Manchester United’s inconsistent form has continued the past few weeks. There was a win over Crystal Palace in the League Cup, followed by a dismal loss to the same side in the Premier League a few days later. United also lost to Turkish side Galatasaray in midweek in the Champions League, in a match marred by controversy. The main reason for this sputtering form is bad defending. The Red Devils have more leaks in defense right now than the Titanic post-iceberg, but that is largely due to injuries. Defenders Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have all been bitten by the injury bug at the exact same time. That’s the entire preferred back four out all at once. To make the atmosphere even more negative around Old Trafford, supporters were saddened by the loss of Cathy Ferguson, wife of former manager and United legend Sir Alex Ferguson. Her influence on this club is the biggest of any person who has never actually worked or played for us. She was the one who single-handedly convinced Ferguson not to retire when he initially wanted to in 2002, thus ensuring another decade of success and trophies for Manchester United. My deepest condolences to Sir Alex, the Ferguson family, and anyone who ever met Cathy.
The club needed a response today. Something needed to happen, and thankfully it did. United took on Brentford FC earlier today at Old Trafford in the Premier League, with three points being the order of the day. Unfortunately, United found themselves down a goal on 26 minutes after midfielder Casemiro needlessly gave the ball away, and Bees midfielder Mathias Jensen was on hand to sweep home a low finish past United keeper Andre Onana. United had been lackluster up until that moment, and they were punished for their usual complacency.
The poor play continued until about the last half an hour or so. Manager Erik ten Hag brought on striker Anthony Martial and winger Antony dos Santos around that time, with the ineffective forward Marcus Rashford among those coming off. United improved significantly with these changes, although Martial and substitute winger Alejandro Garnacho were wasteful in front of goal. As the clock ticked towards full time, ETH made another key substitution – bringing on midfielder and Scotland international Scott McTominay for make-shift left back Sofyan Amrabat.
Six minutes of stoppage time was given by the referee, and United finally got an equalizer on 93 minutes thanks to a tidy finish from McTominay. Brentford failed to clear their lines, and McTominay showed great predatory instinct to beat Brentford keeper Thomas Strakosha at his near post. Old Trafford erupted in celebration when United finally found a way through for 1-1.
McTominay and United weren’t finished, though. The Red Devils won a free kick near the halfway line on the right wing, just as the clock hit the 97th minute of play. Had United not already scored, the referee may have blown his whistle and not permitted us to take the free kick. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes played a high aerial ball into the box, and it found the head of center back Harry Maguire. Maguire was on the left side of the box, and his header back towards the goal found McTominay on a run. McTominay had ghosted in front of his marker intelligently, and he looped the pass from Maguire up over Strakosha and into the back of the net for 2-1. A winner in Fergie Time! Absolutely amazing. The ref blew his whistle shortly after that and United miraculously emerged with a victory!
The storylines from this one are fantastic. A Scottish player scores two goals in stoppage time to win the match the day after the death of Cathy Ferguson. It was absolutely magical and it was desperately needed for the club. Here’s to hoping Sir Alex can smile about something now. Well done to McTominay and the rest of the lads for not quitting. Effort is something that has been lacking this season, and I hope the players remember that they are never out of a match. They have to keep fighting. They have to keep running at the opposition and taking chances. United have been incredibly short on luck this season too, so it was about time a roll of the dice went our way. There are still many issues with these players and the manager’s tactics that need to be addressed, but credit to ETH for getting his substitutions right (this time). He changed the game with those subs, and Brentford failed to put the game away. Big shoutout to the much-maligned Maguire as well. He takes a lot of flak when he doesn’t play well, but he was a rock in central defense today and that needs to be noted.
Here’s to hoping that this win is the spark the club needed to get back into consistently good form. A win like this one can change the mentality of the players and fans from negativity and pessimism to self-believe and positivity. United head into the October international break with a win, which is all anyone can ask for. They are now out of action until October 21st, when they travel north to play Sheffield United. England have a friendly against Australia on October 13th, and then there is a crucial Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy at Wembley on October 17th.
The past two matches have been better for the Red Devils, even if the results are decidedly mixed. They lost 4-3 against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, but have followed that up with a much-needed away win against Burnley in the Premier League.
Losing to Bayern in Germany is usually nothing to be ashamed of, although it was a little embarrassing to be down 3-1 at halftime. Keeper Andre Onana had an absolute howler, which clearly affected his confidence. It would have been only 2-1 though if not for a dubious (at best) penalty awarded to the German side, which striker Harry Kane buried with ease. United were much better in the second half though, and had a legitimate shout at a 3-3 draw thanks to late goals from midfielder Casemiro. Munich perhaps took their foot off the gas pedal a little, but again I felt a 3-3 draw was the result that best reflected this game. It’s never fun to lose, but there was improvement from the lads, and that was a slim silver lining.
But improvement means nothing if you don’t win, and I think the players took that to heart in this match against newly-promoted Burnley at Turf Moor. They won 1-0 today against the Clarets, thanks to a stunning volley from midfielder and club captain Bruno Fernandes on the stroke of halftime. 35 year-old center back Jonny Evans (making his first start for United since 2014) played an excellent aerial ball over the top to Bruno, who had drifted into the box in space. There was a Burnley defender close to him, but his first-time strike of the ball was extremely clean. Burnley keeper James Trafford (what a name!) could do nothing about it as it flew past him and into the far corner of the goal. Evans also had a headed goal disallowed by VAR before setting up Bruno for a goal that would end up being the winner. What a match from the Northern Irishman!
The back four was extremely shaky today, and it was only due to some poor finishing from Burnley that United weren’t down earlier in the half. Again, the second half from United was much better than the first. They defended well, and Burnley looked completely out of ideas for long spells of the second half. Burnley have struggled scoring goals so far this season, which means that United should be keeping them out, and they did. Three points and a clean sheet away from Old Trafford was just the medicine that United needed to begin treating the sickness that’s been ailing the club in recent weeks. A good match also from midfielder Hannibal Mejbri, who needs to be starting for this team due to his work rate and willingness to make strong challenges on the ball. Forward Marcus Rashford and striker Rasmus Højlund showed some signs of chemistry, but they still clearly need more playing time together before they fully click. A clean sheet was good for the confidence of Onana as well.
