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Three weeks after suffering a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Istanbul Basaksehir in their previous UEFA Champions League fixture, Manchester United settled scores with their Turkish opponents as they ran out 4-1 winners when the two sides met again at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
Bruno Fernandes’ brace gave Manchester United a 2-0 lead inside the first twenty minutes. The Portuguese midfielder rifled home a thunderous first-time strike in the 7th minute before a goalkeeping error allowed him to roll the ball into an empty net in the 19th minute.
Marcus Rashford then won and scored a penalty to give Manchester United a three-goal lead in the 35th minute, with the visitors carving out a couple of decent chances but failing to convert.
The Red Devils seemed to take their foot off the gas in the second half, allowing the visitors a foothold in the game. After giving the home side a couple of scares, Basaksehir managed to pull a goal back in the 75th minute as Deniz Türüç’s free-kick was adjudged to have crossed the line before being clawed away by David de Gea.
After enduring several nervy moments in which Basaksehir hit the bar, Manchester United were able to restore their three-goal cushion in added time, with Mason Greenwood squaring for Daniel James to tuck away their side's fourth at the end of a swift counter-attack.
The result sees Manchester United regain the advantage in Group H. The Red Devils now sit atop the pile on 9 points from four games, with PSG and Leipzig, who both traded victories in their head-to-head encounters, following behind on 6 points each.
Istanbul Basaksehir, on the other hand, are left needing positive results in their last two games if they are to continue in European competition beyond the group stage, as they have three defeats and a win from four matches.
On that note, let’s take a look at the 5 major talking points from Manchester United’s win over Basaksehir at Old Trafford.
#1 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still using Champions League to experiment with Manchester United squad
Manchester United’s season has so far been hard to call, with the Red Devils seeming equally capable of being at their sublime best and their diabolical worst, often in successive matches.
Add to that their new signings, injuries and COVID-19 restrictions, and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been forced to chop and change his starting eleven fairly regularly, using the Champions League to try out new combinations and formations.
The likes of Axel Tuanzebe and Alex Telles earned praise for their performances against Paris Saint-Germain earlier on in the competition. Meanwhile, Dean Henderson and Donny van de Beek have also made their Champions League bows for the Red Devils while featuring less often in the Premier League.
Against Istanbul Basaksehir on Tuesday, all eyes were on new signing Edinson Cavani, who made his first start for Manchester United after having opened his account for them against Everton a couple of weeks ago.
This change saw Anthony Martial, who has struggled in the center-forward position until now, being played at left wing as the experienced Uruguayan played through the middle.
The fact that the UEFA Champions League still allows five substitutions meant that Manchester United were even able to give some game time to Mason Greenwood, Dan James, and Brandon Williams, all three of whom have hardly featured this season, while resting some of their first-team regulars.
With the latest configuration having paid dividends, it will be interesting to see if Solskjaer also attempts to replicate these choices in the Premier League, as he has done in the past with mixed results.
#2 Basaksehir’s tried and tested tactics fail to provide results
When these two sides faced off in Turkey, the game was decided by shockingly lax defending from the English outfit as they allowed their opponents vast amounts of space to move forward and score on the counter.
In reply, the Turkish champions were well-organized and resolute in defense, throwing their bodies on the line in a series of last-ditch tackles as they emerged with the three points.
At Old Trafford on Tuesday, however, the same strategy backfired for Basaksehir, as a combination of their deep-lying defense and defensive mistakes meant that Manchester United were three goals to the good with just over half an hour played.
The early success encouraged Manchester United to come forward with increasing regularity, once again leaving spaces in behind for Basaksehir to exploit.
However, a more switched-on Manchester United defense dealt much more competently with what the away side were able to muster.
Additionally, the Turkish side’s attackers were guilty of missing a few presentable chances, the conversion of which might have put a different spin on proceedings. When the goal did come, it was too late for Basaksehir to mount a comeback, with the home side capable of seeing the game out and securing the three points.
#3 Home comforts returning for Manchester United?
Before the narrow 1-0 success against West Brom at the weekend, Manchester United had been winless at home in the Premier League, which is unfamiliar territory for a side that had prided itself on their excellent record at home over the years.
In fact, Manchester United’s only success at Old Trafford this season had come in the Champions League: a resounding 5-0 win over RB Leipzig earlier on in the competition.
The absence of fans had been touted as one of the explanations for Manchester United’s poor home form, with the Red Devils guilty of blowing hot and cold in successive matches and, sometimes, even in the same match.
However, with two successive wins at Old Trafford now, Manchester United will no doubt be feeling much better about their upcoming home fixtures in all competitions.
#4 Telles adds a new dimension to Manchester United’s attack
From Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson at Liverpool to Reece James and Ben Chilwell at Chelsea, the positive effect that an attacking pair of full-backs can have on a football team is there for all to see.
At Manchester United, however, the duo of Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, though competent defenders and unafraid to get forward, have failed to match the attacking threat that their Premier League counterparts have shown in recent times.
Despite Manchester United spending large parts of their games on the front foot, both Shaw and Wan-Bissaka have been guilty of not delivering inviting crosses into the box for their forwards to attack. This, in turn, piles more pressure on the likes of Bruno Fernandes to create chances, in addition to making Manchester United’s forays forward more predictable.
However, with the summer signing of Alex Telles, the Red Devils now have in their ranks a full-back with an excellent passing range as well as a sense of timing that gives their attacks a significant boost.
In his short career at Manchester United, Telles has shown himself willing to get forward at every opportunity while also showcasing his excellent delivery, both from open play and from set-pieces.
He displayed those qualities against Istanbul Basaksehir as well, with Manchester United’s second goal resulting from one of his probing crosses that the goalkeeper dropped into the path of a lurking Fernandes.
As such, it seems like this is something Wan-Bissaka can learn from his new teammate in order to become an even better full-back. Meanwhile, Shaw seems to have a real task on his hands if he is to regain his place in Manchester United’s starting lineup.
#5 Questions still remain over Manchester United defense
Despite having had an uncertain start to the season, goalscoring has not been Manchester United’s issue, with Bruno Fernandes and co. finding the net with some regularity.
Rather, the problem seems to lie at the other end of the pitch, with the Red Devils’ defense having put in several nervy performances that have seen them concede much more frequently than a team of their quality should be.
The cracks in the Manchester United backline first appeared in the 3-1 defeat at home against Crystal Palace in their first Premier League fixture, but were blown wide open in the 6-1 humbling at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur.
In fact, the reverse fixture against Istanbul Basaksehir had been marked by Manchester United’s calamitous defending as they conceded two easily avoidable goals in a disappointing defeat.
In this fixture, Manchester United seemed to be cruising to a win after scoring three first-half goals, and the second half seemed a mere formality as the home side were expected to see the game off easily.
Instead, Manchester United retreated far into their shell and invited pressure on themselves, conceding via an excellent free-kick and then surviving several nervy moments by the skin of their teeth.
Had Edin Visca’s long-range effort just after the goal dipped below the bar instead of striking it on the full, the Turkish side could have found themselves back in the game in a big way, with the Manchester United defense looking all at sea after conceding.
Although the home side were able to restore their three-goal cushion late on, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would do well to address the fragility and complacency that seems to creep into his side’s defense at times as it could cost them dearly later on the season.
