United captain Bruno Fernandes looks dejected after loss to Leeds (Image: Getty)
24 days to wait. I’ve been a United fan for almost a month now, with some boring international matches and other times watching the FA Cup fun and games neutrally, semi-entertainment.
And last night’s car crash at Old Trafford resulted in what can only be described as a team that looked as if they hadn’t played for almost a month, losing 2-1. United were terrible in the first half and an energetic and determined Leeds side should have finished the game by half-time.
Leeds played as if the life of the Premier League depended on it. United looked as if they hadn’t remembered how to play and were embarrassed to reach the heights of the third.
What a shame, as the Reds’ victory would have undoubtedly been a huge step towards next season’s Champions League football. It was literally on the platter of what a football-hungry dream theater would expect.
A solid front-foot performance was all they needed to take the three points.
The first half in particular was a chaotic mess, with Ruben Amorim stumbled, hesitant and peppered with mistakes, which at times felt like schoolboy standards, and United were thrown off the pace.
United only have themselves to blame for taking a voluntary break. Why didn’t they organize a friendly match against anyone else in the world during their big stay? Stockport, Barnsley, Salford, Bury, Reserves, Dogs and Ducks XI – one of them must have fancied a decent kick?
Trust me, what these players needed was an extended break. Thanks to the cup game at Grimsby and the game against Brighton, they have played their fewest games in a season (40) since 1914/5.
It’s a bit like England Ashes cricket nonsense. You can’t just turn up and expect to perform if you’re not ready for the game. United came into OT and got what they deserved – a comfortable win despite the perceived closeness of the scoreline. They deviated so far from that that it was unforgivable.
Not only did United fans have to endure ridiculously long waits for the football to start, they were also faced with the pre-match news that key midfielder Koby Mainu had picked up a bruise in training and would not start.
Only United can afford not to play a competitive game while the astronauts fly over the moon and back, while the injury list continues to grow.
United’s Luke Shaw comes under pressure from rampaging Leeds players (Image: Getty)
Michael Carrick looks at United’s struggles (Image: Getty)
And of course, that meant that the only option in central midfield was Manuel Ugarte, who frankly wasn’t good enough.
The partnership between Ugarte and Casemiro has worked and not worked – as any United fan will tell you. The lively Leeds players ran the ring around the leggy pair and coach Carrick must take some of the blame. Young legs and energy are needed in midfield, and United are in dire need of a complete rebuild in that area in the summer. Elliott Anderson, Adam Wharton, Alex Scott, we need you.
All is certainly not lost in the race for Champions League qualification, but if we are to qualify at this rate and have to play two games a week against higher-ranked opponents, we will need to improve significantly – once a month is a lot at the moment!
Next up is an away match against Chelsea on Saturday. Lisandro Martinez won’t be there after ruffling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s bobble. It was arguably the most tame red card ever in the history of what is supposed to be a contact sport.
I have seen even more violent behavior in kindergarten. If we give a straight red and a 3 game suspension for that stupid act, the game will perish before our eyes. But surely the stupidity of that action may have meant he deserved it.
Martinez receives red card and is sent off after having his hair pulled (Image: Getty)
This will no doubt be followed by a horde of copycat soccer players sporting shiny hair to encourage serious tugging, which is bad news for barbers around the world.
As always with this United team, I’m not at all sure what the result will be, especially since Chelsea are also in transition – complete chaos.
One thing is for sure: there is always a goal. United have scored 102 points in 32 league games this season, but they have only scored in 57 of them.
I’m going for a crazy 3-2 United win with Marc Cucurella heading in an own goal in stoppage time as he comes under legal pressure from hair-related but buzz-cut Benjamin Sesco moving forward!
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