcus Rashford scored eight minutes after coming on and Anthony Martial one minute after rising from the bench. They saved their team's blushes, but must also have made Ten Hag's selection for the weekend a little easier.

Rashford finished brilliantly to draw United level. He had miscontrolled initially but cut inside to drill a curling shot beyond Fabiano in the Omonia goal. He was far more productive on the left than Jadon Sancho.

Sancho has had his moments this season. He was good in Moldova against Sheriff Tiraspol and took his goals against Liverpool and Leicester City very well, but there's not been enough consistency to his game.

In a first half United dominated in Cyprus, Sancho didn't do enough with the ball and he wasn't blameless for the goal they conceded in comical fashion.

The winger was indecisive in