Premier League – Another Away Defeat, This Time in Nottingham

Manchester United traveled to the East Midlands of England earlier today for a Premier League match against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. United were looking to continue their winning momentum having beaten Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Boxing Day, while Forest were also looking to continue their winning form under new manager Nuno Espirito Santo. For a team like Forest in a relegation battle, every point they can scrape matters. The points mattered for United and manager Erik ten Hag as well, but for the visitors it was more about putting in a competent performance and playing with the consistency that has eluded them this season.

The atmosphere inside the City Ground was electric and high energy from the start, although the play on the pitch in the first half from both sides was decidedly dull. Forest were probably slightly better on the balance of things, mainly because United were absolutely anemic in attack. They put together some decent moves towards the end of the half, but the shots on goal were few and far between. Forest failed to score as well, but they looked much more cohesive when in possession. For the umpteenth time this season, United looked clueless in attack. A key substitution was made at halftime by ETH, with defensive midfielder Kobbie Mainoo being replaced by fellow midfielder Scott McTominay. More on this substitution below.

The second half was much more high-energy and uptempo from both sides. Forest grew into the game considerably well, likely buoyed by their home support. The opening goal came from midfielder Nicolas Dominguez, who slotted home past United keeper Andre Onana on the hour mark. Hard to say Forest didn’t deserve it, but the defending from United was very poor. As a defensive midfielder, McTominay was responsible for defending the edge of the box. For whatever reason though, he wasn’t there and Dominguez was given an opening from which to shoot. Onana maybe could have done better with his positioning, but McTominay has to be in position to make a clearance in situations like this one.

I was resigned to another away defeat for United given their lack of urgency going forward, but the Red Devils responded a bit (finally) after going down 1-0. Left back Diogo Dalot struck the post after a good move, and United got an equalizer on 78 minutes thanks to some good pressing from winger Alejandro Garnacho and a bad mistake by Forest keeper Matt Turner. Turner had been having issues playing the ball out from the back for most of the half, and Garnacho jumped on one of his many unconvincing passes. He won the ball about 20 yards out from goal, after which he found winger/forward Marcus Rashford to his left. The Forest defense was scrambling to get back, and Rashford was able to curve a shot along the ground past Turner for 1-1. The goal came about more because of the mistake from Turner than anything else, but of course it counted all the same. I would have been more than pleased with a 1-1 given how the match had gone, as well. Well done to Rashford for finishing clinically despite not being in good scoring form this season.

Unfortunately, United’s defense was undone again just four minutes later by attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White. United were pushing for a winner, but were caught out on a swift counter-attack organized by winger (and former United player) Anthony Elanga. Elanga brought the ball forward before centering it along the ground for Gibbs-White, who curled a spectacular shot around center-back Jonny Evans that crept inside Onana’s left-hand post. Again, a fine move and finish from Forest, but where was the marking from United? Evans and fellow center back Raphael Varane weren’t communicating properly, and McTominay was again nowhere to be found when he was supposed to be covering the edge of the box. Gibbs-White is a talented player, and he was given far too much room to shoot. 2-1 to Forest.

United pushed again for another equalizer and were aided by a staggering 10 minutes of stoppage time, but the best they could muster was a deflected effort from midfielder Bruno Fernandes that was saved by Turner. A few more routine saves from the American keeper helped Forest out the rest of the match, and the Garibaldi Reds 2-1 winners on the day. It was their first ever victory over United at the City Ground, and it was a crucial three points towards their survival at the end of the season. All credit to Forest and Nuno, but United were bad yet again.

Frustratingly, there was again a lack of urgency and desire from the players until they were already down 1-0. I don’t know why they don’t start trying until they’re already losing. Another big factor was ETH’s initial tactics and substitutions. He insists on playing Garnacho on the left wing, with opposite winger Antony dos Santos occupying the right wing. This is a good idea if both are encouraged to cut inside and get shots away from distance, but teams have figured out that tactic and they know how to prevent it. Antony in particular was poor today. It’s not a coincidence that United improved when he was taken off and replaced by fellow winger Amad Diallo. Antony has scored just one goal in 33 matches in 2023, and he has not justified his £85 million price tag. I don’t know why ETH simply doesn’t swap Garnacho and Antony so they can ping crosses in with their preferred foot. The “cutting inside to shoot” tactic isn’t working and hasn’t worked, so why not try something different?

Further, taking off Mainoo for McTominay was utterly baffling from ETH. Mainoo has been one of our better midfielders since breaking into the first team earlier this season, and he was doing fairly well at helping to control the midfield. So why was he taken off? There was no injury or yellow card situation for him, but ETH still elected to take him off at halftime anyway. As has been discussed before on this blog, McTominay is not a defensive midfielder. He is simply not good at it and is much more suited to attacking than the defending. It could be argued that McTominay was at fault for both Forest goals due to being out of position both times. United may still have lost anyway, but I think Mainoo would have done much better at helping the defense than McTominay did.

This is the first match where I’ve really questioned what ETH is trying to do. He needs to stop trying to make the inverted winger tactic work, and he really needs to ensure that McTominay is not playing as a defensive midfielder. Is it stubbornness from the Dutchman? Lack of options? I know the injuries have been bad this season, but I think United could have nicked a draw today had Mainoo been on the pitch longer. ETH really needs to re-evaluate his tactics, and the team selection needs further scrutiny as well. Put Antony on the left, Garnacho on the right, and stick a center forward between the two of them with Bruno in behind. Let’s get a lot more players into the box and have the wingers play crosses in to them. And at the risk of sounding like a broken record, there needs to be a lot more desire and drive from a good portion of this United team.

