Real Sociedad 1 Mann United 1 – a good result or a missed opportunity? And was it a punishment?

The Europa League is the only prize for Manchester United that is being followed this season, and its prospects to reach the final in Bilbao on May 21, are still alive after a 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad in the first leg of their 16th round.

There were only a few chances for both sides in a shabby opening time, Andre Onana ended half without having to save. United's best moment was a short chance in the 37th minute when Bruno Fernandes and then Joshua Zirkzee (twice) gave Ruben Amorim's lead.

United appeared after half -time and scored the goals with a well -worked goal from Zirkzee shortly before the hour. The hopes for a slim advantage to return to Manchester for the second leg were overthrown when Var discovered a Bruno Fernandes handball, which made it possible to realize Sociedad, from the penalty point. The home team then had more chances to score, but was rejected by some good parades by Onana.

The athlete'S Anantaajith Raghuraman breaks out the most important discussion points from the game.

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A good result for United or a missed opportunity?

United will have mixed feelings for this result. In the first half, they were ready to give up control for a deep line of defense, with real sociedad playing in front of them. The 38 percent possession, which United recorded in the first half, is the second lowest number that you have previously recorded in the competitions under Amorim. The lack of pressures and 5-4-1 form that were not taken into possession also meant that they had not granted any clear possibilities, which some would argue, a reasonable approach in the period after the selection.

Circle's goal came after United played more positively in the second half, while the gate they collected included more than a touch of accidents. On the balance of things, a 1-1 draw from home is a decent result, especially since Onana had to make numerous parades in the last 15 minutes. But United would have benefited from victory for psychological reasons.

The second stage of the next week will probably see similarly narrow margins, and while United is usually confident that a victory at home was won, her latest form at Old Trafford is an obvious reason for concern.

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A well-worked circle gate

The first half was a precise presentation where these two teams are currently located. Together they only achieved 56 league patients in 53 games. But when United repeatedly tried to go up her strikers, their best chances came when the Wing-Backs made overlapping runs or in the transition, where Real Sociedad Martin Zubimendi was missing, who missed the diseases.

It was no surprise that Zirkzeese's goal of these two factors that came together was. In the second half, Diogo Dalot began to invert the midfield more often and Alejandro Garnacho stayed on the right side, while Casemiro showed a little more flair with its distribution.

In the 57th minute, Casemiro played a bold pass outside the boat to Dalot, who brought him forward without La Real player, who challenged him. Dalot took it for Garnacho, who brought it back to the edge of the area to Zirkzee. It was crucial that Rasmus Hojlund blocked a defender to give Zirkzee a clear way to the goal, and his first shot defeated Alex Remiro in goal.

The Cutback goal is that a United has granted several times under Amorim and Erik Ten Hag. This time it was a pleasant change to be the beneficiaries of a similar step this time. The players worked well as a unit to create a deserved opener.

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Was it a punishment?

Real Sociedad was brought back into the game in the 67th minute from an extremely harmless situation.

Takefusa Kubo's corner was deleted by a combination of Fernandes and Matthijs de Ligt before Garnacho was fouled when he followed the ball after the field. Referee Ivan Kruzliak was informed that Var followed after a punishment, although there was hardly any immediate clarity about what it was because there was no real sociedad player.

After a short conversation, Kruzliak signaled that he would see the incident for himself, a threatening sign for United. The repetition showed that Nayef Aguerd attacked the ball in the box, Fernandes competed in the air with him and the ball bounced off his arm, which was close to his face when he jumped up to contest the header.

Since the arm was in an unnatural position, La Real received a penalty, and Mikel Oyarzabal sent Onana the wrong way to score with the first shot of the hosts.

Could Fernandes have done something differently? Many will argue – as Robbie Savage on TNT's reporting in Great Britain – that the hand is that high is high, since Fernandes jumped.

However, in particular in European competitions, it is a punishment, even if inconsistencies within the law are a different story.

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What did Ruben say Amorim?

After the game in conversation with TNT Sports, the head coach of Manchester United believed that fatigue and the penalty changed the game. “I felt until we had control over the game. And then the punishment changed a little in the swing. I had the feeling that our team was really tired in the last 30 minutes and that you could feel it in the game.

“We were too late in the balls, with transitions they could have the feeling that the pace was different and that they (real Sociedad) were stronger in these 30 minutes.”

However, Amorim was happy with the performance of United on the ball. “We had a good property until the punishment. We know that they would really jump to our pressure, so we could get the ball behind. Or the decision in the last third is sometimes not the best decision, but we had good moments in the game. “

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What next for United?

Sunday, March 9: Arsenal (Home), Premier League, 4.30 p.m. Great Britain, 11.30 a.m.

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(Top photo: Getty Images)