On Tuesday night at Old Trafford, Manchester United was faced with an unpleasant reality. They have no place in this organization. Not right now. They are not good enough to play with Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, or any other team that will advance to the Champions League’s round of 16.

Long before Kingsley Coman scored the second-half goal that gave Bayern a comfortable 1-0 victory, England’s best-supported club’s lackluster, uninspired, and pitifully mediocre performance against them proved beyond any doubt that they are no longer among the European game’s aristocrats.

United could not even fulfill their half of the agreement against a team that had long since secured its spot at the top of Group A and had little to play for. United needed to defeat the German champions in order to have any hope of leapfrogging FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray and making it through to the last 16.

One of the most incriminating aspects of United’s performance was that Bayern, who were playing with ease, outperformed United in terms of urgency, purpose, and resolve. United should have been throwing everything at this game, but instead it stood there looking glumly at its stack of dirty dishes.

Their Champions League run has been a complete disaster. They finished last in their group and only managed to win one match. They were unable to get a consolation spot in the Europa League in addition to failing to advance to the round of 16. In actuality, they weren’t deserving of one.

Erik Ten Hag responds to Bayern Munich’s victory.

Manchester United’s Champions League campaign is over as Kingley Coman scored the game’s only goal

United were knocked out of the Champions League after another uninspired performance

United’s struggles have been solidified as they crashed out of the Champions League

Their struggles leave their manager, Erik ten Hag, in an increasingly uneasy position. United look like a team on the slide, a team getting further and further away from the European elite. He will be given more time to turn things around but it will not be long before even his supporters run out of patience.

All that remains now is a grim struggle to try to make it back into this competition next season. Their 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth at the weekend suggests that that, too, will be an uphill struggle. There was a time when a match between Bayern and United conjured images of the great glories of 1999. Bayern may still be at the top table but this game only served as a reminder of how far United have fallen.

United had started their Champions League campaign this season with back-to-back defeats away at Bayern and at home to Galatasaray. They never recovered. Playing like cavaliers, chucking away lead after lead, they also lost at FC Copenhagen. Their sole victory in the group was their home win over the Danes in October.

Bayern had lost 5-1 to Eintracht Frankfurt at the weekend, and those who predicted a fierce backlash from the German champions were given early encouragement when coach Thomas Tuchel picked a strong side despite the fact that Bayern had secured top spot in the group long ago.

It was no surprise that Bayern looked the more accomplished team in the early stages, nor that they should forge the first chances. Kane miscued a snap shot from ten yards out and Leroy Sane should have done better when Noussair Mazraoui played a cross into his path at the near post.

The Bayern fans revelled in United’s obvious nerves, too, and mocked the tension that gripped the ground. ‘Is this a library?’ they sang delightedly but United were totally supine. Midway through the half, Luke Shaw surged forward and unleashed a piledriver that Manuel Neuer punched over the bar with a clenched fist.

The visitors went close again when Sane accelerated through the heart of the United defence before trying to set up Jamal Musiala for a tap-in from six yards out. Musiala was preparing to sweep the ball home when Diogo Dalot came to the rescue with a last-ditch challenge.

Sane should have scored when Kingsley Coman found him with a superb cross to the back post but the former Manchester City winger mistimed his run and got ahead of the ball. Not for the first time in the evening, his wastefulness frustrated his team.

 

Bayern were the better team on the night despite having already qualified for the next round of the Champions League as group winners

England defender Harry Maguire limped off injured with a groin injury in the first half

Harry Kane, the striker for Bayern Munich and captain of England, put on another impressive display.

Harry Maguire, who has battled his way back into the United team, appeared to suffer a groin injury ten minutes before halftime. Jonny Evans took his place. Evans has been a good center half, but he is nearing the end of his career, and his inclusion in United’s central defense for such a crucial match was indicative of the team’s patchy hiring practices.

United were obedient but illogical. They put up a lot of effort, but Rasmus Hojlund appeared lonely and hopeless in the attacking half, while Antony and Alejandro Garnacho’s efforts were mediocre at best.

It was hard not to believe that Kane could and should have been a United player this season every time he received the ball and every time he made one of those precise, exquisite passes. Again, no matter how obstinate Daniel Levy may be, a team with a well-thought-out transfer plan would have been ahead of Bayern when Kane departed Spurs.

United did not play with the urgency of a team that needed to win against the German champions in order to fulfill its half of the agreement with FC Copenhagen, who were still drawing with Galatasaray. Ten Hag’s team gave off the impression that they lacked confidence in their ability to defeat Bayern.

Three minutes after the break, they had a great opportunity to take the lead when Bruno Fernandes, a half-time substitution, was pushed back by Aaron Wan-Bissaka with the ball in his path on the edge of the area. However, Fernandes leaned back as he shot, and the ball soared high and over the bar. There was a collective groan in the stadium.

Erik ten Hag’s first European campaign in charge of United ended in disastrous circumstances

Bayern’s defenders had no trouble controlling United striker Rasmus Hojlund out of the match.

Fans of United saw yet another example of the rot that permeates the team when Antony was too preoccupied to see that the ball had not actually gone out, allowing Alphonso Davies to run by him. These United players scream entitlement much too often.

Lukas Lerager gave FC Copenhagen the lead in the Parken Stadium after just under an hour, while United sighed. Bayern nevertheless produced the most opportunities of the two teams at Old Trafford. When Davies placed the ball into Sane’s path, he misjudged it and let it drift out of play, wasting yet another excellent opportunity.

MAN UTD (4-2-3-1)

ANDRE ONANA – 7 More secure than the wreck who’d conceded 14 times in his first five Champions League games. Safe handling to deny Kane and Kimmich.

DIOGO DALOT – 6.5 Showed positive intent going forward and got the balance right with defensive duties. Switched from right to left flank at half-time.

HARRY MAGUIRE – 7 Looked strong and authoritative alongside Varane and it was cruel to see him pull up with an apparent groin problem towards end of first half.

RAPHAEL VARANE – 7.5 Begged the question why ten Hag hasn’t used him more. Was in the right place on his first start for six weeks until Kane’s pass cut United open for Bayern’s first goal.

LUKE SHAW – 7 Tigerish battle with Coman before he was replaced at half-time. Almost surprised Neuer with long-range strike the German punched away.

SCOTT McTOMINAY – 6 Energetic as ever but found Bayern a step up in class from the Premier League defences he’s breached in recent weeks. Willing to get into final third.

SOFYAN AMRABAT – 6.5 Neat and tidy on the ball but lack of pace exposed when he allowed Sane to get away from him for Bayern’s best moment of first half. Booked.

ANTONY – 5.5 Tried to be more proactive than we’ve seen in Premier League but it’s just not happening. Lacked the pace to capitalise on Bruno’s through ball. Booked.

BRUNO FERNANDES – 6 Embraced every team-mate before kick-off as captain but wasted his two big moments with wayward strikes. Tracked back to deny Kane.

ALEJANDRO GARNACHO – 6 Put his serious game-face on but took it too far when he grabbed Coman and sent him over the hoardings. A buzz whenever he got on the ball.

RASMUS HOJLUND – 5.5 Has usually saved his best performances for Europe, but this wasn’t one of them. Got very little out of Upemacano and a strong Bayern defence.

SUBSTITUTIONS Evans (for Maguire 40) 5.5 Wan-Bissaka (for Shaw 45) 6.5 Hannibal (for Garnacho 75) Pellistri (for Antony 75) Mainoo (for Varane 80)

MANAGER ERIK TEN HAG – 6.5 Has to be commended for not being stubborn and giving Varane a rare start. It made United more solid but they lacked cutting edge.