BRUNO Fernandes saved Harry Maguire’s blushes and got Manchester United out of jail on a night of Euro cock-ups.
Fernandes popped up with a dramatic stoppage time volley to seal three priceless points just when Maguire’s blunder looked to have gifted Rangers a draw.
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And that came after an even worse one from keeper Jack Butland had put Ruben Amorim’s men on the way to an all-too-rare triumph in front of their own fans.
Talk about madness and mayhem. Even for Old Trafford’s astonishing standards this was something else.
Keeper Butland – a boyhood United fan – punching one into his own net for the oepener.
Then Maguire getting hopelessly lost under James Tavernier’s hopeful punt with two minutes left and Cyriel Dessers looking to have sealed a draw.
And then, with everyone gasping for breath, Lisandro Martinez picking out United skipper Fernandes at the far post to deliver the final and finishing kick in the guts.
Footballbloody hell, as one famous knight of the realm once said in these parts.
And no-one was left cursing more than Gers keeper Butland, who spent his childhood dreaming of being the hero who helped United to a famous European triumph.
Not like this, though. Because it was the Rangers keeper who punched a Christian Eriksen corner into his own net for the killer opener.
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And to think the world used to make cracks about Scottish goalkeepers! Well this clanger-dropper hails from Bristol and any international ambitions are England ones.
Not that they will exactly be forthcoming with blunders like the 52nd-minute one here, with both sides stuttering their way to a dismal and dreary draw.
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Then up stepped Eriksen to whip a corner in from the left, not even one that was threatening to curl into the Rangers goal, either.
Instead a melee of bodies rose to meet it – none higher than Butland’s outstretched right paw.
Yet when he made contact – and there was nothing really in his way to stop good, clean contact either – but instead of punching to safety, it flew backwards and into his own net.
-Rangers stood to a man, arms out in an appeal for what no one could really tell. Surely there had to be something, though. The keeper couldn’t have scored it could he?
Well actually yes he could. It was a comedy of errors, true, but it was also cruel for a man who spent six months on loan here two years ago and never got off the bench.
Especially after working so hard to be fit for Old Trafford when a six-game absence with a severe dead leg and internal bleed had made it touch and go.
Butland probably wishes he’d fallen short in that fitness scrap now…although there was something quite fitting in the fact it took a cock-up to break the deadlock.
Because there were precious little moments when we looked like doing so in any other way last night.
Battle of Britain? Well if so it was one fought with handbags rather than heavy artillery.
Two one-time European giants but now second rate team going at it in a second-rate competition. With a second-rate skill level.
Yes, there were some high spots, but pulses rarely raised too high. Alejandro Garnacho – possibly a man on his way out this month to raise funds – was responsible for some of them.
Most notably with a thundering drive destined for the top corner before striking Nicolas Raskin and flying over.
If that had United cursing their ill fortune, it was nothing compared to the ones aimed at referee Erik Lambrechts when they put the ball in the net from the resulting delivery.
De Ligt certainly did nothing wrong when he rose to power Amad Diallo’s corner past Buckland midway through the half and it was deadlock broke at last. So we thought.
In reality, though, the Belgian official had ruled it out for the faintest of touches from Leny Yoro on Robin Propper.
To be fair there probably was some contact. Yet certainly nothing like as much as the Rangers midfielder made in rolling around like a turtle on its back.
A Propper con job some would call it. A proper kick in the guts United most definitely did. Nothing like the one which put them on their backs for real though with seconds left.
Tavernier’s downfield punt was nothing more than that – one hopeful hail Mary in search of salvation.
It came when Maguire shimmied and stumbled, Dessers darted and delivered and United were left appealing in vain for an offside flag which never came.
Neither would the points, so it seemed. Not any more. Those days of Fergie time and heroic late rescue acts have long gone, of course.
Only no they haven’t. Maybe Reuben Amorim does have that magic touch some fans are convinced he possesses after all.
For after one more dramatic dink into the box from Argentine warrior Martinez, there was Brilliant Brunoin behind everyone to slam it home.
Rangers on their backs again…and this time no picking themselves up.
