Sorry United late to arrive and absent on the pitch

WATFORD .... 2 MAN UTD .... 0

MANCHESTER UNITED players need to hope Father Christmas leaves an alarm clock in their stocking on Wednesday. Watford handed them the wake-up call they needed after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his men rocked up to Vicarage Road half an hour late. Their attitude was wrong straight away. How on earth does an outfit the size of United keep turning up for football matches late? It might be the first time under Solskjaer but it is the latest in a string of occasions on which one of the biggest clubs in the world has been sloppy with their timekeeping. It spilled over on to the pitch. United lived up to their newly established reputation as the team you can’t 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. The defensively shambolic outfit beaten at Bournemouth, Newcastle and West 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.

Seven minutes later Aaron Wan Bissaka, so often so dependable, scythed Sarr down to gift Watford a penalty.

Troy Deeney rammed it down the middle. Watford, without a win at home in nine months, grew visibly 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 can not mix it against the street fighters, the grafters, the sides fighting for their lives.

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. The manner of this win and the performance in defeat at Liverpool last week that preceded it, suggests the only way is up now for them.

DARREN LEWIS AT VICARAGE ROAD