United remain 7th in the Premier League table, but could fall as far as 9th once Brighton and Newcastle play their games in hand tomorrow. Next up, it’s a short trip to Wigan, England for a match in the FA Cup with Wigan Athletic. The FA Cup is our last chance at a trophy this season, and ETH really needs a victory there to restore some of the supporters’ faith in him. If they lose to a lower league side in the 3rd round of the FA Cup, the seat underneath ETH will become very hot indeed.

Glazers Out!

Premier League: A Tale of Two Matches – Newcastle and Chelsea

The past two matches have seen United lose away to Newcastle 1-0, followed by a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Old Trafford earlier today. The Red Devils looked god-awful against Newcastle at the weekend and probably should have lost by a bigger margin. In contrast, they looked borderline spectacular against Chelsea and probably should have won by more. But there were only four days between these matches, so how can a team like United look so bad in one match and then play so wonderfully in the next one? Well, there’s several reasons…

Location, Location, Location

United have been dismal away from home during the tenure of manager Erik ten Hag. No two ways about it. They haven’t beaten a top-half of the table side away from home since 2021. St. James’ Park in the northeast of England is a cold and dreary place to play, and the fans there always create a tough atmosphere. United’s away form against the big clubs is easily the toughest nut ETH has yet to crack.

At home however, United are a juggernaut. They don’t lose often within the hallowed halls of Old Trafford. Indeed, they have claimed the scalps of some of the biggest clubs in Europe when playing in front of 75,000 screaming United supporters. Old Trafford has been a fortress during ETH’s time in charge, and it’s walls held firm for the most part again today.

The Opposition

Newcastle are a better team than Chelsea, as things stand. Chelsea have tons of new signings and a manager (Mauricio Pochettino) who is still trying to figure out his best XI players. Manager Eddie Howe at Newcastle has his lads drilled exceptionally well and they have the financial backing of an oil state, which has allowed them to bring in some very talented players.

Line-Ups

ETH shuffled the deck quite a bit between the previous match and the one today, largely because he had to. Forwards Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial have been in poor form for weeks now, with Rashford playing particularly poorly in the previous match. Those two players were dropped to the bench in favor of winger Antony dos Santos and striker Rasmus Højlund respectively. Further, midfielder Sofyan Amrabat was given a start, paired with Scott McTominay in midfield.

Højlund and Antony both had stellar games, and Amrabat put in a very good shift as well. Antony won a penalty on 8 minutes that midfielder Bruno Fernandes failed to convert, and even though Højlund has yet to open his Premier League scoring account, he was tireless in his running today and put himself about on the pitch in a way that continually caused problems for Chelsea. Amrabat had a key tackle in the buildup to McTominay’s opener on 19 minutes as well. I am really happy with how Mainoo played when he came on as a substitute. He didn’t do particularly well against Newcastle, but his pairing with Amrabat in the center of the park really seemed to suit him. Mainoo has the energy and athleticism, while Amrabat has a ton of experience playing at the highest levels. Their styles of play compliment each other well.

Effort

You would think that a team full of professional athletes wouldn’t need to be told to play hard and put in good effort. Counter-intuitively though, it seems that’s exactly what was needed. The effort on display from the players in red was easily the biggest contrast to the loss against Newcastle last weekend. The majority of the team was guilty of bad effort last weekend, but I want to talk about a single player specifically.

I don’t know what’s wrong with Rashford. He’s in the “effort” section because he showed zero of it against Newcastle, and when he came on today against Chelsea in the closing minutes, he proceeded to again show zero of it. I just don’t get it. He’s not running anywhere. He walks or jogs when running is definitely required. I know he knows this, but no one is going to be a world-class footballer if they don’t run. The media is rampant with speculation that he’s squabbling with ETH or somehow unhappy with how things are going. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but his lack of effort is totally unprofessional. It’s okay to be frustrated or upset with the manager. It’s okay to not be happy when the team is in inconsistent form. The unacceptable thing is not trying! The professional thing to do would be to go out and give 100% even if you’re frustrated, so that supporters know you’re at least trying. I am a big fan of Rashford and have been since he came up through the United youth academy, but I’m not going to defend his lack of effort anymore.

Since this post is all about contrasts, let’s contrast Rashford’s lack of effort with another maligned United player – center back Harry Maguire. This is a man who was stripped of the captaincy in the off-season, and was only seeing so much playing time this year because of injuries to fellow center backs Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane. I don’t think I’ve seen a player take the amount of stick that Maguire gets on social media every time he makes a mistake. It’s absolutely brutal. Maguire’s season started off extremely rough and the noise around his form was quite loud, but he kept his head down and kept himself focused on the game. He was a rock at the center of defense today, his overall play in the month of November earned him the accolade of Premier League Player of the Month, awarded to him today. Rashford should take note of how Maguire ignored all the noise around him and just focused on working hard and playing hard. Even if Martinez and Varane were suddenly fit to play, it would be hard for ETH to drop Maguire due to his excellent form. Both of them are extremely talented players, but one is displaying focus and determination right now, while the other is not.

Tactics and Execution

Interestingly, the tactics in the Newcastle match and the Chelsea match today were not all that different. ETH does not deviate much from his preferred 4-2-3-1, with the players running a counter-press when out of possession, and building from the back when in possession. In order to effectively play the counter-press, every attacking and midfield player needs to know when to press and on which opposing player. Vitally, the players must be willing to run at the opposition, and not just let them have possession without pressure. If one player doesn’t press effectively, ETH’s system is practically neutered. This is almost exactly what happened Newcastle. We had an attacking player who didn’t feel like running anywhere, and as a result we didn’t create anything for the first 80 minutes.

