If these players spent as much energy working as they do moaning, then they might have a chance
Yet another disappointing display shows just how far United are off the top two
PERHAPS it was the imminent prospect of throwing away a lead and failing to win for the third match in a row, perhaps it was the sense of a season sliding into nothingness or perhaps it was the news that interim coach Ralf Rangnick has banned them from eating bacon sandwiches, but there were about 10 minutes left of their 1-1 draw with Southampton when Manchester United’s players started to lose their heads.
Paul Pogba, who had shone only intermittently, was penalised for an innocuous foul on Southampton’s secondhalf substitute, Tino Livramento, and suddenly all the pent-up frustration in a group of players who seem full of resentments and a towering sense of entitlement, burst into the open in a collective fit of petulance.
Pogba, Harry Maguire and, of course, the agitator-in-chief Bruno Fernandes, surrounded referee Stuart Attwell in a manner faintly reminiscent of Roy Keane at his eye-bulging best. The difference, of course, is that Keane had actually won major trophies for his club. None of this lot has. If they expended less energy complaining and more working, they might have more of a chance of challenging Manchester City and Liverpool.
Fernandes stamped his feet and Pogba flew into an apoplectic fit when Mr Attwell brandished a yellow card at him. It was all rather unedifying. If United had shown some of this intensity, some of this collective purpose, when they were actually taking part in the game, then maybe they might have been in the top four when it ended. The draw means they remain marooned outside it.
They seem to be finding it hard to cope with the difference between reputation and reality. Jesse Lingard, who had only just come on for Marcus Rashford, was booked for dissent. Maguire was lucky to escape without punishment for treading on Armando Broja’s leg after a tangle in the penalty area.
And Cristiano Ronaldo? Well, somehow he was still on the pitch at the final whistle even though he had long ceased making a meaningful contribution. It is another of the unhealthy signs at United that he appears to be given special treatment. Ronaldo has now gone six games without scoring, his worst run of form in front of goal since 2010 when he had been a Real Madrid player for only a year. He had chances against the Saints but he could not convert them.
Rumours persist of a toxic culture in the Old Trafford dressing room and the latest suggestion is that United’s players are scornful of the input of Chris Armas, an American coach who they are said to call ‘Ted Lasso’, after the eponymous character in the popular television series. Armas is the latest in a long line of support staff this bunch of players seem to think is not good enough for them.
United had not played badly for elements of the game, particularly going forward and their goalscorer, Jadon Sancho, is starting to look like the player they paid so much money for last summer.
But Southampton, who came from behind to beat Spurs last week, deserved their point and possibly more. They showed a togetherness and a sense of purpose United palpably lack.
As a unit, Southampton were the more impressive of the two teams. After losing to Middlesbrough in the FA Cup and then surrendering a lead to bottom club Burnley in the league last week, another 1-1 draw was the last thing United and their fans wanted.
The Premier League’s first ever managerial Ralf-Ralph derby, a clash between former colleagues at RB Leipzig, was an open, attractive game full of chances but as it degenerated into ill-temper towards the end, United struggled to accept their fate.
It is only just over a year ago that United stuck nine goals past Southampton without reply.
It did not take long for the highlyrated Broja, on loan from Chelsea, to breeze past Raphael Varane on the United left and slide in a cross that was begging to be converted.
United, who have been beginning matches strongly, replied immediately by nearly taking the lead. Sancho burst through the
middle and threaded a pass through to Ronaldo, who took it around Fraser Forster. Ronaldo tried to slide the ball into the empty net but as it trickled goalwards, it was intercepted by Romain Perraud.
There was barely time to pause for breath before another flurry of end-to-end action. James WardProwse flighted a ball to the United back post where it was hooked back across goal by Kyle Walker-Peters. Che Adams was waiting for it in the middle but the ball was slightly behind him and even though he desperately tried to twist his body so he could nod it over the line, he could not get the ball on target.
Ward-Prowse followed up but when his shot was blocked, it ran loose and the ball was worked to Sancho. He ran at Jan Bednarek
and skipped past him into the area. He tried to poke his shot past Forster but the keeper saved it with his trailing leg.
It was obvious a goal was coming and it was United who broke the deadlock. Fernandes was the instigator, playing a beautiful pass down the right to free Marcus Rashford.
Rashford sprinted clear of the defence and fired a perfect cross into the path of Sancho, who forced it home despite the desperate efforts of Walker-Peters to clear.
United have made a nasty habit of losing leads this season though and
they could only hold this one until three minutes into the second half. In Southampton’s first attack after the interval, Mohamed Elyounoussi found Adams running into the area and he did not break stride before he hit it first time. The shot curled round David de Gea, cannoned off
the far post and rolled over the line.
Southampton now poured forward. Stuart Armstrong ought to have done better after Walker-Peters stretched the United defence with a rampaging run and De Gea pushed out a piledriver from Broja.
At the other end, a free-kick from the left dropped in a crowded Southampton box, Maguire swung his boot at it and Forster kicked it clear. Minutes later, Armstrong wasted a golden chance when he was found unmarked on the edge of the box but blazed his shot high.
Southampton were in the ascendancy now. They had another opportunity when Broja ran on to a pass that took him into the box. Maguire challenged him but Broja went past him easily. Maguire did not make contact with Broja and he stayed on his feet and tried to square the ball by lifting it over De Gea but it was cleared by a defender.
Ronaldo headed the ball into the net from a free-kick but replays showed that he, and most of the United team, were offside when the ball was played. Deep in added time, as mayhem ruled, United thought they had won when Maguire headed
a Luke Shaw free-kick goalwards but Forster produced a brilliant save to keep it out.