Manchester United’s Champions League campaign is hanging in the balance as Fred redcard and two goals from Neymar helped Paris St-Germain secure victory at Old Trafford.
Marcus Rashford had cancelled out the Brazilian’s early opener with his third goal in four games against the French outfit.
But Marquinos’ excellent second-half finish put the visitors back in front and after United midfielder, Fred had been sent off for a foul on Ander Herrera, Neymar tapped home his 38th Champions League goal.
70’ Fred is shown a second yellow (finally)🔺
We will end the match at 11 🆚 10 #MUPSG
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) December 2, 2020
United did push for an equaliser and substitute Paul Pogba came close when he volleyed over from the edge of the area but, with an extra man, PSG always had the edge and after Kylian Mbappe had fired wide, Neymar finished the hosts off.
Manchester United have lost four of their past seven Champions League home games (W3), as many as in their previous 52 matches beforehand.
The result leaves United level with PSG and RB Leipzig on nine points in Group H and knowing they need a draw away to the German side next Tuesday to progress to the last 16.
Read more – Todays News Briefing – where you can read the reaction from sports sources from around the world.
Fred should have been substituted
Major question marks will hang over Solskjaer after this result.
After the game Man United boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he should possibly have substituted Fred before the Brazilian was sent off in the 3-1 Champions League defeat by Paris St-Germain.
The midfielder was shown a second yellow card in the 70th minute for a foul on Ander Herrera, having been booked in the first half for a head-to-head clash with Leandro Paredes.
“He was lucky to stay on,” said Solskjaer of the first incident. “The referee made a mistake there but that’s allowed.”
The biggest flashpoint came when he clashed with Leandro Paredes shortly before Rashford’s equaliser. Where Fred seemed to headbutt the PSG player, and after a VAR check only received a Yellow card.
Following the incident tensions on the pitch were high, and Fred was in the referee’s mind for the challenge in the first half
Neymar, who was enraged, confronted the referee for a long chat at half-time and made his feelings clear regarding the incident.
Fred returned for the second-half, to everyone’s surprise, it felt an obvious decision to replace Fred, particularly as Solskjaer had five substitutes at his disposal.
‘Solskjaer made a massive mistake’
Chris Sutton, BBC Radio 5 Live commentator, felt keeping Fred on was a decision that ultimately cost Manchester United the game.
“I think Solskjaer made a massive error,” he said. “Anything Fred did in the second half they [PSG’s players] were going to be all over the referee.
While the United boss can legitimately argue the caution that got Fred sent off was debatable – he screamed for a VAR check but they do not intervene on yellow card decisions – he can barely claim the Brazilian did not deserve to be sent off at some point in the game.
PSG’s official Twitter feed announced ‘finally’ after the United star got his second yellow card and the Brazilian made his way prematurely to the dressing rooms.
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