Philippe Clement's Babes nearly conjure a Rangers miracle but Man Utd outcome rams home key fact

Butland’s bad error in front of Stretford End so nearly rescued by Dessers brilliance

Jack Butland hadn’t played since he was saved by some lenient officiating at Motherwell just after Christmas when he failed to claim a corner.

He was denied such mercy on one of the grandest stages of all as the former Manchester United ‘keeper endured a harrowing moment at Old Trafford. Punching the ball into his own net at the Stretford End is not how he will have dreamt of making a return, although Cyriel Dessers’ equaliser in the last minute of normal time should have helped him out of jail. It was not to be.

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In truth, Butland partly kept Rangers in the tie and he was powerless to prevent Bruno Fernandes sweeping home in the final moments after the midfielder caught the flight of Lisandro Martinez’s pass perfectly at the far post. Philippe Clement’s Babes had been undone in the cruellest fashion possible, although Rangers' knockout stage qualifying hopes remain intact with one game left.

The expression on Rangers keeper Jack Butland's face says it all after his error against Manchester United.The expression on Rangers keeper Jack Butland's face says it all after his error against Manchester United.
The expression on Rangers keeper Jack Butland's face says it all after his error against Manchester United. | Getty Images

The much-maligned Dessers was denied a perfect farewell if he is to leave in this January’s transfer window. Whether Clement can afford to lose any more players is another question. The manager surely now has plenty of credit in the bank, if not funds, after so nearly inspiring what bordered on a miracle and taking something from this game.

No one was going to mistake this for the Champions League, the elite competition where the only other competitive meetings between these teams had taken place. On top of Butland’s clanger, the ball was booted straight out of play too often for a start – maybe four, perhaps even five times in the opening dozen or so minutes. Such a shortage of quality was evident throughout. Jefte sent a pass into a dugout at the start of the second half but the Rangers left-back found his man shortly afterwards.

Bailey Rice had only just come on. He replaced the injured Connor Barron at half time. Even the most experienced player could be forgiven a lack of sharpness in such circumstances. Rice is only 18. He sent his effort high after and as one suspected might be the case, Rangers paid for such profligacy.

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Clement’s injury ravaged side also suffered due to a lack of options. Rice wasn’t the only teenager Clement was forced to turn to. Findlay Curtis had even the ardent Ibrox fans frantically scouring online databases to learn more about the player who replaced winger Vaclav Cerny on the hour mark. Clement promised not to park the bus. It would have needed to be a school bus had he intended to do so. As well as Curtis and Bailey, the 21-year-old Ross McCausland, who replaced Leon Balogun at half time, also finished the game, as did Leon King – also 21.

The McCausland for Balogun swap meant skipper James Tavernier slotting in at centre half as a team Rangers would think twice about fielding against part-time opposition in the early round of the Scottish Cup sought to cope with the world’s most famous clubs, albeit one of their worst-ever teams. If this doesn’t ram home that Rangers require reinforcements this January, nothing will. Indeed, the entire make-up of the Ibrox side’s bench seemed to be Clement making a point to the Ibrox hierarchy although his own patched-up team contrived to make the argument about needing new players less persuasive with that late, ultimately meaningless equaliser.

Jack Butland's punch loops into his own net to give Manchester United the lead.Jack Butland's punch loops into his own net to give Manchester United the lead.
Jack Butland's punch loops into his own net to give Manchester United the lead. | Getty Images

Still, credit to Rangers for making such a game of it and so nearly earning a point. Dessers made Harry Maguire look foolish as he peeled away from the defender, who came on at half time, before rifling into the corner with two minutes left. Could Rangers do it? Could they really secure a result from such unpromising circumstances. No, was the answer. Fernandes emerged the match winner.

Rangers will rue their failure to strike early in the citadel following an emotional few minutes before kick off when a surfer flag depicting “The King” Denis Law was passed above the heads of those in the Stretford End, where one of two statues of the Scot at Old Trafford is located.

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It’s probably too generous to put United’s failings early on against Brighton on Sunday and here again down to a surfeit of emotion. They wouldn’t wish to hide behind such an excuse either. But just as they were caught cold at the weekend, when they conceded a goal five minutes in following a highly charged minute’s silence for Law, they were caught cold again here – or at least they ought to have been.

Toby Collyer, making only his second start in midfield for United, was robbed of possession and when Hamza Igamane threaded a perfectly weighted ball through to Nico Raskin, a goal seemed the only possible outcome. Sadly for Rangers, Raskin stumbled as he took a touch while trying to go round Altay Bayinder. It gave the ‘keeper the chance to intervene. By the time the ball landed for Ridvan Yilmaz the ‘keeper was back on his feet and the chance was gone. The Turk sent his shot over in any case. Yilmaz was presented with a more straightforward chance to score shortly afterwards from Tavernier’s cross but sent his volley straight at Bayindir, who blocked.

Cyriel Dessers briefly had Rangers level at Old Trafford against Manchester United.Cyriel Dessers briefly had Rangers level at Old Trafford against Manchester United.
Cyriel Dessers briefly had Rangers level at Old Trafford against Manchester United. | Getty Images

Rangers were finding space down the left, where Amad Diallo, the former Ibrox loanee, seemed more interested in staying up field. Neglecting his defensive duties gave Rangers the chance to explore the possibilities, with 19-year-old defender Leny Yoro left exposed.

The visitors enjoyed a huge break when what looked like a legitimate opening goal for the hosts was ruled out, with Yoro adjudged to have pushed Robin Propper before Matthijs de Ligt headed in Diallo’s corner. Contact looked minimal, at best.

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The corner had come from a powerful Alejandro Garnacho effort that flicked off Raskin and cleared the bar – just. Butland, meanwhile, seemed to be having fun against his old club when saving at the feet of Diallo and pushing over the bar after Lisandro Martinez had let fly. Such frolics were abruptly ended when he completely misjudged Christian Eriksen’s corner. The ‘keeper would have argued that there was still a lot more football to be played, and so it proved.

- How the Man Utd and Rangers players rated at Old Trafford - full breakdown of marks here

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