So while there are signs of improvement, this team is still not playing as well as it could be. The injury issues are still a problem, and they were compounded today by a hamstring injury to new signing Serge Reguilon. That’s three left backs all injured now, in the opening 7 weeks of the season. I would call it rotten luck, but questions need to be asked of United’s medical staff given how often muscle injuries are a problem for us. Fortunately, center back Raphael Varane appears to be on his way back to full fitness, and midfielder Sofyan Amrabat can play as an emergency left back when needed. The attitude and fighting spirit was better from everyone today, but these injuries continue to be a problem. If United can keep grinding out results while the best players recover, they may be alright this season. Here’s to hoping that our squad players step up to the best of their abilities.
So yes, improvement – but the results must be sustained before the pressure begins to really let off. United have back-to-back fixtures against Crystal Palace up next. Both are at Old Trafford luckily, with the first match being in the League Cup and the second in the Prem. I am not super bothered about the League Cup this year since we won it last year, so hopefully it’s a chance to rest the star players. The Prem match, for me, needs to be given a lot more importance by manager Erik ten Hag.
Manchester United hosted Crystal Palace earlier today at Old Trafford in the Premier League. Palace and their manager Patrick Vieira have caused some problems for United this season, holding them to a rare draw at Selhurst Park just a few weeks ago. While they struggle against other sides, Palace seem to be rather astute at causing problems for United. A matchup like that will happen sometimes, both in this sport and others. They have a strong defensive shape and they’re always up for this fixture.
Before the match started, Vieira and United manager Erik ten Hag laid wreaths at the center circle in commemoration of the lives lost in the Munich Air Disaster, which happened 65 years ago this week. On February 6, 1958 a plane carrying the entire Manchester United team crashed just after takeoff during an ice storm in Munich, Germany. 23 people were killed, including 8 first-team players and 3 members of the coaching staff. I hope no club ever has to endure the tragedy this club endured on that day. We will never forget the Flowers of Manchester!
Things were lively almost from the get-go, with United being awarded a penalty just six minutes into the match. The hand ball in the penalty area happened around the four minute mark, but referee (and certified blind man) Andre Marriner was told to consult with VAR. He only awarded the penalty after a lengthy review and several protests from United players. While ultimately the correct decision was made as the Palace defender clearly had his arm raised in an unnatural position, this was not the last incident involving Marriner today. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes stepped up the spot deployed his trademark skip-hop to finesse a low shot into the left corner of the goal, sending Palace keeper Vicente Guaita the wrong way. It took a bit of time to get done, but it was 1-0 United on 7 minutes!
United kept the pressure on, and Guaita was forced into a double save on 13 minutes. He jumped high to push away a header from striker Wout Weghorst, and then had to get down low to deny center back Raphael Varane’s follow up on the rebound. Forward Marcus Rashford got his first shot on goal on 27 minutes, but Guaita was there again to deny his shot from a tight angle. Winger Antony dos Santos also came close to getting a second goal for United on 33 minutes, only for his well-placed shot from outside the box to be unintentionally blocked by two other United players. Palace were struggling to create solid chances at their end given United’s dominance on the ball, but winger/forward Jeffrey Schlupp forced a save from United keeper David De Gea on 42 minutes with a low and powerful shot from just outside the box. At half time it was 1-0 to United, but everyone in the stadium knew that one goal would not be enough to win this game. The Red Devils needed a second goal to really put it away.
Palace were a little better after the re-start, while United continued to struggle to find that second goal. ETH made a key substitution on 59 minutes that changed United’s attack, and it paid off almost right away. Winger Alejandro Garnacho was brought on for Weghorst, with Rashford moving in from the left wing to play as the central striker. United had the ball forward on 62 minutes, with defensive midfielder Casemiro laying the ball off back to Garnacho on the edge of the area. Garnacho spotted left back Luke Shaw in a forward position in space in the box, so he played it out to him. Shaw played it back in immediately with a low cross, and it was straight to Rashford who re-directed the ball home past Guaita for 2-0. An astute tactical change from ETH, and a fine team goal from the lads. Rashford now has 19 goals in all competitions this season, and he is absolutely on fire.
Normally at 2-0 on 60+ minutes the result would be in hand for United, but a bit of Vieira-inspired shithousery got Palace back into the game. Vieira was a master shithouser in his playing days, and it seems to have rubbed off on his team. A harsh challenge on Antony on the right wing caused some pushing and shoving between the sides, and during the fracas VAR captured images of Casemiro with his hands around the neck of Palace midfielder Will Hughes. A yellow card was given to Schlupp for his antics, but Casemiro was shown a straight red card after a VAR review for the chokehold on Hughes. Not going to make any excuses for Casemiro as it was rather stupid of him to act so aggressively, but the Palace players initiated the handbags with the tackle on Antony out-of-bounds. I am not sure the punishments were handed out by Marriner equally, as it were. It’s also still unclear when VAR is supposed to be used, as there have been several incidents this season where United should have been awarded a free kick (or even a penalty) for a foul but no VAR check was ever initiated.
Fortunately, ETH knew what to do. He brought on every center back United has, plus handed a debut to midfielder Marcel Sabitzer. The goal was stability at the back. United didn’t need to score again, they just needed to hold on. Center back Lisandro Martinez had been having a very good game already, but he ascended to another level of play in the final 10 minutes plus stoppage time. Whenever a clearance, block, or tackle was needed, he was there. The commentators were saying his name so much towards the end I almost thought there were two players named Martinez on the pitch. All hail The Butcher of Amsterdam! Man of the Match in my book.
Palace created a few half chances in those final minutes, but really couldn’t find that clear goal-scoring opportunity. Credit to United for a bit of shithousery of their own. They were very effective at keeping the ball in the Palace half of the pitch, and won a series of throw-ins and free kicks that took a ton of time off the clock. Despite being down to 10 men, they held on and won 2-1!
It was uglier than it needed to be at the end, but three points is three points. I am proud of the resolve the team showed, and very impressed with the tactical astuteness of ETH. I think without his timely substitutions and adjustments today the result is different. I’m fairly disappointed in Casemiro though. United had the game sealed away after his rash antics during the scuffle, and the lads really had to hold on with him gone. He’s easily one of our best players and now we are without him for the next three domestic matches. I think he needs to be footing the bill at the next team dinner! Also a bit of a shocker from Marriner/the VAR official today. No matter though, United have now won 13 home matches in a row, the longest victory streak at home in over a decade. ETH is the man!
Some additional good news is that Newcastle only drew with West Ham today, which means United are now in sole possession of 3rd place with a two point lead. They are three points behind rivals Manchester City, but City have a game in hand. League leaders Arsenal were also shocked today by Everton, which means United are 8 points back of first place. The title is still a long shot, but Newcastle’s draw helps the Red Devils significantly in their quest for the top 4. Next match is at home to fierce rivals Leeds United on February 8th.