Højlund, Antony, Bruno, Amrabat, and winger Alejandro Garnacho all executed the tactics wonderfully today. They were coordinated in their press and Chelsea often looked rudderless at times due to it. Amrabat pressing the ball in the attacking third is what led to United’s first goal! They forced Chelsea into a turnover in a dangerous area, and United punished the Blues for it. ETH football in a nutshell. The finishing was poor today and United should have had at least 4 goals, and that has to improve, but the chance creation was so much better today. Credit to McTominay for getting both United goals. The Scotsman is in truly wonderful attacking form this season, and being given license by ETH to roam forward a bit more has suited him well.

ETH has faced some frankly ridiculous media speculation in the past four days that his job may be in jeopardy if United’s poor form continued. The media were trying to generate headlines and clicks of course, but this match should end any wild conjecture that ETH will be sacked soon or that he’s somehow lost the locker room. It’s clear he’s the man to bring us out of this mess. He knows this team is far from perfect and that there is still a ways to go before we are back at the top, but we’re headed in the right direction. He has the tactical nous for the job as has been evidenced, and it seems he has finally learned to drop players in poor form. Man-management is a criminally under-appreciated aspect of what it takes to be the manager of a multi-billion pound football club. You have to be able to manage the often very large egos of professional athletes, and it’s a skill that takes a very deft touch. There is an abundance of evidence that the overwhelming majority of the players believe in him and what he’s trying to do. The Glazers still need to sell the team and leave, but it’s clear we finally have the right manager at the helm.

Conclusion

A changed line-up, better effort, and better execution are the main reasons why United were so much better today against Chelsea than against Newcastle last week. As has been said a thousand times on this blog though, the inconsistency has to stop. I won’t be celebrating this club’s resurrection until we win the Premier League title again, and inconsistent teams do not win titles. Well done against Chelsea today, but if we have another Newcastle away-type match, it means little.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Manchester United – This One Is For Cathy Ferguson

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.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Manchester United – Showing Signs of Life, Or Is This A False Dawn?

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.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Premier League: United Earn Narrow Victory in League Opener

Manchester United’s 2023/2024 season officially kicked off earlier today at rainy Old Trafford against Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Red Devils were expected to kick things off this season with a win, and an entertaining one at that. Wolves were decidedly average last season, and their new manager Gary O’Neill had been in charge for all of five days before today’s kickoff. United manager Erik ten Hag handed full debuts to new signings Mason Mount in midfield and Andre Onana in goal. Both have impressed in pre-season, but the level of intensity of in the pre-season does not compare to a meaningful Premier League match.

The first half was slow in tempo from both sides, perhaps due to the slickness of the pitch and a lack of urgency from United. Indeed, Wolves seemed very happy to be on the ball and passing it around themselves while United pressed them high up the pitch. The counter-press is a standard tactic of ETH, and United did win the ball high up the pitch several times in the first half. The problem however was a severe lack of cohesion in midfield and attack. No one was on the same page, and Wolves were easily able to break up attacks using the low-block in the defensive third. They were even having some success getting the ball up the pitch and creating some dangerous chances, but their finishing was woeful. There was only one shot on target in the first half, a rather tame effort from Marcus Rashford who likely should have done better. It was 0-0 at halftime, and the dark clouds in the sky were beginning to become dark clouds among the supporters.

The second half was more of the same, although it must be said that Wolves improved while United generally did not. They were getting the ball out to their wingers Pedro Neto and Hwang Hee-chan very effectively, and United were being overrun in midfield. ETH introduced winger Jadon Sancho and midfielder Christian Eriksen to try and produce a goal. United did get better after the substitutions, and they began to dominate possession in the way many expected them to do the entire match. Wolves shrunk further down into their defensive block, so much so the back line was practically on top of Wolves keeper José Sá.

The single and solitary goal in this match came on 76 minutes, and it was really the first time United created any kind of opening in the Wolves back line all match. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes played a ball over the top to right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who had run into a gap on the right hand side of the box. AWB beat a defender to the ball and hit a high cross towards the middle on the bounce. Sá had come to try and stop AWB, so he was completely out of position. Center back Raphael Varane was on hand to head home the cross into the empty net, and Old Trafford exploded both in rapturous celebration and relief. It was a tap-in for Varane, but credit to AWB and Bruno for finally finding a way to unlock the Wolves’ defense.

With 14 minutes to go though, the match was not over. Wolves continued to create chances, but they were denied by last-ditch tackles or a save from Onana. Substitute forward Fabio Silva saw his shot from a great position fired straight into the body of Onana. Late on in stoppage time, there was a VAR review for a potential penalty when Onana missed a cross and collided with a Wolves player. However, no penalty was given. Onana missed the ball and he definitely hit the Wolves player in the air, but his saving grace was that the ball had already flown past the Wolves attackers when he made contact. I’ve seen fouls like that given as penalties anyway though, but this time United were lucky.

The final whistle blew after a grueling ten minutes of stoppage time. United won and secured three points, but it was a nail-biter and not the sort of victory that provides optimism for the supporters. We won thanks to being slightly more clinical than Wolves, but they edged us out in basically every other meaningful statistic. Credit to O’Neil, his staff, and the Wolves players for doing so well after just five days at the helm. Somehow, his players seemed significantly more aware of his overall tactical plan than United’s players did of their own!

No one really played well today, aside from maybe AWB and Onana. United’s midfield was slow, the attack was disjointed, and the defense was bailed out several times by the opposition’s poor finishing. The substitutes helped, but there’s no denying that this was a poor match in every way but the score line. ETH will correctly point out that United lost their first match last season, so to win this one is an improvement. He deserves a fair share of the blame for the team performance though. Yes they won, but this team has had over a month to get their chemistry right and to figure out each other’s tendencies, and they acted at times today as if they’ve never played with one another before. What have they been doing in training for the past five weeks? The manager is responsible for getting the team ready to play, and today they did not look ready for the most part.

Still, a win is a win. Three points is three points. United are one of only seven teams to win their opening match. There is plenty of room for this team to get better as the season progresses. No one can accuse us of peaking too soon, as it were.

