Old Trafford, old failings
After suffering at home without the fans, United made the fans suffer on their return
A low-key, nuanced ending to United’s home season was not what the 10,000 fans who were singing their hearts out had in mind. But it was entirely consistent with the storyline of 2020-21. United have laboured at home ever since that miserable capitulation to Crystal Palace in the first game. Even during their best spell at home, they suffered an absurd defeat to Sheffield United and blew a winning position against Everton. Their total of 31 home points is the lowest since David Moyes’s day – and that’s not even the most troubling statistic. A tally of 38 goals in 19 games looks fine, yet 15 of those came in two games, against Southampton and Leeds. United can still struggle against a low block, and they certainly struggle without one of their own. The defence, who naturally hold a higher line at Old Trafford, have conceded 28 league goals there – the fourth-worst performance at home in the Premier League, and worse than two teams that are going down (Sheffield United and Fulham). You can forgive one shocker, like the 6-1 defeat to Spurs, but not an entire season.
The result was not what they wanted, but the fans did witness a moment of United folklore. Throughout Edinson Cavani’s spring surge, it has become compulsory to fantasise about the visceral thrill of his first goal in front of an Old Trafford crowd. None of us imagined it would be quite so majestic. A swaggering 40-yard chip over his old PSG teammate Alphonse Areola, it was a perfect bookend to Scott McTominay’s euphoric 40-yarder against Manchester City in United’s last home match with fans. For a split-second, when Cavani scored and then growled in celebration as he slid in front of his new disciples, Old Trafford was in a state of bliss. And then came VAR, football’s answer to coitus interruptus, hell bent on compromising both the moment and the memory. Not only was confirmation of the goal delayed, it soon became apparent that it shouldn’t have been given anyway as he was offside when David de Gea struck his improbable assist. Before VAR, neither would have been an issue – we understood that refereeing mistakes were part of the game, even if we didn’t always like them. Now we see these moments through different eyes. The thought of Cavani’s goal will make us smile until we are old and doddery, but in our subconscious it will always carry an asterisk.
‘AT THEIR BEST, THEY PLAY
UNITED’S MOST EXCITING FOOTBALL
SINCE RONALDO LEFT IN 2009’
If Thursday was a bad night for McFred, this was a reminder that they are a necessary buzzkill. Fulham’s comeback started pretty much as soon as McTominay came off in the 63rd minute, with Marcus Rashford coming on and Paul Pogba moving into midfield. There were other factors – United are capable of an exasperating lull at any time – but breaking up McFred left them noticeably exposed. On paper, a midfield of Pogba plus one of Fred, McTominay and Matic is fine at home to weaker sides, but on the field it’s a different matter. United’s defence is not yet good enough to play with only one holding midfielder, and when McTominay went off Fulham started to pass through United with increasing ease. It has happened all season: of the 28 goals United conceded at home in the league, only 11 were scored with both members of McFred on the field. They are limited – Eric Cantona might not even deem them worthy of the description ‘water-carriers’ – but they give United the best available balance between attack and defence. Even if there’s an upgrade in the summer, the double pivot is probably here to stay. Personally I’m hoping Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will offer Jesse Lingard plus a wad of cash for Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek.
Rashford couldn't wait to get on the pitch. He stepped over the touchline to do his warm-up, presumably to avoid the risk of slipping on the bank and exacerbating one of his many niggles. But when he officially appeared as a substitute, he looked like he’d rather be anywhere else than Old Trafford. Aside from one thrilling Ronaldinho-style elastico, it was another dismal, lethargic cameo from Rashford. Perhaps this is a counter-intuitive way of getting into the XI for the Europa League final: by playing so wretchedly off the bench, Rashford could be suggesting he should start ahead of Pogba on the left wing. There is a case for that, because Pogba is a consistently influential sub, and his starting performances in the last few weeks have regressed towards the listless. He should still have enough credit in the bank to start, but the picture is changing all the time – six weeks ago, before Mason Greenwood’s burst of brilliance, they were both certain starters.
For all our grumbling, United have finished in the top two for only the second time since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, and they are in the Europa League final. They could go a whole season unbeaten away from home, a staggering achievement even without supporters. At their best, they play United’s most exciting football since Cristiano Ronaldo left in 2009. For a side that was seventh in February 2020, and had lost six of its last 10 away games in the league, that’s serious progress. Some of the details need improvement, but the big picture is promising. If they recruit well, they will challenge for the title next season. If only that wasn’t a disturbingly big if.