Erik ten Hag hails Man Utd’s character as fightback earns pleasant Bilbao draw

Erik ten Hag praised Manchester United’s character after they fought again from conceding a “stupid” objective to finish their pre-season marketing campaign with a draw towards Athletic Bilbao.

Facundo Pellestri’s stoppage-time equaliser, which was arrange by Harry Maguire, secured a 1-1 draw with 10-man Bilbao at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

However for the second time in 48 hours, they needed to come from behind after Maguire’s error had gifted the LaLiga outfit a first-half lead.

Ten Hag advised the membership’s official web site: “In one weekend, two times we are losing, but you see this team have character and that’s what you need in a season as well.

“Sometimes you are down and then you have to show resilience and especially in such moments, you need determination. We have shown that this weekend, it was a good weekend for us.

“Yesterday I thought it was a very good level, today I have seen also very good spells.

“I think the start of the game was also very good and we should have scored a goal to go up, because it was a great chance from Jadon Sancho.

“We had some good moments after that as well and it was stupid how we went down, but as I said, we had a result and we came back so it was a good weekend for us.”

Maguire, who was changed as United captain by Bruno Fernandes throughout a summer time of hypothesis over his future, was included as certainly one of 11 adjustments to the facet which beat Lens 3-1 at Old Trafford on Saturday, however there was no place for injured £72million signing Rasmus Hojlund, a day after he had been offered to the membership’s followers.

Ten Hag’s males may need bought off to the proper begin when Pellistri performed Sancho in behind the Athletic defence with simply 4 minutes gone, however his try was blocked by goalkeeper Unai Simon.

Goalkeeper Tom Heaton was referred to as upon to assert Inaki Williams’ Fifteenth-minute strike because the Spaniards responded they usually although that they had been awarded a Twenty fifth-minute penalty, seconds after United had seen their appeals waved away on the different finish.

Referee Neil Doyle initially pointed to the spot after Nico Williams had been introduced down by Alvaro Fernandez, just for the official to alter his thoughts and award a free-kick, with which Heaton dealt comfortably.

However, the LaLiga facet took the lead with 29 minutes gone when Oihan Sancet capitalised on Maguire’s slip-up to feed Nico Williams, who fired previous the advancing goalkeeper.

Eighteen-year-old Dan Gore examined Simon because the second half bought underneath means with neither facet taking a backward step.

But Bilbao’s hopes of retaining their benefit had been dealt a blow with 24 minutes remaining when final man Aitor Paredes was given a straight crimson card for hauling again Hannibal Mejbri after conceding possession to the Tunisia midfielder.

Hannibal handed up a wonderful alternative to stage when he volleyed the ball over from Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross, however redemption arrived deep into stoppage time when Maguire headed down one other Wan-Bissaka supply for Pellistri to steer dwelling the equaliser.

Ten Hag stated: “We don’t give up. We fight until the end. Finally, we got the equaliser and I thought it was justified.

“We wanted a good result, to finish the pre-season well.”