Manchester United played host to Nottingham Forest earlier today in the 2nd leg of the League/Carabao/EFL Cup semifinals at a rain-soaked Old Trafford. Given that United were up 3-0 on aggregate goals from the first leg, it was going to take a near miracle for Forest to advance to the final. They had to win by three goals today, and United have not lost by more than three since the opening weeks of the season. With that in mind, manager Erik ten Hag tried to rotate his players a little bit especially in midfield, but was prevented from doing so by injuries to midfielders Christian Eriksen (out until late April) and Scott McTominay (out until mid-February). The fixture list is rather congested for United at the moment, so any rest that can be given for certain players would be very helpful. Forest manager Steve Cooper probably told his team pre-match that they had nothing to lose, which was true. No one expected them to win, so they could play a bit more freely. Getting the first goal today would be vital. If Forest could go out and steal one fairly early, the tie would open up significantly.
As expected, United were dominant in possession for most of the opening portion of the match. Forest were happy to sit back and defend, which they did effective well in the first half. It was a pattern of United setting up a chance only for the Forest defense to clear the ball or make a key block. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes was particularly in the mood with the way he was spraying passes all over the pitch. For all their possession and passes though, United were struggling to get a shot on goal. Emboldened, Forest eventually took some chances to go forward and try to get their goal. Winger Brennan Johnson probably should have scored when he found space on the right side of the United penalty area, but his shot was straight at United reserve keeper Tom Heaton. Forest winger/forward Emmanuel Dennis had a good chance to score too, but his shot was accidentally blocked by the legs of teammate Sam Surridge. United’s best chance came via a header from striker Wout Weghorst, which deflected off the post of keeper Wayne Hennessey’s goal around the 40 minute mark. Despite the attacking intent from both sides, the first 45 ended 0-0. United had more chances, but Forest had probably the two best ones.
The second half was much different. I’m not sure if Cooper intentionally changed his game plan or not, but Forest were much less tenacious after the restart. They were somehow even more content to sit back and try to keep a clean sheet. United’s dominance continued like it did in the first half, but they still couldn’t quite break through. But then ETH made a triple substitution that had United fans salivating. Forwards Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, and winger Jadon Sancho were all brought on around 63 minutes. All of a sudden, our attack was much more fluid and dynamic. Normally Sancho plays on the wings, but ETH had him playing as an attacking midfielder through the middle, with Martial and Rashford ahead of him. Bruno was shuffled out to the right wing as well.
It took United about ten minutes after the triple change to get their opener, having been frustratingly denied a clear penalty for a foul on Weghorst in the box. It was a wonderful bit of play from defensive midfielder Casemiro to set it up. He redirected a loose ball into the path of Martial, who dribbled the ball forward with Rashford to his left in support. A Forest defender was in Martial’s way, so he laid the ball off to Rashford inside the penalty area. Rashford attempted to get a shot away from about 10 yards out, but a last-ditch tackle saw his effort deflect back towards Martial. Martial pounced on the ball and finished (somewhat awkwardly) with his left foot, putting the ball just beyond the reach of a diving Hennessey. It wasn’t the prettiest finish, but it was an effective one nonetheless. Great to see Martial back out on the pitch and scoring goals. When he’s not injured, he’s ETH’s first-choice striker. There was a bit of luck with the bounce falling to him, but in football a team oftentimes creates their own good luck with good play. 1-0 to United on 73 minutes and 4-0 on aggregate!
Even though the tie was over, United pressed their foot down on the gas pedal and got themselves one more just three minutes later. Sancho played a pass out to the right channel, where it was received by Bruno. Bruno put in an out-swinging cross with the outside of his right foot that found Rashford near the end line, about 3-4 yards from Hennessey’s post. There was no angle for Rashford to finish, but he was able to find midfielder Fred unmarked at the back post. Fred turned home Rashford’s bouncing cross with his upper leg from point-blank range, with Hennessey taken out of the play completely. Also not the prettiest finish, but it was a very well-worked team goal from the Red Devils. 2-0 on the day, 5-0 on aggregate!
Bruno flashed a shot across the face of goal shortly after that, and Forest substitute midfielder Danilo forced a fine save from Heaton. The rebound from that save should have been scored by Surridge for a late consolation goal, but he blasted it over the bar. The final whistle blew after minimal stoppage time and United were able to celebrate making it to a Wembley final for the first time since 2017. They will place Newcastle United in the final on February 26th. Let’s go win some bloody silverware, lads!
A few thoughts on this match and the January transfer window for United:
A solid victory, but it is a little concerning that United couldn’t score against Forest without bringing on the big guns. Our players need rest! Fatigued muscles are more likely to get injured.
Bruno, Casemiro, Rashford, Martial, and Sancho all had good games. I very much liked Sancho playing as the No. 10 behind the strikers! ETH was right to give him a bit of a break to help his mental health struggles, and hopefully today was a sign of what’s to come from him. He got a very warm reception from the Old Trafford faithful, and that will boost his confidence.
It was also interesting seeing center back Victor Lindelof playing as a defensive midfielder for the final 10 minutes or so. He also looked good in that position, although it must be said that Forest looked very tired by that point in the game. He may be able to deputize for Casemiro as a substitute in future games when the result is in the bag.
The referee was garbage!
The loss of Eriksen to injury is a big one, but I am happy how the club responded by acquiring midfielder Marcel Sabitzer on loan from Bayern Munich in the closing hours of the January transfer window. There seems to be a newfound urgency and efficiency to our transfers that has not existed for quite some time. Credit to ETH and the football directors for getting the much-needed reinforcements. Sabitzer was not able to play today due to getting his paperwork and visa squared away, but he will be key for the rest of the season.
Generally pleased with the transfer window overall. Three players were brought in on loan, which means we didn’t pay a dime for them! We had specific needs coming in, and we addressed those needs with players that fit into ETH’s system. They aren’t superstars, but they’ll do what needs to be done to help the team win. Time will tell on Sabitzer and backup keeper Jack Butland, but Weghorst has already put in some very solid minutes at center forward.
United next play host to Crystal Palace on Saturday in the Premier League. Hopefully some revenge is on the players’ minds after Palace forced a 1-1 draw away a few weeks ago.
Glory Glory Man United! We’re the boys in red and we’re on our way to Wember-ley!
