It was just Copenhagen’s players that were unhappy after their Champions League defeat to Man United on Tuesday evening.
A last-kick-of-the-game penalty save by under-fire keeper, Andre Onana, ensured that the Red Devils picked up all three points thanks to a towering header from Harry Maguire – another United ace that’s been put through the mill by supporters of late.
United laboured to victory and had the visitor’s penalty gone in, they couldn’t have had any complaints.
At least Erik ten Hag’s side are winning games now even if they’re not playing well. Rather that than playing well and losing, even if the ideal scenario is that they start to blow teams away just as they did under the Dutchman in 2022/23.
The outrage over Garnacho fixing the penalty spot for the penalty taker is unreal ? pic.twitter.com/QQ8OcbmG3l
— Irish Reds (@manutdirishreds) October 25, 2023
In any event, prior to the penalty, United’s Alejandro Garnacho was spotted scuffing the penalty spot, an act which has drawn a lot of criticism, including from ex-Arsenal man, Kim Kallstrom, now a pundit for TV4.
“What an ugly type. Ahh, I don’t know…,” he said. “That’s so childish. It’s such a baby level.”
Olof Lundh, another pundit on the programme, went a step further.
“This is the kind of thing you want to be able to punish afterwards,” he suggested.
Whilst the penalty miss was undoubtedly because of a mix of of Jordan Larsson’s nerves and Andre Onana’s positioning and guesswork, Garnacho’s involvement can certainly give rise to the theory that he played his part.
At best it’s unsportsmanlike, and it’ll be interesting to see if UEFA make this a bookable offence in future.