SMASH & DRAB

Bore draw only sparks into life with Pog & Noble’s late bust-up

AT THIS rate Jose Mourinho will soon run out of players to pick on.

After blasting them at Brighton last Friday and questioning their mentality and quality on the eve of their visit to West Ham this lacklustre and labouring performance was not the firedup response he might have had in mind.

Aside from Luke Shaw, nobody with a point to prove in a grey United shirt came anywhere close to making it look like Mourinho had gone over the top in his brutal assessments of his squad. Or, of those still hoping to force their way into his Wembley team, really enhancing their claims for an FA Cup final place against Chelsea a week tomorrow.

And in the case of Shaw (right), he is coming from so far back in Mourinho’s thoughts after being singled out more than once by the United boss that his display at this late stage is unlikely to make too much difference.

That this point ensured the Reds limped across the line to clinch second place was about the only positive take away from their trip to the London Stadium.

This was a season that promised so much more when they swept West Ham away 4-0 on the opening day of the season.

But because of too many uninspiring performances like this United will finish the season barely able to see runaway champions Manchester City in the distance – just the 19 points behind.

It was no surprise Mourinho made eight changes and the fringe players who were effectively on trial at Brighton last week ahead of final were nowhere to be seen in his starting 11.

Only Marouane Fellaini had the excuse he was injured. Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial were the biggest targets of Mourinho’s scathing post-match attack on his team after they were stunned 1-0 by the Seagulls.

And the fact Mourinho dumped the duo on the bench here and picked a team without a recognised striker at the London Stadium was just as damning.

Hammers boss David Moyes had no reason to change his side that saw off Leicester.

And though that victory clinched their survival, initially they looked like the side with more to play for.

Marko Arnautovic, once playfully described as having the attitude of a child by Mourinho, toyed with Chris Smalling at times.

The Austrian striker fired his first attempt of the game straight at David de Gea after sidestepping past the United centrehalf and then couldn’t quite

readjust to get his header on target after Smalling sliced a cross up into the air.

United were disjointed and struggling to link up in final third until Manuel Lanzini’s mis-control gifted

Scott Mctominay the chance to whip in a 20thminute snapshot that flew just wide. That sparked the visitors into life.

Jesse Lingard, one half of

United’s unlikely front-pairing, had two first-half long-rangers pushed away by Adrian.

In between the Spaniard, who continued in goal despite Joe Hart’s return from illness, produced an excellent double save to push away Alexis Sanchez’s side-footed shot and then shin Luke Shaw’s follow-up effort onto the post. Lingard resumed his battle with Adrian after the break and again the keeper came out on top. Arnautovic burst back into life and gave United’s defence more problems with a run that ended with Mctominay and Ander Herrera needing to race back to tidy up the danger.

Of all United’s players Paul Pogba was having a particularly patience-testing outing. And his wasteful and way off-target effort from just inside the West Ham half summed up his and United’s night.

Pogba’s frustration boiled over when his lazy foul on Mark Noble sparked a late brawl and both players ended up being fortunate to stay on.