Manchester United traveled to south London earlier today for a Premier League match against Crystal Palace, on what was a bitterly cold night at Selhurst Park. A few noteworthy pre-match items included manager Erik ten Hag handing a debut start to new striker Wout Weghorst. There was also a bit of risk in the starting XI for United, as the invaluable defensive midfielder Casemiro was included in the side despite being on four yellow cards. Were he to be yellow-carded in this match, he would be suspended for the pivotal match against Arsenal at the weekend. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira was hoping his team could find some goal-scoring form. Palace have not been good in attack this season, generally speaking.
The first half was probably the most open and free-flowing half of football I’ve seen in quite some time. It felt more like watching a basketball game than a football match. Both sides were running at each other whenever they got the chance, but it was indeed United who were just slightly better both in attack and defensively. Our team passing around the press from Palace was exceptional in the first half, if the end product was a little lacking. Left back Luke Shaw went close with a half volley that flew wide of Palace keeper Vicente Guaita’s far post. Winger Antony dos Santos saw a chipped effort go wide of the post a few minutes after that, and then Weghorst himself got in on the action when his looping header landed on the roof of the net.
Palace went extremely close to going in front on 40 minutes when attacking midfielder Odsonne Édouard unleashed a beautiful shot from 18 yards out that looked to be going into the upper left hand corner of keeper David De Gea’s net, only for the big Spaniard to rise up and tip the shot onto the crossbar at the last second. A world-class save from Spanish Dave! It was an important one too, as United were ahead on 43 minutes via our own attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes. United had been breaking out well into attack the whole match, and they found joy down the left hand side this time. Striker Marcus Rashford was in space on the left wing, and he found the run of midfielder Christian Eriksen between Palace’s right back and center back into the penalty area. Eriksen played a cutback cross directly into the path of Bruno, who was given far too much space. He lifted a shot into the right side of the goal from about 12 yards with Guaita unable to keep it out. 1-0 to United! Given that the goal was so close to the half, there were no more major incidents and United were good value for their 1-0 halftime lead.
The second half was nowhere near as dominant for the Red Devils. They were clearly sitting back, content to try and hit Palace on the counter-attack in lieu of establishing possession. I was concerned about this tactic given that it hasn’t worked for United in the past, but our defense was playing well. Center back Lisandro Martinez knew where to be every time he was needed, and Palace were falling apart in the final third. Casemiro’s defensive reading of the game was brilliant as usual, although I was hoping he would be taken off around 70 minutes to be saved for the Arsenal match. United should have had a penalty on 72 minutes when substitute midfielder Scott McTominay went down under a challenge after winning the ball. Referee John Brooks did not give the penalty however, despite a VAR review. For me it was an obvious one. McTominay got to the ball, then the Palace defender collided with him from behind in the box. That’s normally a fairly straightforward penalty.
United were holding on well, but there was bad news when Casemiro made a hurried challenge and brought down a Palace player in their attacking third. Brooks remembered he had a whistle this time and yellow-carded the big Brazilian, which disqualifies him for the next match. A huge blow for Sunday against Arsenal! The misery was compounded when Palace got their equalizer in stoppage time. Palace won a free kick in the right channel about 22-23 yards from goal. Midfielder Michael Olise stepped up and put in a very sweet shot that beat De Gea at his near post for 1-1 (91st minute). A quality strike from Olise, but a bad goal to concede for a variety of reasons. For one, the wall of players in front of Olise was not big enough to deter him from shooting. For two, it’s a bad idea to give away free kicks in that position anyway. For three, De Gea maybe should have done a little bit better to get over and claw it out. In any event, United were thoroughly punished for only scoring one and then sitting back on their laurels. United almost gave the game away for a Palace second in the dying seconds, but the Eagles were denied by a last-ditch tackle from right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
A 1-1 draw on the road on a dreadfully cold night isn’t the worst result, but for United this is the worst result in quite a while. Dropping two points plus losing Casemiro for the next match? Ouch. But I suppose it is nice to be disappointed by a draw again. Last season I would have been begging for a result like this. The biggest thing now will be to see how we respond on Sunday against the league leaders. Hopefully the Red Devils learned their lesson about sitting back and defending a 1-0 lead. It’s insanely risky in the Premier League due to the level of talent available. There may have been some fatigue from players like Bruno on display as well. On an aside, Weghorst did fairly well on his debut, but most of his contributions were on the defensive side rather than in attack.
United remain 3rd in the Prem, a point behind Manchester City but they have a game in hand now. We need to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and move on. Still unbeaten in 10 games and we’re still playing much better than last season. Let’s go and shock Arsenal!
Manchester United played host to cross-town rivals Manchester City earlier today at Old Trafford, in a tie that is referred to by many as the Manchester Derby. This matchup is always fiercely contested and full of drama, with today being no exception. United and manager Erik ten Hag were looking for a bit of vengeance after City shellacked them 6-3 earlier this season. City, led by manager Pep Guardiola and all-world striker Erling Haaland, were looking to gain ground on league leaders Arsenal. Given City’s budget and resources, they are expected to challenge for the title every season. They were of course second in the Prem going into the match, while United were level on points with Newcastle in 3rd. As usual, this was a very high-stakes match for both sides.
The opening 45 minutes were fairly open in terms of chances created, and although neither team recorded a goal in the first half, United looked more likely to score. Attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes saw his shot from a tight angle go just wide of City keeper Ederson’s far post on 10 minutes. Striker Marcus Rashford was also causing problems for City down the left hand side of the wing, and he was through on goal around the half hour mark only to see his shot smothered by the onrushing Ederson. There were several other decent-to-good chances created by United, only for the City defense to clear the ball at the last second. City’s closest effort of the half came just before via halftime when a swerving, long-range effort from right back Kyle Walker flew just wide of keeper David De Gea’s post. While United did well to keep City from registering a shot on target in the first half, there was some concern about them finishing their own chances.
City looked to take advantage of United’s lack of finishing in the early part of the second half. Guardiola’s men were growing into the game and finally establishing some possession. Substitute winger/forward Jack Grealish was brought on around 57 minutes, and he made an immediate impact with the opening goal of the game right on the hour mark. Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne took advantage of a gap in the defense and ran into the United penalty area. He reached the end line and squeezed an aerial cross in just before the ball went out. The United back line failed to pick up Grealish’s run towards the goal and he headed home the cross past De Gea from close range for 1-0. A good goal, but De Bruyne never should have been allowed to run into the box. You can’t let a dangerous player such as him get into that position, because he’ll either punish you himself or more likely he’ll find the perfect pass for a shooting chance. Poor defending, but City took advantage while United (up until that point) had not done so.
