DREARY UNITED IN A RUT
Pressure begins to mount on Mourinho after just one league win in four matches
THE fact that Manchester United have made considerable improvements from recent seasons is no longer a balm with which to soothe their wounded pride. The chorus of boos which rung out at the final whistle at Old Trafford told you as much.
Every sparkling performance across town and every superlative showered upon Pep Guardiola must dig deep into Jose Mourinho’s pysche and into Manchester United’s soul.
Yesterday they were not bad. They were simply not good enough. That is the story of their season and their status, for now at least, in a city they once swaggered around in with impunity, is as a support act to the main event.
A Christmas period of three points in three games preceded by that League Cup exit at the hands of Bristol City has been as meek and mild as could be imagined. They last won on December 17, a 2-1 victory against West Brom.
Just as their noisy neighbours are turning up the volume, they have gone quiet.
Yesterday they came up against a Southampton side chastened by a Boxing Day defeat to Tottenham and seemingly determined to ensure no repeat, with James Ward-Prowse relishing a return to the game. Manuel Pellegrino’s side were an impressive contributor to a match full of chances but lacking quality finishers.
United were not helped by the fact that they lost Romelu Lukaku after just eight minutes with a head injury. By then, though, he had already missed one of the chances of the game. Without Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the bench, the responsibility fell to Marcus Rashford.
But all round, United were neither sharp nor incisive. Chances that did come were scuffed or wasted. Final balls were a yard short or wide. And it all added up to an afternoon of frustration and further revelation of their limitations.
The first half was not lacking in incident, though. Just three minutes had passed when Paul Pogba found Juan Mata with a superb ball and the Spaniard made it to the byeline and crossed perfectly for Lukaku but he directed the header over the bar.
Southampton responded quickly, almost opening the scoring when Dusan Tadic found Sofiane Boufal. He pulled the ball back to WardProwse and, amidst chaos in the United area, David de Gea sprung to his left to touch the ball wide.
Within a minute of that episode, it was clear Lukaku would make no further contribution. Initially he had only seemed to brush heads with Wesley Hoedt in an aerial collision but the injury was clearly more serious. He lay on the ground for five minutes while treatment ensued before finally leaving on a stretcher to supportive applause.
Rashford came on but it was Ward-Prowse who was next to test a goalkeeper, his curling free-kick requiring De Gea to tip wide.
Alex McCarthy, in for the dropped Fraser Forster and making a Premier League debut for Southampton, made a sharp save with his feet from a Mata shot in the 26th minute and United felt they should have had a penalty six minutes later, when the ball bounced up and hit Maya Yoshida’s arm.
Referee Craig Pawson disagreed and, while Yoshida might have endured a nervous moment, there appeared enough doubt about intent to justify that decision.
Jesse Lingard went close for United with a 43rd-minute header from a Henrikh Mkhitaryan cross.
Six minutes after the break, Ward-Prowse crossed for Shane Long, whose shot was saved by a swift reaction from De Gea’s feet.
Nemanja Matic tried his luck from long range in the 69th minute but shot well over and the growing tension was indicated by Mourinho scrambling to act as ball boy to ensure a quick throw-in.
There was a tantalising moment of excitement in the 82nd minute when Ashley Young’s free-kick from wide fell to Matic, who turned and scuffed his shot. Still, it was enough to beat McCarthy through a crowded penalty area.
Sadly for United, Pogba ruined the moment. Standing in an offside position, he rushed to help the ball over the line and ensured it was disallowed.
Had he left it, then it may even have trickled in off the post. It was that sort of frustrating day.