Next up is a decidedly much tougher test, away to Tottenham Hotspur on August 19th for Premier League match number two. Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Premier League: United Win to Close in on the Top 4, City Win the Title, Forest Safe

Manchester United travelled to the south coast of England earlier today for a Premier League match with AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. It was a warm and sunny occasion in which United were looking for three points in the final push for the top-4. Fortunately for United and manager Erik ten Hag, the Cherries and manager Gary O’Neil were already safe from relegation coming into the match, which meant they had little to play for.

The match itself was far from a classic, aside from a few major events. Midfielder Casemiro scored the one and only goal in this match just 9 minutes in, and what an acrobatic goal it was! Fellow midfielder Christian Eriksen played a high arcing ball over the top of the Bournemouth defense from about 25 yards out, with Casemiro running onto it. A Bournemouth defender got a touch to it first, but the bounce fell straight to Casemiro. He contorted his body to get his right foot to it, and he swept it home without the ball touching the ground. Cherries keeper Neto had no chance! It wasn’t quite an overhead kick, but it was very close to being one. The goal was important, but it was a very good game for Casemiro overall as well. Excellent passes, he kept possession well, and was on hand to break up attacks when needed.

Bournemouth did have their chances, most notably on 33 minutes when keeper David De Gea dove to his left to keep a shot from striker Dominic Solanke out. De Gea also did well to tip a powerful and rising shot from midfielder David Brooks over the bar on 47 minutes. That was the pattern of the game – a half chance every ten minutes or so. Solanke was the danger man for Bournemouth on the day, but he couldn’t convert any of the chances presented to him. United used the high press very effectively as the match wore on, and they forged some chances of their own just after the hour mark from striker Wout Weghorst and midfielder Bruno Fernandes. Neto was equal to all attempts on goal, though. Bournemouth striker Kieffer Moore forced another fine save from De Gea on 84 minutes, but that was the last good chance of the match from either side. After some solid defending in stoppage time, United were winners on the day 1-0!

The Red Devils will need to be more clinical with their finishing next season. They did enough to get the win today, but this was a match they should have won by 3 goals at least. Credit to De Gea for having a good day between the sticks, and his normally worrisome distribution was aided by a lack of pressing from the Cherries. He also won the Golden Gloves today, awarded to the keeper (and back four) that keeps the most clean sheets over the span of a Premier League season. The situation with De Gea’s contract will be an interesting one to watch over the summer.

Excellent matches from defenders Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. They’ve been rock solid during this final stretch of the season, even though the goals have dried up a little. Sometimes a manager has to rely on his defense towards the end of these long and grueling seasons, and they’ve all stepped up exceptionally well. The return of center back Lisandro Martinez next season will only further bolster an exceptional position group.

United’s win, coupled with Liverpool’s draw at Aston Villa today, means that United only need one point from their final two matches to qualify for the Champions League next season. They are well and truly on the door step, and both of their remaining Prem matches are at the fortress of Old Trafford. If they can secure just a single solitary point against either Chelsea next Thursday or Fulham on the final day, the top-4 will be guaranteed. There is also still a chance they finish 3rd ahead of Newcastle, but that won’t be a disappointment if it doesn’t happen. The top-4 is essential, while 3rd would just be icing on the cake.

Some other major events happened today too! Nottingham Forest’s victory over Arsenal at the City Ground ensured that Forest will be staying up and remaining in the Prem next season. This is huge financially for a club like Forest, and it was the principal and primary goal for them to achieve. Well done to manager Steve Cooper and all of Forest’s players for giving the city of Nottingham something to cheer about!

Arsenal’s loss also unfortunately handed the Premier League title to Manchester City, who now cannot be caught mathematically. This is City’s third successive League title and their 7th overall. For many the title comes with an asterisk though, as City are currently being investigated for numerous violations of Financial Fair Play rules, but their supporters won’t care about that. City are the best team in England, and likely also the best team money can buy. Only United (FA Cup final) and Inter Milan (Champions League final) stand in their way for an historic Treble now, something only United has achieved in the past (1999). It is breathtaking to watch them play, but the feeling is soured knowing they’re funded entirely by an oil state who doesn’t care about playing by the rules!

Even though the title has been decided and the top-4 is almost decided, there is always the relegation battle at the bottom of the table to consider. Forest are safe, which means that Everton, Leeds United, and Leicester City are staring down the barrel of relegation. Everton are currently just barely outside the bottom three, but both Leeds and Leicester will know they can leapfrog the Toffees if they can scrap some points from their respective remaining matches. Bottom dwellers Southampton have already been relegated mathematically, which means that two of the three aforementioned clubs will also be going down. On an interesting aside, this season is the first once since 2017/18 in which all three promoted clubs from the previous season will be staying up. Well done Fulham, Bournemouth, and Forest!

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Premier League: A Deserved Victory Over Wolves

Manchester United hosted Midlands-based side Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier today at a sun-drenched Old Trafford in the Premier League. This match was of high importance to United and manager Erik ten Hag, as they needed a victory to ensure that they could temporarily hold off Liverpool in the race for the top-4. Wolves and manager Julen Lopetegui on the other hand did not have much to play for, given that they are mathematically safe from relegation and are unlikely to reach a European qualifying place. Matches against Wolves usually aren’t high scoring, but United fans would be fine with that as long as there was a victory. Striker Marcus Rashford was worryingly absent due to a leg injury, but there was a boost for United in defense with the return of center-back Raphael Varane. In attendance today was former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, along with former winger (and club legend) Park Ji-sung. Both are fan favorites and their presence helped create a very positive atmosphere at kick-off.