It wouldn’t be the Manchester Derby without a bit of controversy, and we got a more than generous portion of it on our plates when United equalized on 78 minutes via Bruno. United had responded well to going down by re-asserting themselves in the attacking third and establishing more possession, but this was their most dangerous move up to that point. The ball was played over the top of the defense by midfielder Casemiro towards Rashford. Rashford was in an offside position when the ball was played to him, but he cleverly did not touch the ball while running onto it. The City defense had largely stopped playing, assuming the linesman’s offside flag was going to go up. It did not however, and Rashford left the ball for Bruno who lifted it over Ederson and into the goal from about 20 yards out. A great finish from Bruno, but the offside flag had been raised once the ball went in. Bruno, Rashford, and roughly half the United team ran over to remonstrate with the linesman, and eventually referee Stuart Atwell went over and consulted with his linesman as well. After a discussion, the goal was awarded and United were level! More on this goal below.
City were clearly mentally shook by the goal, and the Red Devils smelled blood in the water. It took them only four minutes to get the second goal. United recovered the ball in their own half, with Bruno then playing a difficult reverse pass out to the left wing and into the feet of substitute winger Alejandro Garnacho. Garnacho ran forward and into the left side of the City penalty area. He attempted an aerial cross towards the goal, but it was blocked and bounced right back to him. He twisted around a bit and this time got in a lower cross with his left foot, which seemed to take the City defense by surprise. His low cross found Rashford in front of the goal, and he stabbed it home under Ederson from about 3 yards out. A big lapse in concentration from City’s center backs, there. Garnacho did well to lose his marker and get the cross in, but the marking from City was almost non-existent. Rashford is in the best form of his career right now, and he was never going to miss from there.
It was a tense final 12-13 minutes or so, but United held on and won 2-1! A huge, huge victory for us and a big message from ETH to the footballing world. His tactics and team selection were spot-on today, and he must be given all the credit in the world for the job he’s done in turning this club around. He has empowered his players to be at their best while still holding them accountable if they don’t play up to the standard he’s set for them. It’s insanely difficult to walk that fine line, but he’s done it masterfully. Fantastic matches from Bruno, Rashford, Casemiro, midfielder Fred, and center back Luke Shaw, but I also want to highlight the contributions of right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka. His poor form and low confidence last season led many to believe his United career would soon be ending, but he played exceptionally well today and in the past few matches. He’s always been known to be a good tackler of the ball, but it was his attacking contributions today that need extra praise. His mazy run on 66 minutes where he went around three City players galvanized the team and the fans in the stadium! Can’t understate the importance of his play today.
As for the first goal, a close examination and reading of Law 11 must be done. Law 11, which is one of the Football Association’s Laws of the Game, dictates the rules surrounding offsides. I won’t write the whole law out because it’s long and boring, but the argument here centers on whether or not Rashford “interfered” with a City player’s ability to play the ball when he ran onto Casemiro’s pass. Replays showed he did not touch the ball, but he was running right behind it for about 3-4 yards before he left it for Bruno to finish. The eye test suggests that Rashford was “interfering” with the ball by being so close to it, but the letter of the law seems to clash with what most would consider to be “interference”. Rashford did not touch the ball, did not block off any defenders, nor did he impede Ederson from running out to make a save. City’s defense had largely stopped on their own because they thought offside would be called, which is an unprofessional move. In every sport, you play until the whistle! Had they made a better attempt to get to the ball, offside against Rashford probably would have been called. The argument could be made that the law needs to be re-written to address the subjectiveness of what is “interfering” and what isn’t, but there was no offside with how the rule is currently written. Lastly, had City played better over the course of the match and scored more than one goal, this alleged offside is a non-issue.
United are now in sole possession of 3rd in the Premier League table, just one point behind City in 2nd. Don’t look now, but United are also just 5 points back of league leaders Arsenal. For the first time in a long time, I can confidently say that United are in the title race! It’s only January so there’s a ways to go still, but I am more than happy with where the club is competitively right now. They just took on the best striker in the world in Haaland and didn’t let him have a single sniff of the goal. We are playing with a confidence and desire not seen since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson. After several seasons of inconsistency, I am finding joy in being a United supporter again.
The lads should celebrate tonight, but as of tomorrow the focus needs to be back. Next match is a trip to London on Wednesday for another Premier League clash with Crystal Palace. Three points are needed (and expected) due to having to play league leaders Arsenal away in the next match.
Going into the final matchday of the Premier League season, there were plenty of important positions in the league table to be decided. First and foremost among them were who would win the Premier League title. Mathematically, only Liverpool or Manchester City could win it. City were ahead by a point, meaning that Liverpool had to get a better result against Wolverhampton Wanderers than City in their match against Aston Villa. In a coincidental twist, former Liverpool captain and King Scouser himself Steven Gerrard could help his old club win the title today as manager of Aston Villa. There was also a final Champions League place to be decided between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, and the final relegation spot hadn’t been decided either. Leeds United were looking to stay up at the expense of Burnley.
Tottenham ended up shellacking Norwich, with striker Son Heung-min solidifying his position as the Golden Boot winner, earned by scoring the most goals in a Premier League season. Arsenal did win as well, but it didn’t matter as they had to better the result from Tottenham. Tottenham will be in the Champions League next season, with Arsenal in the Europa League. Leeds were also able to snatch a late winner in their match, relegating Burnley to the Championship after their loss to Newcastle. Man United supporters would have preferred Leeds to go down given the bitter rivalry between the clubs, but United are in no position to gloat. Their largely inconsequential match against Crystal Palace ended 1-0 in favor of Palace, with new manager Erik ten Hag in attendance. United did end up qualifying for the Europa Conference League next season, which no one is really thrilled about given it’s the least important European tournament. It almost would have been better to have no European football next season. Ten Hag’s facial expressions in the stands during the match tell the whole story – he knows he’s got a mountain of work to do.
But the highest of the high drama was centered on the title race. It’s always thrilling when it comes down to the final matchday of the season, and today was no exception. City conceded two goals to Aston Villa, while Liverpool were held to a 1-1 score line for most of their match. Had Liverpool scored at that moment (around the 65 minute mark in both matches) they would have been in the driver’s seat for the title. But never count out City’s talent. They scored three goals in 5 minutes to take a 3-2 lead over Villa, with German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan being the main spark in the attack. Liverpool then went ahead against Wolves via Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson, but City were able to hold on to the ball effectively and Villa never got another sniff of the goal. With both clubs getting a win, City won the title by precisely 1 point. Not the narrowest margin of all time, but it certainly does not get much tighter than that.
