Ronaldo frustrated in 700 chase, while Casemiro struggles to leave Ten Hag with big decision

Casemiro hardly pleads for a starting place in a Manchester United midfielder who remains an obvious point of weakness.

Is there such a thing as winning that you lose confidence?

Maybe not, but Manchester United came very close with a narrow 3-2 victory over Omonia Nicosia that averted disaster, keeping them on track for at least the Europa League play-offs, but raised more questions than it answered.

United trailed seventh-best team in Cyprus at half-time after a defensive disaster and, although they turned things around after the break thanks to substitutes Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, there was still time for a more dismal defense to allow the Cypriots to score again.

The most visible target of United's struggles was Ronaldo, chasing his 700th career goal, but somehow he never looked like he would get it despite chance after chance which presented itself more and more angry. The moment he tried and failed to buckle one inside the far post in injury time after a delicious Cruyff turn, he was reduced to screaming into the sky at the sheer injustice of it all.

He hit the post from close range when he looked certain to score, spun in a dead end from the penalty area after being played down and failed to complete an uninterested square pass from Rashford with the goal at his mercy. And that was only in the last 10 minutes of the match.

In all, Ronaldo managed eight attempts on goal but only hit the target with one. His assist for what turned out to be a surprisingly important third United goal (and second for the impressive Rashford) didn't seem to do much to quell his frustrations.

But while Ronaldo's misery despite winning United was amusing, it was behind him that more pressing, less personal issues arose.

It's no secret that United's midfield has been a weak point lately, and on Sunday they face Everton in the Premier League. The Toffees have shown impressive resilience in recent weeks - which United clearly weren't last weekend (slightly understandable) or tonight (less understandably) - and their midfield has been one of unexpected highlights of the Premier League season.

There has been and there will be plenty of clamor for Casemiro to get his chance in the Premier League, but the simple fact is that he has done nothing in those Europa League appearances to work his way into the Premier League. the first choice team. If he gets his first league start in a United shirt, that will say more about others than him.

Omonia's first goal was a disastrous class for United, with Jadon Sancho causing trouble with Tyrell Malacia and Malacia quickly turning that trouble into a full-fledged crisis. But while Christian Eriksen broke his guts to come back and try to put out the fire – insofar as he ended up actually being the man playing striker Karim Ansarifard – Casemiro was AWOL. He was not the chief villain, but his absence from the scene was noted. And it wasn't his first mistake of the night, when a pass completion percentage of just 80% in this kind of match is not something that indicates someone is ready for a midfielder. pitch in the Premier League.

There were, however, some positives for United beyond the bare minimum of the result. Above all, there was further welcome evidence of the Marcus Rashford Renaissance. He sorted out United just after coming on at half-time.

His first goal in particular was a smooth, precise curling finish just outside the box, a sign of confidence and a sense of peace that few of his teammates currently seem to share. Space opened up for him after a textbook and entirely selfless "use it by not using it...