Time running out for United to save this season as home defeat no shock

GORY, gory Man United. The clocks have not gone back and time is already running out for the Reds to salvage their season.

- SAMUEL LUCKHURST

Alejandro Garnacho was prone at fulltime as the rain continued to pour. Victor Lindelof was on his haunches. As Bruno Fernandes and Antony, heads bowed, approached the tunnel, the rain could not dampen the Galatasaray parade at the other end.

In the directors' box, United staff stood sheepishly as the jubilant Galatasaray officials that dominated their block sang along with their supporters. Old Trafford does not feel like home for the Reds now. The United club secretary, Rebecca Britain, sidled over to a Uefa official, appalled seemingly by the partisan nature.

A United defeat on home turf is not the jolt it once was. They have already lost more matches at home than in the entirety of last season and the manager is starting to cut a forlorn figure on the touchline.

It happens to them all and Erik ten Hag is straying dangerously close to that point; the point of no return. He will now know that United is the club where anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

The gruff Ten Hag remained stoic on the touchline and restrained when the Reds regained their lead in the 67th minute. He must sense the frailties in this team. Fifteen minutes later, Galatasaray were 3-2 up.

Galatasaray scraped past the might of Molde in qualifying to be here. They are an ordinary side teeming with Premier League rejects trading on reputation yet they too put three past a shambolic United. Opponents have plundered nine goals at Old Trafford this season.