While both sides were slow out of the gate, United were the team showing the impetus as the first half got going. Winger Antony dos Santos went close on 8 minutes after Wolves gave the ball away in their own end, only to see his shot from about 20 yards go just wide of Wolves’ reserve keeper Dan Bentley’s post. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes then forced Bentley into another save on 27 minutes from a free kick on the left wing. United eventually got their deserved breakthrough on 32 minutes. Bruno did well to win the ball in midfield, and he then played a 1-2 with fellow midfielder Casemiro before bringing the ball forward into space. Bruno played the ball ahead onto the run of Antony, with Bentley forced off his line to try and minimize the angle for Antony’s shot. Antony did not shoot though, instead opting to smartly cross it to striker Anthony Martial. Martial was mostly on his own at the back post with Bentley stranded in no-man’s land, and he took his chance to bury a shot from about 9 yards out. A very well-worked goal for the Frenchman, and it’s good to see him back on the score sheet. Bruno was the engineer of the goal however, and credit to Antony for making the right pass at the right time.

The Red Devils forged a few more half chances after that, but they went to the locker room for orange slices up 1-0 after 45 minutes. Martial maybe should have made it 2-0 after a sensational lung-bursting run from Antony down the right wing on the counter in first half stoppage time, but his shot was tame and an easy catch for Bentley. ETH and the supporters in the stadium were still mostly happy with the score line, though. It had been one-way traffic for United, with Wolves failing to register a shot on target.

While the second half again got off to a slow start for both teams, the aforementioned one-way traffic soon resumed for United. Antony had a shot that was again just wide of the post on 59 minutes. United probably should have had a second on 73 minutes after a good run into the box from winger Jadon Sancho, but his low and powerful shot was pawed away by Bentley. A very good save from the Wolves reserve keeper, but Sancho likely should have done better from 12 yards out in space. Bentley again did well just a few minutes later when he got down low to get a hand to a long-range and dipping effort from Casemiro. United were keeping the ball in the attacking third though, and Bentley was called into action yet again as the clock struck 90 minutes. Bruno and Antony combined well on the right wing, with Bentley diving down to parry Antony’s shot out behind for a corner.

A staggering 6 minutes of stoppage time was given by the referee, and for the first time all match Wolves tried to get forward. This ultimately ended up biting them in the rear end though, as United were 2-0 up on 94 minutes thanks to substitute winger Alejandro Garnacho. The ball was cleared away by left back Luke Shaw, and it eventually fell to Bruno inside the center circle. He spotted Garnacho on a diagonal run ahead of him, and he played it into the feet of the Argentine teenager perfectly. Garnacho carried the ball into the box, after which he took a touch on the ball to get his marker to commit to the challenge. Bentley and the defender both moved to Garnacho’s left, so he struck the ball to the keeper’s right and clanged it in off the right-hand post! A great way to kill off the match and seal all three points for United. Garnacho was on his first appearance after a long injury lay-off, but he did very well to show the Old Trafford faithful what they are going to get all next season. He’s only 18, but he’s shown this season that he will be a vital part of the United attack for years to come.

The whistle blew for full-time not too much longer after that. A vital win for United who were the more dominant team, but Wolves were very poor in attack today. It was clear that their level of motivation was low. The only player from the opposition who covered himself in glory was Bentley, as the match would have been well over much sooner if he hadn’t contributed with his fine saves. Not bad for a lad on his Premier League debut, in the end. Was the finishing poor from United today? Maybe, but it’s hard to tell sometimes when the opposing keeper is playing a blinder. What is clear is that if Antony can add an end product to his game next season, he will be one of the most dangerous wingers in the world. He went close several times today. A quick shoutout as well to right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka. He was fantastic in defense yet again for United, and he has added an attacking element to his game that was not present in previous seasons. Most everyone played well today, even if Wolves were poor on the ball. The visitors finished the match with 0 (zero) shots on target.

With this win and Newcastle’s draw earlier in the day, the two teams are level on 66 points in 3rd and 4th place. Newcastle are ahead on goal difference, but there are still three matches left to play. United have crucially secured a four point gap between themselves and Liverpool, which was the principal and primary mission of the day. Being pipped to the top-4 by the Scousers after their sub-par season would be very negative for United, but they took a big step towards the Champions League today. They need six points from the remaining nine to mathematically guarantee the top-4.

Next up is a trip to the south coast for another Premier League match with AFC Bournemouth next Saturday. United have been poor away from home this season, but Bournemouth are similarly situated to Wolves. They are safe from relegation and have very little to play for. Perhaps their motivation will be a little low as well. United will also hope that relegation-strugglers Leicester City can get a positive result from their match against Liverpool tomorrow. That isn’t super likely though, so United will need three points next week.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Premier League: Back-to-Back Defeats Leaves the Top 4 Race Hanging in the Balance

I was too upset and frustrated to write about Manchester United’s loss away to Brighton & Hove Albion last Thursday, so I thought I would wait until after the match away to West Ham United earlier today and do a double-post with the hope that the result today was better.

It wasn’t.

United have suffered back-to-back 1-0 defeats on the road against those aforementioned teams. They looked to achieve a respectable 0-0 against Brighton until center back Luke Shaw mysteriously stuck his hand in the air to meet the ball in the box in stoppage time, and midfielder Alexis Mac Alister converted a 97+ minute penalty to steal all three points for the Seagulls. Today, United were behind on 27 minutes after Hammers winger Saïd Benrahma’s speculative effort embarrassingly slipped through the gloves of United keeper David De Gea. United were unable to find the net as the match wore on. Truthfully, United could have easily lost by a 3-0 margin today in East London. The referee saved them from further goals awarded despite the Hammers finding the back of the net several times, and they likely should have been awarded a penalty for handball in first half stoppage time.

Usually I’m able to point to one specific problem that leads to a defeat, but in this case it appears there are several. Each problem by itself is probably not enough to cause these losses, but taken together it’s all a recipe for disaster.