City’s title-clinching win means that Liverpool will not be the first English club to win the Quadruple (all four major trophies in the same season), and that is important because Liverpool fans would have been insufferable had they done so. No one in the red half of Manchester wants City to win the Prem, but at this point they are the lesser of two evils. I’d rather see the trophy at the bottom of the North Sea than in the hands of the Scousers. Congrats to manager Pep Guardiola and City, I suppose.
But today was great stuff. The Premier League always brings the drama, and it’s great for the growth of the English game on a world-wide scale. We have a title winner, all European places decided, and three teams have been relegated. The final issue to be decided (domestically at least) is which three teams will be promoted to replace the relegated Norwich, Watford, and Burnley. We know that Fulham and Bournemouth will be two of the teams promoted, but on May 29 the playoff final between Huddersfield Town and Nottingham Forest will determine that coveted third promotion spot. Whoever wins will not only earn the prestige of playing in the Prem, but also close to £150 million in TV revenue for the club.
Liverpool also have one more match to play, the Champions League final against Real Madrid in Paris on May 28. Should be a tasty match, given the attacking talents and their respective European pedigrees. On that day, all United supporters will be Madridistas for about 2 hours or so. I will have posts both for that match and the playoff final!
The national teams are all in action for the next week or so, with many countries still attempting to book their place for World Cup 2022. England has already qualified, so the next few matches will be centered on manager Gareth Southgate deciding who he wants to take on the plane with him. Switzerland have already qualified as well, so they were in a similar mindset. When your team qualifies from their group outright and you don’t have to worry about a tricky playoff fixture, you have the luxury of focusing on different tactical formations and player lineups. Today’s match at Wembley was an example of both sides trying to figure out what works best for them.
England were lucky to not be down 2-0 shortly after that, after a shot from Shaqiri struck the hand of Pickford and rebounded off the underside of the cross bar. The Three Lions woke up a bit after that though, and finally started making some runs forward consistently and causing problems for the Swiss at the back. England and Crystal Palace right back Kyle Walker-Peters (not to be confused with Kyle Walker, it’s two different guys!) was causing problems down the right hand side. He was combining well with Chelsea loaned-Crystal Palace winger Connor Gallagher, and the Swiss weren’t sure how to mark them properly. Their pressing led to a giveaway from Swiss defender Fabian Frei, as Walker-Peters was able to block his poor clearance straight into the path of Gallagher. Gallagher played the ball along the ground, with midfielder Mason Mount letting the ball roll across his path. England and Manchester United left back Luke Shaw was on hand to strike the ball directly at the goal, and it was a sumptuous strike into the left side of the goal that gave deputy Swiss keeper Jonas Omlin no chance. Shaw doesn’t score many, but he did well to be in the right place at the right time. The Swiss hadn’t made many mistakes up to that point, but England punished them nonetheless.
The second half was nowhere near as fluid as the first, likely due to the litany of changes brought by both managers right around the hour mark. Both sides were defending well, but neither side was creating many dangerous chances. England had shifted to a back-4 with White moving out to right back, a change which seemed to suit him well. The Swiss could maintain possession, but they couldn’t find that final dangerous pass.
England got their second goal and eventual winner from talisman striker Harry Kane on 78 minutes from the penalty spot. A cross came in from the right wing that England headed towards goal, only to see it blocked by the raised arm by Swiss midfielder Steven Zuber. The ref did not award a penalty at first, but after a lengthy VAR check it was decided that a penalty was to be given. By the letter of the law it probably was a handball, although in the past under different iterations of the rule, it may not have been. Zuber had his back to the ball and knew nothing about where it was, but he had his right arm extended out from his body when the ball made contact. Any time an arm is in an “unnatural position” that helps the defender cover more space, there is always a chance a penalty will be awarded.
Kane stepped up to the spot and buried the ball in the left side of the net. Omlin actually guessed correctly and went to his right to save it, but the power and placement of the shot made the ball very difficult to save. Kane now has an astonishing 49 goals for England on just 48 caps, and he is now level second with the legendary Sir Bobby Charlton on England’s all-time scoring list. Kane is simply world-class. Ok yes this was a friendly and yes he would be expected to score from the penalty spot, but to be only 28 and a scant 4 goals behind Wayne Rooney’s all-time record is absolutely staggering. No doubts about his place in the squad when it is time to travel to the World Cup. If he carries on like he is doing and wins a trophy with England, it is very likely he goes down as the best English player of all time.
Ivory Coast presents a different set of challenges, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Southgate switched things up again for that match. At tournament time, you need to be able to win as many different ways as possible, and you have to be ready to defend against many different styles of play. I would like to see Gallagher and Walker-Peters given more opportunities to shine.
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Quick note: spare a moment to laugh at Italy. The reigning European champions were eliminated from World Cup 2022 qualification by minnows North Macedonia earlier in the week. A huge upset, and it means a second consecutive World Cup without Italy in it. Couldn’t have happened to a better set of fans and players 😉
Manchester United continued their Premier League season today against London-based side Crystal Palace at Old Trafford. New manager Ralf Rangnick was in the dugout/on the touchline for this one, having had his required paperwork sorted out.
He lined United up in a familiar-looking 4-2-3-1, with Scott McTominay and Fred in defensive midfield. The specific players used were fairly expected as well, bar the presence of Diogo Dalot at right back and Jadon Sancho starting on the right wing ahead of Mason Greenwood. But despite using a lot of the same players the previous manager was using, it was clear from the first 20 minutes or so of play that there was a clear plan for how Rangnick wanted them to play. When in possession he wanted us to get the ball wide and incorporate the fullbacks, the aforementioned Dalot and left-back Alex Telles. The fullbacks were to provide crosses into the box towards striker Cristiano Ronaldo and let him work his magic. It seems the players were also encouraged to shoot more from distance, since I saw a lot more of that than we usually do. Bruno Fernandes was denied by Palace keeper Vicente Guaita from distance on 25 minutes, Ronaldo forced Guiata into another save with a fairly tame effort a few minutes later, and Dalot was unlucky to see his shot flash over the bar just before half time after some fine dribbling and combination play in the right channel.
