Former Manchester United manager addresses match fixing allegations

Manchester United have several representatives at the World Cup, with 12 first-team players taking to action in the group stage of the tournament.

The club also has many other ex-employees involved in North America, including one of their more recent managers, who has been involved in controversy as his team just about qualified for the knockout rounds.

As the group stages drew to a close, there was plenty of debate as Austria and Algeria played out a convenient yet dramatic draw, ensuring both nations qualified for the Round of 32. In the 93rd minute of the game, former Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez put Algeria 3-2 up, before Sasa Kalajdzic sent Austria through with an equaliser in the 96th minute. It was a goal that saw the Austrians finish second in Group J, behind Argentina.

Austria manager and former Manchester United boss, Ralf Rangnick, was questioned over the nature of the end to the game upon his side’s qualification, but pointed towards the dramatic finish as evidence to there being no collusion.

“All who watched the game during the last 15 minutes must know there is no hint that the players absolutely wanted to have a draw,” Rangnick said, according to Reuters. “I think they wanted to win.

“Nobody can tell me that suddenly in minute 93 somebody ​would plan: ‘oh yes, let’s score ​another goal.’ I think ⁠maybe it was the thought of one or two players in Algeria, but I think in the rest of the squad I don’t think it was the case, and not for ​me.”

The 67-year-old, who took charge of Manchester United between December 2021 and May 2022, has recently signed a new contract for the Austrian national side, in his only job since departing Old Trafford.

His claims that there was no agreement between the two sides to play out a draw is fair. On a stage as big as the World Cup, no team wants to back down. While a point will have suited most sides, the dramatic nature of the final five minutes tells its own story, as Rangnick correctly alluded to.