For one, the Red Devils have been terrible away from Old Trafford this season. We have more defeats away than relegation-strugglers Everton, and it speaks to a problem with the team’s mentality and attitude. Manager Erik Ten Hag has shown he is capable of good man-management at times, but this team wilts like a flower in the July sun away from home and it must be changed going into next season. Whatever ETH did at the beginning of the year to get this team to buy in, he needs to do it again.

Another reason for these losses is the overall play of De Gea. His error today was terrible and probably one of the worst of his career. But his shot-stopping issue today is still not the biggest concern. Again, his distribution when playing the ball out from the back has been below standards in multiple matches this season. Part of that is the center back pairing in front him (and that is addressed below), but he has repeatedly shown he is not capable of effectively distributing the ball out from the back, which is crucial to the tactics and philosophy of ETH. De Gea gets it right every once in a while, but at this level he has to be much more consistent. The casual observer might think he’s had a good season given that he’s on pace to win the Golden Gloves (awarded to the keeper with the most Premier League clean sheets), but that is a misleading statistic for keepers. Keeping a clean sheet involves all 11 players, not just the keeper. ETH likes to use the keeper to start the build-up play and then for the team to move the ball up the pitch along the ground, but when the keeper is consistently making poor decisions with the initial pass, the build-up doesn’t work. ETH has resorted to letting De Gea play long balls at times, particularly against Brighton, but those haven’t been the most accurate either.

It does not help De Gea that center backs Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane are battling long-term injuries. Martinez and Varane were first choice under ETH for a reason – both are very good on the ball and can usually withstand a high press from the opposition. Replacement center backs Victor Lindelof and Shaw have shown that they are capable defensively for the most part, but they are not as good on the ball and struggle to make the key passes into midfield when pressed. Shaw is normally very good on the wing when he plays his natural left back position, but as he has had to deputize at center back, the left wing has looked unproductive. It’s no coincidence that the scoring of forward Marcus Rashford slowed down once Shaw was required to move into central defense. Shaw and Rashford have good chemistry between them, and they scare teams with their movement and passing down the left wing. Deputy left back Tyrell Malacia had a good start to the season, but his form the last several matches covering for Shaw has left a lot to be desired in attack.

Of course, no one man or unit is responsible for the team losing. De Gea hasn’t been good, but this team is more than capable of getting results against teams like Brighton and West Ham. The rest of the outfield players have frankly been poor. Winger Antony dos Santos usually looks good for a half, then he disappears. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes is always running his tail off, but his passes haven’t been accurate recently. Midfielder Casemiro is being knocked off the ball too easily. Striker Anthony Martial hasn’t looked sharp since he returned from injury. Rashford’s goals have dried up. Striker Wout Weghorst can’t find the back of the net to save his life, and indeed no one’s finishing has been good. The list of players underperforming goes on and on. As hinted at above, this is a team that is collectively low on confidence, and it is on ETH to reignite the team’s confidence and get them firing again. It took them until the 90th minute today to really start playing with intensity, which is unacceptable. I imagine several of them will be out the door this summer while ETH continues to rebuild.

The top-4 is now in serious jeopardy for United, and failing to qualify would be borderline catastrophic for the club’s finances and moreover their ability to recruit players over the summer. They are just one point ahead of Liverpool in 5th, as these losses have seen their cushion evaporate. They still have a game in hand over Liverpool, and fortunately three of the last four matches will be at the fortress known as Old Trafford. But, all of Liverpool’s games seem very winnable for them as well. United still need 9 points to mathematically guarantee the top-4, and there are only 12 maximum points available. The Scousers and/or Tottenham Hotspur could still bottle it themselves of course, but you never want to leave qualification in the hands of the opposition.

United return to Old Trafford next Saturday to host Wolverhampton Wanderers. Wolves are safe from relegation and likely do not have much to play for, so hopefully United are able to get back on track with three points.

Europa League: A Frustrating, Maddening, and Downright Annoying Draw

Manchester United played hosts to Spanish side Sevilla CF earlier today in the Europa League quarterfinals at Old Trafford. This was the first leg of a two-leg tie, with the return leg in Andalucia next Thursday. Although United were without leading scorer Marcus Rashford due to injury, the Red Devils were still favored to progress in this tie. Sevilla have been in bad form for a good chunk of the season in La Liga, and they are on their 3rd manager (Jose Luis Mendilibar) of the season as well. United manager Erik ten Hag was expecting intensity from his players in both attack and defense, and he would have wanted United to kill off this tie early if possible. They were boosted by the return of defensive midfielder Casemiro, who had been unavailable due to suspension for roughly the past month.

Things could not have gone much better for United in the first 20+ minutes. They had the ball in the back of the net just 27 seconds in to the match thanks to a crisp run and pass from winger Antony dos Santos and a finish from fellow winger Jadon Sancho, but the offside flag went up and the goal was ruled out. United kept at it however, and were rewarded with a goal on 14 minutes from midfielder Marcel Sabitzer. A slick passing move down the left hand side of the pitch saw the ball at the feet of midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who spotted Sabitzer ahead of him standing on the shoulder of the last Sevilla defender. Bruno played the ball along the ground, and Sabitzer used a magnificent first touch to create space between himself and his marker. He unleashed a shot towards goal, and it took the slightest of deflections off the leg of the Sevilla defender. That deflection put the ball in the air, and Sevilla keeper Bono (no, not that Bono) couldn’t get to it. 1-0 to United! Interesting positioning by ETH and the midfielders for this goal. You would normally expect Sabitzer to be playing the ball in to Bruno given their usual positions in the team selection, but credit to Sabitzer for being forward enough to take the shot. Sabitzer is not an attacking midfielder, but ETH deployed him there today and the results paid off.

