FIVE ASIDES Premier League: Norwich 0, United 1
Same result, different performance. Ralf Rangnick collected his second 1-0 win in two league games, but while United could have had more against Palace, they might easily have had less here. The only goal came from a dubious penalty, as Dean Smith said, and Norwich would have had two had it not been for another vintage display from David de Gea. He’s giving the pundits so much to talk about every week that they may soon work out how to pronouce his name.
Never mind the covid outbreak that came to light next day: United’s biggest names had already come out in a rash of inaccuracy. Marcus Rashford misplaced eight passes, Cristiano Ronaldo ten and Bruno Fernandes 23, which is quite a tally even for someone with a licence to take risks. These three also had trouble locating the goal – five misses out of seven shots between them, and one of the others was the lame attempt by Ronaldo, struck straight at Tim Krul, that could have been a tribute to Dan James. When Rashford, after 85 minutes of frustration, finally produced a sprint, a dribble, a feint and a crisp cross, Ronaldo missed a sitter. He still grabbed the points with an expert penalty, but his performance made you wonder if he should be on the bench, ready to come on if there’s a penalty, like a mirror image of Krul.
Last weekend, United embraced the gegenpress; this weekend they gave the impression that last weekend they were just being polite. The front four played as if they were bored of pressing now and they’d quite like Michael Carrick back. Jadon Sancho, so improved under the Carrick regime, regressed again, turning inside, playing safe little passes. His slot as one of Rangnick’s two No.10s is surely beckoning to one of the three spare No.10s (Jesse Lingard, Donny van de Beek and Juan Mata). And it was interesting to see Rangnick try Mason Greenwood there. If Ronaldo remains a regular, and Edinson Cavani ever returns from his latest lay-off, No.10 could be Greenwood’s best hope of a starting spot.
The players this system suits are the full-backs and the holding midfielders. Scott McTominay was United’s best outfield player at Norwich, not just showing his team mates how to win second balls, but giving them chances too. The ball he slipped to Ronaldo in the 37th minute was a gem – quick, first-time, simple but creative. Fred was good too. And the full-backs were fine, but there were a few maddening moments when you could see Diogo Dalot in the Trent Alexander-Arnold position – just inside the opposing half, bit of space, time to whip in an early cross – and he didn’t go for it.
Rangnick is getting results, whether by hook (Greenwood’s goal against Young Boys) or by crook (Ronaldo going down for this penalty), or by fluke (Fred’s right foot). And with West Ham drawing 0-0 at Burnley, United are now only one point off the top four – though they’d probably be sixth if Spurs hadn’t tun into a wall of postponements. The top end of the Premier League is turning into a tale of two races: a three-horse race for the title, and a four-way dogfight for fourth between United and three London clubs – West Ham, Spurs and Arsenal. United, who are good in London, have already beaten all three. On 538.com, the prediction model now has United and West Ham finishing on 62 points, with David Moyes squeezing into the Champions League on goal difference. United are much better placed than they were three weeks and two managers ago. But, if they’re going to reach the top four, Rangnick will have to get a better tune out of his all-star band.