It’s been a tumultuous couple of weeks even without a game to perform an autopsy on; Harry Maguire’s treatment by England fans, the heavily-speculated managerial interview(s), transfer speculation, and a new contract handed to a player while the club is still under the guide of an interim manager.
Rangnick had further headaches coming into the game as Cavani picked up one of his predictable injuries and Cristiano Ronaldo was ruled out with reported flu-like symptoms; the manager made a damning decision with his team selection, leaving Rashford out of the first team and leaving his first team without a recognised striker.
It meant a repeat of the Pogba/Fernandes forward line which was anonymous against Manchester City, while Rangnick also moved Maguire – who received a very warm reception from the home fans – to the right hand side of defence (the captain having usually played on the left).
It’s this sort of disorganisation that has left United competing with the likes of their opponents today for the Champions League places; the disorganisation that has seen Leicester win their last three games against United.
The visitors enjoyed the better of the early exchanges, enjoying relative comfort from United’s anonymity in the forward positions and taking control of the ball – Harvey Barnes was able to have three speculative attempts in the first 11 minutes.
It took 27 minutes for United to get their first real opportunity (aside from a tame Pogba header) – Fred did well to intercept a ball and play Fernandes in; but the number 18 was making the run of a number ten, not a number nine, and though Schmeichel did well to deny him, it was still fairly comfortable.
The first half was played at such a pedestrian pace that when an announcement was made over the public address system less than five minutes before half-time, it seemed as though the players paused to have a listen themselves.
With the slim hope of getting into the Champions League given a renewed intrigue in the context of Chelsea’s home collapse to Brentford, it was interesting to see what the reaction would be from this United team; presented with the numerous ways in which to disappoint the Old Trafford fans this season, they found another here, attempting to convince the crowd that this was in fact a dead rubber in the way they’ve become all too familiar with in recent years.
Chief culprit was Paul Pogba, who had again managed to find his voice again in the international break, complaining about the fact he’s been used in different positions at a time when the squad has been suffering with a bit of a crisis in their forward positions.
It was unsurprisingly audacious of Pogba of all players to complain about this considering six years of underwhelming performances where three different managers now have tried to build teams around him in order to get the best out of him. It’s never happened; and while plenty of responsibility is there for the club to assume, it’s also there for the player.
The peak years of his career have been wasted at club level – his best moments have come when it either didn’t matter or against opponents who were amenable.
It’s hardly been a Bryan Robson or Steven Gerrard or even David De Gea personal contribution in terms of a standard of performance that can be used as an example of elevating the club when it was needed.
Here he found pockets of space to disappear in, making it often feel like United were in fact playing with ten men.
At half-time, Alex Telles came on for the injured Shaw, and ten minutes into the second period, Rashford came on for McTominay – who had just been very lucky to escape a red card for a foul on Maddison, although it was admittedly the sort of challenge which looked worse in reply – to finally, hopefully, give United some presence up front.
Instead, the movement of Pogba back into midfield allowed Tielemans and Maddison to pull the strings in that area; United tried to counter, but the ball found its way to Maddison out wide on the left. The midfielder outfoxed Pogba and crossed in for Iheanacho to head past De Gea.
United hit back immediately when Old Trafford was desperate to see a response; Fred did well to create a chance for Fernandes – the man who has just signed a new contract fired a shot away, but Schmeichel saved it; only for Fred to follow up and score the rebound.
Leicester almost regained the lead when Fofana easily outjumped Pogba; this time De Gea pulled off an exceptional save to prevent a goal.
Twelve minutes to go, the visitors indulged in a frankly embarrassing display of dominating possession; Old Trafford has been so numbed by the apathetic performances of their team they couldn’t even muster a collective voice of frustration as Iheanacho nudged a ball through to Maddison who forced the ball in; the deserved goal was ruled out as the man who provided the assist was judged to have fouled Varane.
Unbelievably, having never looked like they would win, United should have; Dalot’s cross found Rashford in a perfect position. He somehow allowed the ball to bounce to Sancho, who thrashed wide with the chance he didn’t expect to be presented with.
It’s rarely the case that single games are definitive representatives of the bigger picture but United have managed to nail it almost every time this season; faced with a chance to capitalise on a decent result that worked in their favour, they failed to even ever look like likely winners of a game their opponents were more than happy to draw.
Aside from Fernandes, Fred and Sancho, it was hard to identify a sense of urgency in a group of players who know, in reality, their future will be completely disconnected and unaffected by what happens in the next two months.
In the past there has been a vocal frustration from the home crowd because second place last season suggested much more could be expected. Now it feels like the United support is almost considering its next move, with the target of its ire obvious.
The reason the players are drifting is because the club have presented a platform that facilitates that attitude, taking responsibility away from them and placing it on the manager, whether he is as experienced as they come, or not so. Where there is no leadership from above, it’s only natural that the result will be these insipid results and performances.
The club remain in a state of limbo, one they have been happy to dawdle in (to the fury of their support) with their prolonged search for a manager that will inevitably end with one of the two heralded as a favourite back in November; when the message from the top is that it’s okay to throw away full seasons, it’s difficult to point a finger at the players when that’s what we see on the pitch.
Ratings :
De Gea 7
Dalot 5
Maguire 6
Varane 6
Shaw 5
McTominay 5
Fred 7
Elanga 6
Fernandes 6
Pogba 4
Subs
Telles 5
Rashford 4
Matic
