BE CHOKIN’
MANCHESTER UNITED are spluttering – and possibly on the verge of choking completely. After blowing the chance to go top of the table in midweek when they lost to rock-bottom Sheffield United at home, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Red Devils failed to respond last night. And that means they are all but waving bitter rivals Man City and Liverpool towards a two-horse title race. Okay, the opposition yesterday was a lot better than on Wednesday, with Arsenal on a roll of superb form. But still, the visitors knew they had to deliver a victory in North London to stay hot on the heels of Pep Guardiola’s leaders.
Instead, they huffed and puffed without ever fully flicking on the engine and demonstrating they can cope with the pressure of life at the summit. That is what genuine, authentic title contenders do. They shrug off the occasional, inevitable blip and come roaring back – and make a loud statement in the process.
From nowhere, United had grabbed pole position after Christmas.
Yet suddenly, one appalling result meant fears they could collapse in equally unexpected, lightning fashion were very real.
It’s what happens in the congested, Covid-impacted 2020-21 campaign, after all.
Fortunes fluctuate faster than ever amid the relentless fixture overload.
One minute up, one minute down. Just ask Arsenal, who were flying in November before sinking to an historic low – and then came storming back in spectacular style.
So, this was United’s chance to defy that pattern and nip doubts regarding their title credentials in the bud before they got out of hand and led to more finger pointing at their Norwegian boss.
Amazingly, given the record of these two clubs and the top billing this clash is always guaranteed, it is eight years since either ruled the domestic scene supreme at the end of a season.
However, United’s sensational form after losing to Arsenal at Old Trafford in November had catapulted them from also-rans to favourites in little over a month of action.
The 2-1 reverse to Chris Wilder’s men last Wednesday was their first defeat since that Gunners clash. If that sequence was impressive, it was nothing compared to their form on the road.
They arrived unbeaten in 17 away dates in the Premier League and, on the back of this result, took the club record set by United’s 1999 Treble winners.
Fair to say, at the moment that is as
LOAN PAYS OFF: Martin Odegaard comes on for debut close as this class of 2021 crop are going to get to being mentioned in the same breath as those legends.
Had Edinson Cavani taken one of two great second-half chances, we might be thinking differently.
But the United hitman could not find the net with either when he should have done better – and that ensured his side are still four points behind City, having played a game more.
Credit to Arsenal, though, who hold the all-time on-your-travels record – with 27 between 2003 and 2004 – and were in champion form despite their mediocre position just inside the top 10.
Mikel Arteta, much like Solsjkaer in early December, appeared on the brink of the bullet over the festive period.
But his troops have now taken 16 points from the last 21 available.
United will need a far bigger haul from their next 17 outings if they to end their title drought. It could have been even worse, though, had Alexandre Lacazette not hit the bar midway through the second period.
As it was, these two clubs ended up producing their first goalless league game since 2014.