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Ander Herrera insists the corner that preceded Presnel Kimpembe’s opening goal for Paris Saint-Germain was the turning point in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.
Manchester United went down 2-0 at Old Trafford, with Kylian Mbappe adding a second before Thomas Tuchel’s side saw out the victory to head back to the French capital.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was handed his first defeat as interim manager, but Herrera insists the game was “tight” until United switched off at the corner.
“I think the the game was tight until the corner,” Herrera told BT Sport.
“After the first goal they played the way they wanted to play against us because we were pressing quite well and put them in trouble. After the first goal everything changed.
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“The game was under control I couldn’t say we were the better team but we were not worse than them.
“The game could have finished 0-0 if they hadn’t scored from that corner. After that they played counter attack which is what they wanted because they have very quick players.”
Ander Herrera tackles Kylian Mbappe (Getty)
(Getty Images)
Solskjaer meanwhile has refused to give up on the tie, despite the monumental task facing United, made more difficult by Paul Pogba’s red card, meaning he will miss the second leg.
“You can’t lay down and say it’s over,” Solskjaer told BT Sport. “Today was a kind of a reality check on the level of the top teams.
“That is the level we want to get to. Top four is one thing. United should be at the top. They are a top team. [Our players] know we need to step up our level. We are disappointed.”
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