"Had to cheat to win", "Suspend him ASAP" - Fans react as Manchester United star spotted tampering penalty spot before spot kick save by Andre Onana
Football fans on social media were outraged after Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho was spotted scuffing the penalty spot before Andre Onana saved Jordan Larsson's penalty in the 97th minute.
The Red Devils faced FC Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League at Old Trafford on Tuesday, October 24, securing a narrow 1-0 win. The away side had a bright start, hitting the post in the fifth minute.
The match was evenly contested with both keepers, Kamil Grabara and Andre Onana, making excellent saves. However, Manchester United broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute via Harry Maguire's header.
The Red Devils appeared to have won the game, but Scott McTominay conceded a penalty in the 95th minute after a high boot foul. While VAR checked the penalty decision, Alejandro Garnacho was spotted tampering with the penalty spot. This can be viewed below:
Jordan Larsson ended up missing his penalty two minutes later with Onana making a top save to seal three important points for United.
However, fans were furious with Garnacho's scuffing of the penalty spot. While the move is a bookable offense and shows poor sportsmanship, the match officials failed to spot it.
One fan posted on X (formerly Twitter):
"They had to cheat to win against Kopehdjsbendan"
Another fan wrote:
"Unsportmanlike behaviour. Suspend him asap"
Manchester United are now third in Group A of the Champions League with three points from three games, six points behind leaders Bayern Munich. They next face Manchester City in the Premier League at Old Trafford on Sunday, October 29.
Manchester United vs FC Copenhagen: Exploring the stats from Champions League clash
Harry Maguire and Andre Onana embarked on their respective paths to redemption, inspiring Manchester United to a 1-0 win against Copenhagen in the Champions League. Let's take a look at the stats to see how both teams performed.
Both clubs were evenly matched on the ball as they each had 50% possession. The Red Devils completed 509 passes with an accuracy of 84%. In contrast, FC Copenhagen registered 495 passes with an accuracy of 83%.
Erik ten Hag and Co. had 15 shots in total, landing five on target. On the other hand, Copenhagen had 16 shots in total, with four being on target but were unable to make the most of their chances.