Despite it being 0-0 at halftime, I was impressed with how United was controlling the game. It’s true that Palace were defending well and doing enough to keep us from scoring, but they had offered absolutely nothing going forward. Our tackling and winning back of possession was consistently excellent, and the only vague chance Palace had was a shot from distance by Ghanaian striker Jordan Ayew that went wide. For the first time in a long time, United looked solid at the back. Also for the first time in a long time, there seemed to be a coherent plan for pressing.
After the resumption of play it was United creating the opportunities yet again. Ronaldo came close to connecting on a header on 50 minutes only to be foiled by a punch clear from Guaita. Telles was also denied by Guiata on 67 minutes after his free kick was touched onto the cross bar and away by the Palace keeper.
Palace had their best chance of the match however on 74 minutes, and it was lucky for United that they did not capitalize on it. United failed to clear a cross from a corner and it was knocked back across the face of goal by Palace defender James Tomkins. The ball fell directly to Ayew in space, but he lashed a shot the other way across the face of goal and wide left. Ayew really should have done better as the United defenders were nowhere near him and keeper David De Gea was wrong-footed. Ayew has been in poor form as a striker recently and perhaps his lack of confidence did not help him in that situation.
But it was United who broke the deadlock on 77 minutes via an unlikely source – the diminutive and enigmatic Brazilian, Fred. Dalot was on the right wing and he played a crisp diagonal pass along the ground to Greenwood (on as a sub) in the box. Greenwood tried to dribble around his defender but was walled off, so he laid-off a pass sort of diagonally and behind him into the path of Fred. Fred had flashed down towards the edge of the box when he saw space open up. He hit the ball from about 20 yards out using a sweeping motion with his right foot first-time, and it floated beautifully with curve into the far corner of the net. It was a truly sumptuous strike, although completely unexpected from him. He is a tackler and winner of the ball. He starts the attack usually, he does not finish them. Still, no matter the source, it was a wonderful finish and Fred should take pride in how well he played today overall. He, Old Trafford, and even Rangnick himself could not contain their celebrations. It was a deserved goal given United’s dominance in the match.
There was truthfully not much further action after that, as United focused on keeping the ball and ensuring that Palace did not have a chance to score. Credit to the 36 year-old Ronaldo for sprinting back after 95 minutes of play to help defend a throw-in. Aside from that noteworthy moment, the match had slowed down immensely and Palace looked to be out of ideas. It ended 1-0 with Fred’s goal being the winner.
This was a very professional match from United. We were getting the ball forward to try and create chances, and the press was coordinated when we needed to win the ball back. It’s clear that Rangnick’s system will take some getting used to and the players can’t be expected to execute it perfectly on the first try, but there was a lot to be happy about with this match. It’s always a big plus to get a clean sheet, and this one was especially needed given United’s penchant for leaking goals this season. The clean sheet came as a result of United controlling the match almost from start to finish. We made a midtable team look like a midtable team, which is something that we have struggled to do all season. Aside from the odd set piece, Palace created nothing in attack and never really looked like scoring.
Fred was Man of the Match, not only for his goal but also for his pressing and breaking up of play in the middle of the park. He is an industrious player that always seems to play well for Brazil but is inconsistent for United. But I think Rangnick will figure out how to get the best out of him. Fred is our best presser of the ball, and Rangnick eventually will have system of pressing implemented where he will feature heavily. Very special performances from Dalot and Telles as well. It is important that those two are in good form, because it lets Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw know that their respective starting spots in the squad are not guaranteed. Sometimes there is nothing better for a group of players on a team than some friendly internal competition for places. One final shoutout to center back Victor Lindelof for yet-another solid defensive performance, with several key clearances and tackles made.
I think things will only improve from here. The final match of the Champions League group stage is next Wednesday, with United taking on BSC Young Boys at Old Trafford. United have already won their group however so I expect a lot of squad rotation from Rangnick during this fixture-congested part of the season. It is vital to keep the best players fresh and free of risk of injury.
Manchester United continued their Premier League campaign today at a rainy Old Trafford versus Arsenal. There is a rich history of terrific matches between these two clubs, and in the 90s and 2000s there was no bigger competitive rival for United than the club from the Highbury neighborhood of London. This was supposed to be the first match in charge for new United manager Ralf Rangnick, but due to visa issues, work permit issues, and COVID restrictions he was only able to arrive in the United Kingdom as of yesterday. It was decided that he would take a seat in the stands while caretaker manager Michael Carrick would be in the dugout for one more match.
Going into the match, these two clubs were on opposite trajectories. United started off scalding hot in the Premier League but have since crashed down to Earth spectacularly. Arsenal started off in dire shambles, but manager Mikel Arteta had largely righted the ship in recent weeks. Arsenal were/are 5th in the Prem and knew that a win would vault them into the top-4. United were simply looking to improve on the good work done in the draw with Chelsea at the weekend.
The match started off with Arsenal on the front foot, and they were testing the United back line repeatedly. United conceded a few corners in a row and were having trouble playing the ball out from the back. Red Devils midfielder Fred was having a particularly rough go, having conceded two good chances to Arsenal by giving the ball away in really bad positions. He was also involved in the Arsenal opener on 14 minutes, which was probably one of the most bizarre goals I have ever seen conceded in a professional football match. A cross from a corner was played into the box by Arsenal midfielder Martin Ødegaard, and the ball was cleared by a header from a United defender. During that time though, goalkeeper David De Gea went down injured and had his back turned to the game. The ball fell to Arsenal forward Emile Smith Rowe, who saw that De Gea was down and lashed the ball past him into the net from about 20 yards out. It’s a hard shot to make when the keeper is in play, but when he’s on the ground injured it’s pretty simple.
United players screamed at the ref to rule the goal out due to De Gea being down, and referee Martin Atkinson did stop play for a VAR review checking for a foul on De Gea that caused him to go down. Unluckily, it was Fred that accidentally stepped on De Gea. There were no Arsenal players anywhere near the United keeper, and because there was no foul on Arsenal the referee is not required to stop play. Refs are required to stop play for head injuries or open wounds, but not ankle/foot injuries like the one unintentionally inflicted on De Gea. Maybe they should stop the game for all injuries, but that would be controversial to say the least. The goal stood and United were down 1-0 yet again, despite the rotten luck of it.
The Red Devils did grow into the game more after the goal though, and were at least maintaining good possession to ease some of the pressure off the back line. But despite one or two non-threatening efforts from long range by center back Harry Maguire, United were not really creating many good chances. They could work it into a dangerous area, but then something seemed to inevitably go wrong (such as a misplaced pass) and the chance would be cleared. But, United persevered and got an equalizer just before first half stoppage time. Oddly enough, Fred was involved again, but in a positive way this time.
