1. Are opponents starting to figure Dundalk out?
AT ONE POINT this evening, it was looking so promising for Dundalk.
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s loss to Zenit meant that a win this evening would put the Lilywhites on the brink of the Europa League knockout stages.
Yet the Irish side were swiftly brought back down to Earth, as Wout Weghorst’s ninth-minute goal gave the visitors a deserved lead.
Moreover, the manner of the loss, perhaps even more so than the outcome, will be difficult for manager Stephen Kenny to take.
Despite the slim 1-0 margin, AZ invariably looked a class apart, and for the first time during their Europa League run, Dundalk were unequivocally second best in every department.
In the reverse fixture, the Irish team more than matched their Dutch opponents, but perhaps now, given the countless warning signs of recent months, teams are less likely to be complacent when facing the League of Ireland champions.
The visitors paid particular close attention to Daryl Horgan, limiting the winger’s influence, while the entire Dundalk team showed signs that their exhausting schedule was catching up with them, as AZ took a significant step towards progression with a vital win at Tallaght Stadium.
2. Mkhitaryan deserves more game time at United
The 4-0 scoreline did not flatter Man United this evening, as they thoroughly dominated a toothless Feyenoord side throughout the 90 minutes.
It was the biggest win for the club under Mourinho, while his side managed an impressive 12 shots on goal, which was their most in any game in all competitions this season.
The inclusion of Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the starting XI for just the second time since he joined United for £30 million in the summer undoubtedly contributed substantially to the enhancement of the Red Devils’ attack.
BT Sport’s Robbie Savage suggested the Armenia international had been “the best player on the pitch” and not many viewers will have disagreed.
Mkhitaryan’s intelligent passes opened up Feyenoord on a number of occasions, while he was unlucky not to win a free kick that would have certainly resulted in a red card for the trailing defender, who was the last man, but the referee controversially waved play on despite a clear-cut foul.
After the match, the 27-year-old star declared to BT Sport: “I hope it is a new start for me.”
Certainly, if he can continue that level of performance on a consistent basis, tonight can be a genuine turning point in his stuttering Old Trafford career and he will surely become impossible for Mourinho to ignore.
3. Long and Southampton fail to sparkle
With Tottenham crashing out of the Champions League this week, another English side could well be set for a similar disappointment after tonight.
Southampton’s 1-0 loss to Sparta Prague tonight means they must get at least a draw with Hapoel Beer-Sheva in the final group match or face elimination.
The Isreali side are a dangerous team — they came close to beating Celtic in the Champions League preliminary stages, while they came from two goals down to beat Italian giants Inter 3-2 this evening.
Despite 71% possession, the Saints seldom looked like scoring and drew a blank for the third successive game away from home in Europe.
Furthermore, perhaps of serious concern will be the form of Ireland international Shane Long. Though the Tipperary native looked lively tonight, he could not provide the cutting edge in attack that Southampton sorely required.
Injuries and Claude Puel’s reluctance to play him at times hasn’t helped, but Long’s form has declined significantly this year.
In contrast with 17 goals in 47 appearances last season, the 29-year-old star has no goals in 15 appearances since the start of the current campaign.
He will keep doggedly persevering, of course, and his game is about much more than goals, but Long certainly could do with a couple as he bids to return to the effervescent heights of last season.
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