By the time dust had settled on this early kick-off and a chaotic 3-3 draw, only Atletico Madrid and holders Manchester City had more than United’s 12 goals to their name.

Indeed, if ten Hag had been told pre-tournament that his side would score nine times in their three away games, the Dutchman would presumably have been rubbing his hands together, banking on at least a couple of victories.

Instead, after twice throwing away the lead and losing 4-3 in Copenhagen at the start of the month, United repeated the feat in Turkey, this time twice throwing away a two-goal lead.

That left United knowing their Champions League fate is out of their own hands and, as was the case in the 4-3 defeat at Bayern Munich, as well as the other two road fixtures, the performance and suitability of goalkeeper Andre Onana were again under an intense spotlight.

Twice he let direct free-kicks from Chelsea loanee Hakim Ziyech through his body and the lack of confidence in their goalkeeper was apparent in the performance of the defenders in front of him.

The Cameroon international was supposed to be an upgrade on legendary favourite David de Gea after ten Hag took the bold, if controversial, decision to end his United career and replace him with Onana this summer.

That explained why, as well as being among the competition’s leading scorers, they also boast one of their worst defences, with Celtic and Royal Anywerp the only rivals to have leaked more.

It must also leave a huge question mark over Onana’s position as ten Hag’s undisputed number one, whatever the fall-out that may come from dropping a player signed for nearly £50 million last summer.

His manager, of course, refused to criticise the goalkeeper, blaming only himself for the European setbacks and claiming, as he has for some time, that his team is heading in the right direction - although game management and goalkeeping are presumably two areas in which that is not the case.

“We’re winning, then we’re losing, we should have taken three points,” said ten Hag.

“There are more games: at home against Galatasary, in Copenhagen. We play so good, it’s a big compliment to the team, but also, in the same moment, I have to criticise the team, and me as a manager, we are not defending well enough.”

Just as they had in Copenhagen at the start of the month, United raced into a quick 2-0 lead. And, just as was the case in Denmark, they spent the rest of the game apparently trying to throw that lead away.

It was home sub Kerem Akturkoglu who blasted a 71st minute super strike that made it 3-3 but ten Hag can only wonder how his side managed to squander a two-goal lead not once, but twice …. and the answer, on both occasions, could be seen standing between his posts.

It had all started so well for the Reds and, after the game had survived a pre-match pitch inspection due to torrential rain, the quality of the two United goals and the strong opening might have dampened home spirits.

On 11 minutes, Rasmus Hojlund and Bruno Fernandes moved the ball across the box to find an unmarked Alejandro Garnacho who finished with a superb strike from 15 yards.

There was an angry reaction from Galatasary players who objected to the youngster’s celebrations and the Spanish referee spoke to both captains to plead for calm.

But just seven minutes later, Luke Shaw intelligently played a through ball for Fernandes to collect, with the United captain advancing before lashing a superb finish into the top-left corner of the goal.

There were obvious comparisons to be drawn with the bitter 4-3 loss in Copenhagen, not to mention the home meeting with the Turkish side, in which United twice led before losing 3-2.

And, on 28 minutes, Onana somehow managed to allow Ziyech’s free-kick to squirm under his body and over the line after his shot passed through the United wall.

There were numerous warning signs for ten Hag, not least when Mauro Icardi had an equaliser ruled out for offside before the interval.

But on 54 minutes, their worries should have been behind them when Aaron Wan-Bissaka picked out Scott McTominay with a right-wing cross and the Scotland international finished clinically from six yards.

Still, an incredible game was far from over, and would not be until the closing seconds.

On 70 minutes, Akturkoglu showed an amazing first touch to help him hold off Kobbie Mainoo before scoring with a stunning shot from just inside the area.

The equaliser instantly relegated United to bottom place in the group and also set up a chaotic finale to the contest, with chances at both ends.

On 85 minutes, former United winger Wilfried Zaha had his team’s best chance of the half but struck the ball too close to Onana before United sprinted up the other end and Fernandes hit the post.

They were two of the combined 33 chances created by the two teams although there was almost a United winner when Lucas Torreira almost gifted Facundo Pellistri an open net.

Galatasaray (4-2-3-1): Muslera 6; Boey 6, Ayhan 6, Bardacki 6, Angelino 7 (Nelson 83); Torreira 7, Ndombele 6 (Oliveira 60, 6); Ziyech 9 (Yilmaz 82), Mertens 7 (Akturkoglu 60, 6), Zaha 6; Icardi 7. 

Substitutes (not used): Demirbay, Guvenc, Tete, Karates, Bakumbu.

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Onana 4; Wan-Bissaka 6 (Dalot 77, 5), Maguire 7, Lindelof 6, Shaw 7; McTominay 7, Amrabat 5 (Mainoo 58, 6); Antony 9, Fernandes 8, Garnacho 8 (Pellistri 77, 5); Hojlund 7 (Martial 58, 5).

Substitutes (not used): Bayindir, Reguilon, Varane, Heaton, Gore, Mejbri, Hugill.

Referee: Jose Martinez (Spain) 6.