Manchester United have beaten Real Sociedad 1-0 in the Champions League but it wasn’t enough to win the group and avoid an extra knockout round in the Europa League.
United needed to win by two clear goals to top the group.
Sociedad started the game on the front foot, they were eager to put the game, and the group, to bed.
It was the hosts that had the first shot of the half, it was fired into the side netting but would have been ruled offside anyway.
However, it was United who made the breakthrough! Fernandes headed it to Ronaldo who played a lovely ball into the youngster Alejandro Garnacho, who took a touch and then chipped it past the keeper for his first United goal.
Garnacho looked a threat and he had another chance. He tricked the defenders and sat them down but was leaning back as he took the shot which flew over the bar.
Martinez was having a great game, winning every aerial dual and putting in some solid blocks.
About five minutes before half time, the atmosphere ramped up. Ronaldo hunted down a loose ball and lobbed it over the keeper but there was just a little too much on it and it landed on the roof of the net.
Up the other end and De Gea was forced into two excellent saves, firstly he dived to his right to palm away the initial shot before putting a hand out whilst still lay on the floor to deny Sociedad the follow up.
After the break, United were hungry for that all important second goal whilst Sociedad were torn between attacking and trying to draw level or sitting back and accepting a 1-0 defeat but topping the group.
Chances were sparse for both sides but it was getting feisty and the cards were being distributed.
A shot for Sociedad was easily scooped up by de Gea as Ronaldo got booked for having arms and the hosts got booked for time wasting.
Time was running out for the Reds though and it looked as though they would find themselves taking on a team dropping out of the Champions League.
As the game was fizzling out, Ten Hag surprised us all by bringing Maguire on and sticking him up front.
United had a chance but as it ping-ponged around in the box no one could get it out from under their feet.
It was all over for United and they will now have to face a Champions League team in the play-off in February.
Team: de Gea, Dalot, Lindelof (McTominay 58), Martinez, Shaw, Casemiro, Eriksen (Fred 82), Fernandes, Van de Beek (Rashford 58), Garnacho (Maguire 82), Ronaldo