The ball was played to forward Jadon Sancho on the left wing, and he did well to dribble around his marker and create some space for a cross with his right foot. Fred had made a very clever run into the left side of the box, so Sancho found him with a short pass along the ground. Fred played a lovely little cutback cross along the ground into the path of Bruno Fernandes, who was in space thanks to the run of Fred pulling defenders away from him. Bruno opened his hips and struck it with his right foot, nutmegging an Arsenal defender and beating Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale at the far corner. Old Trafford erupted in joy along with Bruno. It was his first goal since September and his celebration was all you needed to tell how much it meant to him to be back on the score sheet. This was United’s best attacking move of the first half, and it was vital that we capped it off with a goal. Despite 4 minutes of stoppage time, the lads went to the locker room deadlocked at 1-1. Arsenal would have been disappointed to still be level despite being the more dominant side in the first 45 minutes.
The match got even more entertaining in the second half. Arsenal forced a sharp save out of De Gea from a corner, before United forward Cristiano Ronaldo was denied from a tight angle by Ramsdale. It was shortly United’s turn to take the lead though, and it was via Ronaldo. Arsenal gave the ball away cheaply in their own half to United right back Diogo Dalot, who promptly found forward Marcus Rashford ahead of him and to his right. Rashford was in the space vacated by the Arsenal left back as he was far out of position, and he dribbled it unchallenged into the box before pinging a pacey cross along the ground directly into the path of Ronaldo. The Portuguese striker made contact on the ball with his right foot on the first touch, and seemed to almost casually re-direct the pass into the left corner of the net. Ramsdale had no chance. Ronaldo does not miss from that kind of range. It was a gift of a giveaway, but the swift punishment from United was amazing.
What was not amazing was that Arsenal were allowed to equalize just two minutes later. The ball was played from midfield out wide to Gunners winger Gabriel Martinelli, who was somehow in acres of space on the right wing. He played a cutback cross along the ground into the path of Ødegaard, who seemed to scuff his shot a little bit when he hit it. That little scuff put a wicked spin on the ball however, and it rolled past De Gea at his far post almost in slow-motion. It was agonizing to concede a lead after fighting back to take it, but the defending was absolutely atrocious. United left back Alex Telles was nowhere near Martinelli, and the pass from midfield took Fred, Scott Tominay, and Telles completely out of the action. Very poor marking and positioning overall. Telles did have a good game for the most part, but that one moment was very costly indeed.
The next major action was De Gea’s save on Arsenal forward Pierre Emerick Aubameyang after the United defense was beaten by a long ball over the top on 65 minutes, but United were the ones to take the lead again just 5 minutes later. Once again, the referee was involved. Also once again, it was Sancho on the left wing who dribbled around a bit to create space for a pass, and he played it toward an onrushing Fred. This run was very similar to the one he made in the first half for Bruno’s equalizer, just a late run into the left hand side of the box. This time though his run was being challenged by Ødegaard, and Fred went down under his tackle in the box. Atkinson waived his arms defiantly though and signaled no penalty. Replays however showed that Fred’s feet were clearly taken out from under him from the side/behind by Ødegaard, which is a stonewall penalty when it happens in the box. After protests from the United players and the entire Old Trafford crowd yelling about it, Atkinson finally signaled for a VAR review. After a check by the replay official, a penalty was awarded. It was the correct decision and it needs to be counted as an instance where VAR got it right.
People joke about United being awarded a ton of penalties every season, and we do normally receive our fair share of them. But United have only had two penalties awarded by the ref all season, and one of them was today. That’s very odd given that we are 4 months into the season, but it might be due to the general lack of attacking play as much as anything. To make matters worse, Bruno had missed that one other penalty. I think that’s why it was Ronaldo time again. The man is a penalty-taking legend for both club and country, although it must be said that I was holding my breath a bit. Ronaldo has missed some big penalties for this club too – most notably during the shootouts of the 2008 Champions League final.
But no need to worry this time, Ronaldo did a quick run-up and struck the ball hard and with height. Ramsdale guessed wrong and dove out of the way, with the ball sailing right over him. United were ahead 3-2 on 70 minutes and I was ecstatic, but that joy was almost immediately replaced with dread at the prospect of United trying to hold on to a lead for the final 20 minutes. Arsenal did reclaim more possession and created 1-2 half chances, but them pushing men forward meant they were prone to United counter-attacks. The match ebbed back and forth, but neither side truly threatened the other’s goal again. After another agonizing 5 minutes of stoppage time, Atkinson blew his whistle and United were winners on the day.
A big thank you to Carrick for his services both on and off the pitch. He announced after the match that he was leaving the club after 15 years as a player and coach. It’s sad, but it’s the right move. Rangnick will be bringing in his own people, and Carrick now gets to go out on a high note. He secured our passage to the Champions League knockouts, held Chelsea away, and beat Arsenal for the first time in too long. He did all of that with a squad in tatters after the departure of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Oh oh, it’s Carrick, you know! Red Legend.
Ronaldo got his 800th and 801st goals for club and country today as a senior professional, and that is a staggering amount of goals for one player. Just stick him in the penalty area and feed him the ball. That’s all he needs to be doing. The questions about how he will fit in to the pressing system likely to be employed by Rangnick are only going to get louder after today. It’s clear that he needs to be on the pitch, but how does he fit in? Does Rangnick build the pressing system around him? It will be interesting to see what happens. I think it will take time for the players to get used to Rangnick’s style, and maybe that will help incorporate Ronaldo’s skills effectively.
One player that will be key to Rangnick’s system beyond doubt is Fred. What a match he had today! Absolute rollercoaster. He gives the ball away several times and accidentally steps on his own keeper which leads to conceding a goal; only to then contribute an assist, several key tackles, and earning us a penalty that led to the winner. Incredible. It seems that Fred is not good in possession of the ball, but he is exceedingly good at pressing the opposition and winning the ball back in forward areas. Not the best long crosser or shooter, but he knows how to get the ball and knows who to give it to when he does. That can be invaluable in the right system. Put a real defensive midfielder alongside him and the potential of Fred to be a pressing midfielder is unlimited.
Rangnick’s first match in the dugout is Sunday at home to Crystal Palace. There is work to do with this squad, but the foundation is there to be built upon. Glory glory Man United!
4-4-2 