RUNNING OUT FOR YOU, OLE 2 0
MANCHESTER UNITED were given a wake-up call by Watford after turning up half an hour late for the game.
How on earth does an outfit the size of United keep showing up for football matches late? It might be the first time under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, below, but it is the latest in a string of occasions when they have been sloppy with their timekeeping.
And it spilled over on to the pitch. United, who sent on Paul Pogba as a second-half substitute, lived up to their newly established reputation as the team you simply cannot trust these days. Gone were the heroes of wins at Manchester City and at home to Spurs.
Back came the white-flag wavers held at home by struggling Everton and Aston Villa, and the defensively shambolic outfit beaten at Bournemouth, Newcastle andWest Ham.
United turned up here expecting to win. Six minutes after half-time, David De Gea took his eye off the ball to allow Ismaila Sarr’s tame shot to go through his hands.
It hit the Spaniard in the face and went in off the post. De Gea slumped to the floor with his head in the turf after surely the worst mistake of his career.
Seven minutes later, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, so often so dependable, scythed Sarr down to giftWatford a penalty.
Troy Deeney rammed it down the middle. Watford, without a win at home in nine months, grew in confidence. United retreated into their shell. Solskjaer’s side now have the fewest number of points at this stage of the Premier League of any United side. The club still have faith in him, of course, but there must surely be a few dissenters in the boardroom convinced they should be giving Mauricio Pochettino a call.
United under Solskjaer are big- time Charlies. Pampered prima donnas who relish the match-ups against the A-listers but still cannot mix it against the street- fighters, the grafters, the sides fighting for their lives.
This United could do with watching a few videos of the sides under Sir Alex Ferguson who turned up for work – early – whether they were facing Liverpool or the team last in the Premier League.
This defeat means they head into Christmas eighth in the table – their lowest position at this stage of a season since 1989.
For Watford, it is the start of what must surely now be the revival under Nigel Pearson. They move within six points of safety and level on points with Norwich, in 19th.
WATFORD (4-2-3-1): Foster 7; Mariappa 8, Kabasele 7, Cathcart 7, Femenia 7; Hughes 7, Capoue 7 (Capoue 77); Sarr 8 (Success 87), Doucoure 7 (Chalobah 69 5), Deulofeu 7; Deeney 9. Goals: Sarr 50, Deeney 54 pen. MAN UTD (4-2-3-1): De Gea 5; Wan-Bissaka 5, Lindelof 6, Maguire 5, Shaw 5; Fred 5, McTominay 5 (Mata 72); James 6 (Greenwood 58, 5), Lingard 5 (Pogba 64, 5), Rashford 5; Martial 5.