Erik ten Hague hailed an impressive substitute performance from Marcus Rashford as he led Manchester United to a nerve-wracking Europa League win over Omonia Nicosia.
United manager Ten Hague introduced the England striker at half-time with the Cyprus team.
He scored twice, setting up fellow sub Anthony Martial either side.
“I think the subs really made an impact today and that’s really good. It makes the team stronger,” said ten Hague.
The Cypriot side took a shock half-time lead through Karim Ansarifard, but Rashford equalized eight minutes after the break, before Martial headed over just before the hour mark.
Rashford made it 3-1 late on, before Nicolas Panaiotto pulled one back.
After United’s heavy derby defeat at the weekend, Ten Hague made three changes headlined by the return of Cristiano Ronaldo in place of Rashford.
In the end, however, it was the English forward who saved his side from a humiliating defeat, with Ronaldo wasting a number of chances to score his 700th club career goal.
Ten Hague told BT Sport: “We were very stable and had to counter-move to get back. So we also made two subs at that time and they really had an impact.
“I think Luke [Shaw] and Marcus definitely helped that but Anthony Martial as well, definitely 2-1.”
Against the Red Devils there was an omnipresent line-up containing few star names – and with just one win in their last 26 European games – but managed by ex-Celtic boss Neil Lennon who clearly tried and Emphasis was placed on discipline.
The visitors ran the whole first half hour – nine shots and around 80 per cent possession – but Cyprus stood up well and took their chances when they came.
United’s clearest chance came on 17 minutes when Antony played in and tried to square the ball for Bruno Fernandes to score with keeper Fabiano determined. However, the £87m Brazilian winger played the ball far behind his team-mate.
Fernandes hit the crossbar with a low effort just a minute later, and Fabiano brilliantly denied Antony’s 25-yard effort soon after, before Iranian striker Ansarifard pounced. .
Open at a corner overcommitted, striker Bruno takes the ball about 50 yards out to allow Omonia to split a three on one. The Brazilian played in Ansarifard, and the former Nottingham Forest striker finished brilliantly into the roof of the net.
The raucous Nicosia crowd celebrated wildly and United were clearly in turmoil, resulting in Ten Hague making a double change at half-time with Tyrel Malacia replacing Rashford and Luke Shaw and an ineffective Jadon Sancho.
“I think we started well, a couple of chances, and then unnecessarily down,” TenHaeg said after the game.
“Can’t make mistakes, we have to take responsibility there. But then 10 minutes is very bad and we have to learn from it.”
It paid off eight minutes after the restart – Rashford was released by Fernandes with a raking ball down the left, Ronaldo’s run attracted the defense and the England international had time to get past Fabiano. And there was space.
Ten Hague then introduced Martial after the hour, and he combined with Rashford to put his side ahead.
Martial’s second touch of the game began with a one-two with Rashford, the third seeing him power home a shot past Fabiano at the near post.
He also gave Martial more valuable minutes after an injury-hindered start to the season, scoring twice after coming on as a substitute against Manchester City on Sunday.
“We’ve already seen that [he can be important] in the pre-season,” said ten Hague.
“It was really a big disappointment for this team, for me, when he got injured in the last 10 minutes against Atletico Madrid [in the last pre-season friendly].
“So, we missed that in the first two weeks and that affected our team’s performance as well.”
Ronaldo meanwhile continued to struggle, the most obvious of which came when Diego Delot pulled the ball back eight yards with Fabiano trapped, but somehow contrived to hit the post.
Instead Ronaldo had to settle for an assist for United’s third and Rashford’s second, firing a low cross into the six-yard box to tap in.
An excited Omonia was not done yet, reducing the deficit almost immediately as Panayiotou turned a difficult bounce cross home with his left foot.
United saw out the game, but remained second in Group E after Real Sociedad’s 2-0 win at Sheriff – meaning a play-off against a Champions League exit to reach the knockout stages remains a possibility. Is.
