JOSE MOURINHO’S FEARS that a gruelling schedule could prove problematic for Manchester United were confirmed in a drab 0-0 draw against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
The first of nine fixtures to come in April ended with United having to settle for a draw at Old Trafford for the eighth time in the Premier League this season.
Without six key players due to injury and suspension, it was a sign that United’s taxing campaign may finally be catching up with them as they attempt to secure a place in next season’s Champions League.
United remain fifth, four points behind fourth placed Manchester City, who face Arsenal on Sunday.
United’s first half domination was near total although, for all their possession, the home side failed to force goalkeeper Ben Foster into a noteworthy save.
Anthony Martial came closest to a breakthrough, just before the half hour, when he rose powerfully at the far post to meet a Jesse Lingard cross with a strong header that flew over the cross-bar.
But, with Albion often packing all 11 players well inside their own half, United lacked the inspiration to break down Tony Pulis’ disciplined side.
It might have been a different story had Lingard succeeded with a ninth minute shot that flew over after a committed run by Martial saw the ball deflected to him.
And Martial also came close on 19 minutes after Michael Carrick sparked another wave of attacks by squaring to Lingard who moved the ball to his French team mate for a shot which curled just wide.
Eric Bailly also almost capitalised after Hal Robson-Kanu stumbled as he attempted to clear a Henrikh Mkhitaryan corner and, as the club’s record goalscorer Wayne Rooney watched from the United bench, Mourinho’s side struggled to break the deadlock.
- Frustrations -
As the half-time whistle blew, Carrick and Martial protested loudly to referee Mike Dean, the latter pointing to a lump on his face that appeared to be the result of a challenge in the final minute from West Brom’s Craig Dawson.
Dean waved the players away and took no action, however, as United supporters echoed their players’ frustrations by booing the referee off the pitch.
There was a first moment of genuine concern for United on 51 minutes.
Dawson’s run to the right-hand by-line ended with the defender pulling the ball back for former United midfielder Darren Fletcher whose shot was charged down by Bailly.
United responded quickly, with Martial setting up Mkhitaryan who was crowded out only for the ball to break kindly to Marouane Fellaini who threaded a shot through a crowded area but wide of the goal.
The game was finally opening up and Fellaini’s pass set up Martial for a low 25-yard shot which missed the right-hand post by inches.
A rare Albion error, from a misplaced pass from Gareth McAuley, let in Mkhitaryan but his attempt to chip over Foster lacked power and the keeper was able to reach out and save.
And Foster was again called into action, this time from a ferocious 25-yard shot from Rashford which forced the Albion number one into an impressive and acrobatic flying save.
By now, United supporters had long been calling for the introduction of Rooney and received their wish on 74 minutes when he was brought on to replace Mkhitaryan.
But Rooney made little impact as, Rashford, again from long range, sent a low shot just wide and then the youngster forced Foster into a magnificent save from a 25-yard free-kick.
In between, there was one more moment of anxiety for United as Fletcher’s long-range shot was fumbled by De Gea who was relieved to see the ball strike the bar and rebound to safety.
Here we go again. Could this be the start of the normal Dunphy rhetoric against an Irish football manager…looks like it to me.
Dunphy makes a habit criticising whichever Irish manager is in charge but I think the point he makes is valid.
Why would O Neill put out out his first eleven and go through the free kick routines four days before a competitive fixture . Talk about showing your hand . Georgia’s analysts would love that .
You play close to your first 11 to get some continuity, it’s not do hard to understand, and it’s vital the players know each other’s game. They don’t have to give away their hand, just play some football together.
So playing some football together in a televised match in the modern era where every team has analysts wouldn’t be giving away your hand ?
What exactly would it give away? They obviously wouldn’t use practiced set piece moves. They Georgians would already have done their homework for the Irish game, they would know what all our individual players are capable of already. The Oman was basically just a run out, nothing to learn from it. it would be move beneficial to our team that the players knew each other’s game instead of finding out during a qualifier.
Im sure he has his best 11 picked in training and they will be playing plenty of practice matches before sunday, O’Neill is no fool.
They may know their individual qualities . Assessing the individual qualities of players is very different to assessing a team as a unit . You are proposing to play the team in a televised match 4 days before they play Georgia. That would be greatly appreciated in Georgia .
No he is right. Last night was a chance to give the first team even 45 minutes to fine tune tactics and combinations ahead of Sunday. The second half could have been used to give lads a run out.
Oh for God’s sake, for years we and the media have been bemoaning the fact that trap would never try and test new combinations of players or formations. Martin o’n goes and tries something different and we’re still giving out. If you can’t do something different against Oman at home then we might as well quit these friendlies altogether.
Phil, do you agree with showing your hand to your opponents four days before you play them ? Talk about naive .
A couple of more matches and dunphy will have O’neill condemned as a spoofer or a charlatan.
We qualified for probably the most competitive international competition and came close to a world cup with Trap.
I agree with Dunphy,but MON knows his stuff and has his reasons,anyway it means nothing,we want 3 points on sunday,that is all that matters,we have a fully fit expierienced squad so lets be positive from the word go.
It’s very important but it’s not all that matters, giving as many players as many opportunities and experience as possible and playing half decent football are also important
ALL that matters sunday is we win,but i agree,we need to improve,but we have already,give it time,Trap is gone,MON will get it right,we appointed a good management team,its up to the players now.
We qualified for probably the most competitive international competition and came close to a world cup with Trap.
Dun do bheal Dunphy, you barstooler.
He’s a barstooler with 23 full international caps for his country . How many full international caps have you ?
Why doesn’t the headline to this article say ” Dunphy very optimistic about Ireland’s chances” ?
Always the bitter word
I was in the AVIVA last night, atmosphere was shockin. Didn’t think there even was 14,000 at it. To be fair, I think Dunphy had a fair point but surely the lads O’Neill left out were nailed on starters (for the most part) anyway, so why not try out a few fringe lads and let them show O’Neill and Keane what they can offer?
Also great to see Given back, always good to have an experienced head around the place.
They could have played it in tallaght, dalymount, thomond or even turners cross
Oi! Eamo! STFU!