Paul Scholes hits out at Man United duo after Europa League draw at Real Sociedad

Man Utd looked like they would be heading to a hard-fought 1-0 win at the Spanish side in the first leg of their last-16 Europa League tie on Thursday night after Joshua Zirkzee's opener in the 57th minute.

But the Basque outfit drew level 20 minutes from time when Bruno Fernandes conceded a penalty for handball and Mikel Oyarzabal scored the subsequent spotkick as the match ended 1-1.

After the contest, ex-Red Devils midfielder slammed full-back Dalot for failing to spot the run of team-mate Rasmus Hojlund in the first half when the game was goalless. He also criticised winger Garnacho, who has now not scored for United since November 28.

Scholes said on TNT Sports: "The frustrating thing is, for 20 minutes we saw them warming up, and that's exactly what they were practising. Into the wing-back, crossing it first time.

"For Dalot not to see that, is criminal really. Hojlund, he's made a great run. For any right-back in world football not to see that is criminal, and that's an easy goal for Hojlund."

On Garnacho, he added: "He looks like he is sulking a little bit to me."

United sit 14th in the Premier League and are out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, so their sole hope is winning the Europa League this season.

Head coach Ruben Amorim has failed to lift the gloom hanging around Old Trafford since taking over in November and now former Red Devils coach Rene Meulensteen says his old club is in a "constant decline".

The Dutchman, who was a first-team coach at United between 2007-13, said on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Manchester United has not been Manchester United since Sir Alex Ferguson left.

"It has been a constant decline. Not only that, but there's so many other things from Man Utd that causes uproar."

United will hope they can advance to the quarter-finals of the competition when they host Sociedad next week in the second-leg of the tie.

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