Well, that didn’t last long.
The doom and gloom that was theoretically lifted by the much-trailed departure of Erik ten Hag six days ago loomed back over Old Trafford during Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea. In a contest that put the stale in stalemate, United’s lead – which was earned by a Bruno Fernandes penalty – lasted four short minutes before Moises Caicedo volleyed the visitors level.
Lisandro Martinez did well to avoid a red card for a late lunge on Cole Palmer, capturing the frustration seeping through a side that still remain 13th in the Premier League table.
It would not be fair to expect Ruud van Nistelrooy to fix an issue which has plagued Manchester United for years in less than week. However, he must have been able to do something to stop these red-shirted strangers from running around aimlessly in the final third of the pitch.
United’s press has not worked for numerous seasons – if ever – and was once again a bizarre mess of performative sprints by individuals which led to nothing. The hosts forced three high turnovers through Chelsea’s sloppiness rather than their energy.
On the face of it, Rasmus Hojlund was more involved on Sunday than he has been all season. The determined Dane racked up his highest tally of touches for the campaign, yet all but one of those involvements came outside Chelsea‘s penalty box.
While watched on by Van Nistelrooy, a striker who infamously scored 149 of his 150 Manchester United goals from within the confines of the penalty area, Hoijlund was unusually withdrawn. Skulking around the full width of the attacking half, United’s number nine kept his game painfully simple, turning down multiple opportunities to play a quick through ball for Alejandro Garnacho. It would have suited everyone had Hojlund been the one on the end of those passes which never came.
The one time that the direct 21-year-old was picked out with a forward dart, he won United a penalty which Fernandes converted.
Van Nistelrooy predicted that Manuel Ugarte would become “a great player for United” ahead of Chelsea’s visit. In fairness, the Dutchman never specified exactly when that would happen.
Making just the second Premier League start of his muddled few months in Manchester, Ugarte failed to keep up with the pace of a contest which wasn’t played at a particularly quick tempo. The passing quality which Van Nistelrooy tentatively described as “very decent” fell some way short of that uncertain depiction.
Ugarte’s (relative) strengths lie out of possession. Yet, the combative midfielder repeatedly came out on the wrong side of these battles, losing nine of his 11 duels. Ugarte was booked early on and still managed to rack up six fouls – a single-game tally only one player can top in the Premier League this season.