The big Austrian wasn’t done either. He got his and United’s second goal on 21 minutes thanks to a great counter-attack primarily orchestrated by striker Anthony Martial. Sevilla had the ball forward, but the cross in to the box was cleared by Casemiro. The clearance was made in the direction of Martial, and he did well to get to the ball and win it from the Sevilla player closing down on him. After a nifty first touch, he brought the ball forward expediently with Sabitzer, Antony, and Sancho joining him. He spotted the run of Sabitzer directly ahead of him, and played a perfect pass into his path. Sabitzer was through on-goal by himself, and he shot the ball with his left foot around the onrushing Bono. He buried it from about 12 yards out for 2-0! A great counter-attacking goal and a brace for Sabitzer! Martial is not only a great finisher (when healthy), but his link-up play and passing are vital to ETH’s tactics. He must stay fit if United are to continue playing well.

At 2-0 most thought it would merely be a question of how many United scored, but there were no more goals in the first half from either side. United probably should have had more though, but too often they were undone by indecision at key moments. Sancho was the main culprit guilty of this. He had the ball in a promising attacking position at least twice in the first half, only for him to take too long to make a decision. The chance would then evaporate, and Sevilla would be let off the hook. Sevilla forward Erik Lamela was lucky to escape a red card for a challenge on Casemiro on 37 minutes, and then Bruno was harshly yellow-carded for a handball just outside the area on 41 minutes. That meant he would miss the return fixture in Spain next week due to yellow card accumulation. Sevilla midfielder Ivan Rakitić put the resulting free kick from a promising position over keeper David De Gea’s bar. The visitor’s best chance of the half came deep into stoppage time when a header from a corner was parried into the air by De Gea and then cleared out from under the crossbar by the massive frame of United center back Raphael Varane. It was 2-0 at halftime, but worryingly Varane had to come off due to injury. He was replaced by fellow center back and club captain Harry Maguire.

Sevilla improved after the break, particularly in the middle of the pitch. They had a lot more energy all of a sudden and United were struggling to get onto the ball. The addition of the pacey and experienced winger Jesus Navas was likely a big part of the reason for that. Sevilla were not creating too many dangerous chances in attack, but they were winning possession more frequently and completing more passes. Antony remained the most dangerous player for United. His pace was causing problems for Sevilla’s left back, and he was trying to pull off one of his trademark left-footed goals where he cuts inside his marker from the right wing. He almost got United to 3-0 around 61 minutes when one of those very moves resulted in his shot hitting the inside of Bono’s far post and bouncing away. Bruno and Martial were replaced shortly after that by midfielder Christian Eriksen and striker Wout Weghorst. Sancho was replaced by winger Anthony Elanga, and Antony was also later taken off on 81 minutes, replaced by fellow winger Facundo Pellistri. Things seemed to be in hand for the Red Devils.

But the final 6 minutes plus stoppage time of this match was one of the most bizarre and unlucky passages of play Old Trafford has ever seen. To start off, Sevilla managed to pull a goal back on 84 minutes thanks to a bad mistake from United left back Tyrell Malacia. Malacia had been having a below-average game generally speaking, but he really let the side down when he failed to clear a cross towards Navas at De Gea’s back post. The ball had a lot of pace on it and Navas’s effort back across was hopefully at best, but it took a wicked deflection back off Malacia and into De Gea’s net from close range. 2-1 United, and Sevilla had life again. To make matters worse, center back Lisandro Martinez went down unchallenged on 86 minutes, appearing to injure his ankle or heel. Non-contact injuries are usually the scariest ones, especially this time as Martinez had to be carried off the pitch.

Sevilla continued their domination, with winger Lucas Ocampo in particularly fiery form. He was creating everything for them in the final few minutes. They registered more shots on target in the final two minutes plus stoppage time than they did in the whole match previous. The bad luck continued to flow for United into stoppage time, when they conceded the equalizer. A cross came in from Ocampo on the right wing, with substitute striker Youssef En-Nesyri rising high to head it back across goal. The ball hit Maguire straight against his massive head and deflected backwards, with De Gea not able to react in time to it. 2-2, with United guilty of conceding two own-goals. Incredibly frustrating. Maguire knew nothing about it, either. It just bonked him on the head from close range.

Sevilla had one or two more half chances to get a winner, but the final whistle blew and the match ended in a draw that never should have been. United were in cruise control for 80 minutes, and were half an inch away from being 3-0 up and the tie effectively over. It must be said that United’s substitutes let them down today. ETH’s hand was forced into making changes by injuries and yellow cards, and the players who came on simply were not good enough. Our goal threat dried up as soon as Bruno and Martial went off. Meanwhile, Mendilibar’s subs worked like a charm, and his side were galvanized by United failing to score more than two. Navas and En-Nesyri really shined under the bright lights. It’s possible that ETH maybe got his tactical changes wrong once the subs came on too, but bad luck was a huge factor in the result as well. It’s so damn annoying to concede two goals in such a fashion. The first one was mostly on Malacia, but the second one was simply an unlucky bounce. Sevilla would argue they deserved a bit of luck of course, and maybe they did given their dominance in the final minutes.

By far the biggest concern for United though is the health of Martinez, and Varane to a lesser extent. They are the best center-back pairing United have, with Martinez in particular being of crucial importance to the back line. He has been a bulldog back there all season, and his presence will be sorely missed. It is unclear just how long he will be out, but the biggest hope is that he hasn’t damaged his Achilles tendon. If he has, he faces more than a year out in recovery, and it’s possible that he’s not the same player when he gets back. ETH dismissed an Achilles injury in his post-match comments, but obviously more will be known in the coming days. He certainly will not be available for the next match. The grueling fixture list really caught up to United today. They are now without Varane, Martinez, Rashford, midfielder Scott McTominay, and possibly left back Luke Shaw for the match on Sunday.

