Following a slew of contentious first-half refereeing calls, Erik ten Hag was left fuming as United suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to FC Copenhagen on Wednesday.

The evening took a turn for the better when referee Donatas Rumsas decided to show Marcus Rashford a red card after conferring with the Video Assistant Referee. The Reds had built a 2-0 lead inside the first thirty minutes thanks to former Copenhagen striker Rasmus Hojlund.

Not long after, the home team equalized, and Harry Maguire was given a controversial penalty for handball inside the box. After playing for over an hour with just ten men, United took the lead again thanks to a penalty kick converted by Bruno Fernandes. However, two goals in the last moments from Copenhagen condemned the Reds to defeat.

Ten Had told club reporters after the game that he was quite encouraged by United’s first twenty-five minutes and thought Copenhagen’s two first-half goals were undeserved.

“The first 25 minutes, before the red card, we played very good,” the manager said.

“I think it was the best minutes from our team in this season, so I was very pleased with that performance. We scored two great goals. And then the red card changed everything.

But also then you are very disappointed by half-time, when you concede two such goals, because I think still we were in control. But both goals shouldn’t count: the first is offside, and the second is a very soft and embarrassing [penalty] decision.”

When Mohamed Elyounoussi scored the first goal for the Danish team, Ten Hag felt an FC Copenhagen player was standing in front of Andre Onana, in an offside position. Ten Hag was obviously not impressed with the handball call that followed, which allowed Diogo Goncalves to tie the score from the penalty spot.

The Dutchman acknowledged that even though the outcome puts the Reds at the bottom of Group A, there was still motivation to be gained from the match.

“Absolutely [we take some positives],” Erik went on, “We were controlling the game.” 

“Also with 10 [men] we were keeping the game [with possession]. That is positive; we will take that. Especially until the red card, those minutes in the game, where we were dictating the game, passing the ball around, switching the game, scoring two great goals.

That is what we take with us, but of course we’re still disappointed and all the fans are very disappointed.”