BACK TO BAD OLD WAYS
Larsson’s goal puts Sunderland on brink of survival but for United, it’s another dire display
SEBASTIAN LARSSON’S first-half winner has made Sunderland almost safe from relegation – but it well and truly popped the bubble of optimism surrounding Ryan Giggs’s reign as Manchester United’s interim manager.
The Wearside club could be all but mathematically safe as soon as this evening if Norwich lose at Chelsea.
Giggs’s future at Old Trafford is shrouded in considerable doubt with Louis van Gaal expected to be appointed in the coming days and with the United long servant’s role in his set-up as yet unconfirmed.
The winning strike pretty much summed up the afternoon, coming as it did from an urgent move by Sunderland, countered with... well nothing much in the way of resistance.
Connor Wickham evaded the attentions of Darren Fletcher down the right and crossed. Larsson was outside the area, alongside Michael Carrick. Larsson dashed on to the ball. Carrick stood still. Larsson finished smartly past David de Gea as Rio Ferdinand and Phil Jones stood within feet, helpless.
The visitors’ Fabio Borini and Emanuele Giaccherini each hit the woodwork in the second half whereas United’s best chances were a leftfooted shot from Juan Mata, saved on the cusp of half-time, and a header wide from Nemanja Vidic.
‘We didn’t put enough people in the box really,’ said Giggs on United’s lack of bite. Visibly deflated by this setback, he added: ‘We had a lack of quality and lack of concentration in the final third.
‘I still believe there is quality in the dressing room. Whether it’s lack of confidence [causing poor results] I don’t know. In the past we’d have wave after wave of attacks, shots, saves...
‘Consistency wins you trophies and titles, and we’ve been nowhere near that this season.’
Asked if he has had time to consider his own future, or whether he is simply focusing on the final home game of the season – against Hull on Tuesday – Giggs’s body language gave no sign of optimism about the long term. It is now widely expected that United’s executive chairman Ed Woodward will complete a deal for Van Gaal imminently so that summer transfer trading can begin in earnest.
‘I’ll concentrate on Tuesday night,’ said Giggs. ‘If Ed or the board want to ask my advice on anything, obviously I’ll give it.’
United’s home form, woeful by their own standards, holed their title hopes below the waterline long ago. This was a seventh home league defeat of the campaign following losses to West Brom, Everton, Newcastle, Spurs, Manchester City and Liverpool.
That is historically bad; the last time United lost seven league games at home in one season was in 1973-74, when they were relegated from the old First Division. Giggs was born during that season and turns 41 later this year.
After his debut managerial 4-0 tonking of Norwich last week, the narrative was appearing to push the claims of the so-called ‘Class of 92’ – a dream managerial team of Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Phil Neville.
But it was other United old boys,
with debuts in 1998 and 1999, who left this match the happiest, Sunderland’s Wes Brown and John O’Shea.
Their victory helped condemn Fulham and Cardiff to relegation, while also putting Norwich deep in trouble. Sunderland’s two remaining games are West Bromwich and Swansea at home and it would take a remarkable turn of events – even by the standards of a Premier League season full of them – for them to go down now.
After losing to Everton on April 12, Sunderland looked condemned to the drop, not least as their six remaining games at the time include trips to City, Chelsea and United. They drew at City, beat Chelsea and won yesterday – a first league win at Old Trafford since 1968.
‘It’s unique, special … a miracle,’ said their manager Gus Poyet afterwards. ‘I’m feeling well. I’m feeling great. We’re still one win away [from safety]. Of course we can get some help from Chelsea tomorrow. I’ll be watching.’
There were far fewer United fans watching the end of this game than at the start. They were streaming for the exits minutes before the final whistle. The away fans remained.
It said much about both clubs’ afternoons... and seasons.