Speaking of Sunday, United will travel to the East Midlands of England for a Premier League match with Nottingham Forest. Forest are in a relegation battle and desperately need points, and they will be inwardly buoyed by United’s poor ending to this match and the growing injury list. United need three points to continue pushing for the top-4, and Forest need anything positive to improve their chances of staying up. That match will be a battle for sure. United then travel to Spain for the reverse fixture in this tie on Thursday, April 20th. At 2-2, it’s now anyone’s tie.

Premier League: A Tough Win Over Brentford

Manchester United played hosts to west London side Brentford FC earlier today at a rain-drenched Old Trafford in the Premier League. This was a re-match of the 4-0 drubbing given out by Brentford in London back in August, and there was revenge on the mind of manager Erik ten Hag and his players. Brentford manager Thomas Frank has his side in good form given their lack of financial resources, and coming into today they were in the top half of the table. The Bees are a side that play very much like their insectile namesake – they are constantly swarming the opposition with their press and have the talent to score goals going forward, primarily thanks to England striker Ivan Toney. Frank will have seen the success Newcastle had in pressing United at the weekend and likely thought his side had a good chance to get a result today.

United were the team on the front foot right away though, having won a corner just two minutes into the match. Nothing came of it, but it was an indication of how most of the first half would go. Brentford really struggled to get on the ball, while Red Devils dominated possession in midfield and created all of the chances going forward. United were having trouble with the final ball and shooting chances from close range, but they were very effective at preventing Brentford from getting anything going themselves. Play was stopped on 25 minutes by the referee so that Muslim players on both teams could break their fast observed during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. That hasn’t always happened in previous years, but given that football is (supposed to be) an inclusive sport and the large number of Muslim players in the league, a temporary stoppage makes sense. The English FA is not known as a socially progressive entity, so the effort to be respectful of other religions should be applauded.

A breakthrough came on 27 minutes, and it was United’s leading scorer on the season who put them ahead yet again. United won a corner and it was played in over the top by left back Luke Shaw. It was headed back out by the Brentford defense, but it fell straight to winger Antony dos Santos. Many thought Antony would shoot from distance, but instead he played a lofted ball back into the middle of the box. It was headed down by midfielder Marcel Sabitzer and straight into the path of striker Marcus Rashford, who fired the ball into the roof of the net from 5 yards out with Bees keeper David Raya powerless to stop it. This was Rashford’s 28th goal of the season and 15th in the Premier League. He needs help up front because United can’t become overly reliant on him to score, but this season Rashford has proven that he can carry United when they need to be carried. 1-0!

United remained the dominant team for most of the first half, but there was a setback when Shaw appeared to injure his hamstring and was replaced by fellow left back Tyrell Malacia on 37 minutes. Despite only scoring one goal and a nearly calamitous clearance by keeper David De Gea that almost rebounded into his own net, this was United’s best half of football in weeks in terms of controlling the tempo of the match and making sure Brentford weren’t able to sustain possession or get forward quickly. The first half ended 1-0 with ETH definitely being the happier of the two managers.

Brentford improved in the second half, as was expected. Frank clearly said something to them at halftime that had an effect, because their energy and motivation was much higher as the second half got underway. They were still struggling to create clear-cut chances, but it was apparent that this would not be an easy 45 minutes for United to get through. Brentford’s best chance came on 65 minutes when substitute striker Kevin Schade was put through on goal, with center back Raphael Varane unable to catch him. De Gea came off his line to try and close down the angle for Schade, and Schade’s eventual shot was smothered by him. The angle didn’t favor Schade, but De Gea did well to come off his line and clear away the danger. He needed some treatment due to a collision with Schade on the follow-through, but he carried on after play resumed.

The second half ebbed and flowed after that, with both teams creating half-chances here and there. Numerous substitutions by both managers slowed the tempo of the game as well, but a 1-0 lead is a nervous one. A team with Brentford’s quality can conjure up a goal from nothing, but the theme of “good build-up coming to nothing” continued for them. Every time they’d get into a promising position, United would either clear the danger or Brentford would give the ball away. Midfielder Scott McTominay made amends for his disappearance against Newcastle at the weekend by being a thorough annoyance to Brentford every time they were in possession today. McTominay is not the best distributor of the ball, but his work rate and ability to win the ball were key to the game plan. After four minutes of stoppage time in which Brentford failed to keep the ball forward, the final whistle blew and United won 1-0.

So yes, today was much better than the previous match. That is always a good thing. United were much better in possession, the work rate was much higher, and they created more chances. Sometimes a side has to grind out a win, and there was a maturity about United today that was missing last weekend. There is still room for improvement in terms of scoring goals, as even just one more today would have sealed things much sooner. A center forward is likely needed in the summer to accompany Rashford up front. Striker Wout Weghorst was supposed to be the man to do that, but he has struggled to score goals this season and has been primarily used by ETH as an attacking midfielder or forward destroyer. United need a dyed-in-the-wool no. 9; a true goal scorer to not only pounce on loose balls in the box, but one who can also open things up for the likes of Rashford, Antony, winger Jadon Sancho, and winger Alejandro Garnacho. Speaking of Antony, he struggled to get things going in attack today, but his defensive work rate was phenomenal. Flashy wingers like him sometimes get criticized for not tracking back and working hard defensively, but that cannot be reasonably said about Antony.

This victory sees United move into 4th place in the table, level on points with 3rd place Newcastle but with an inferior goal difference. They have a three point lead on 5th-placed Tottenham, and they have a game in hand over them. Given that there’s still 10 remaining matches in the Prem this season it is still too hard to predict who will finish in the top-4, but every victory gets United closer and closer to that important milestone. They will look to build on this win on Saturday April 8th, when they host Everton at Old Trafford.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!