Manchester United (Part 2)

Pretty much yes on both fronts. Using all your subs in the first half is not really ideal. But Liverpool, unlike the game at Anfield under Mourinho offered nothing, Firmino went off injured and I can't recall Mane or Salah being mentioned except for how ineffective they were.

I think the only thing that needs to be questioned from this game is how Lingard made the bench? Came on as an injury replacement for Mata and lasted barely 20 minutes, alright, he did have a golden chance just before H/T before having it swatted from under him as he tried to round Alisson, but then pulled up lame not long after - clearly he hadn't recovered and could have left us potentially with our tails between our legs, especially if Rashford was forced to come off for his knock and we go down to 10 men. 

I thought we were a lot better in the second half, a very good show of game management by OGS too, pushing a clearly hurting Rashford to centre forward to minimise his backtracking and defensive responsibilities and hoping he would just pounce on anything fed through to him. Lukaku pushed out right and Sanchez out left in a more of a 4-5-1 setup, which actually opened the game up for us a bit more as we found more space down the flanks (especially the right) that we weren't finding in the first half.

Fantastic noise from the OT crowd, yes Liverpool are top from this result, but they've gone a bit quiet lately and still a very long way to go this season, maybe they've run out of puff?

Getting tired of teams having 70% possession with 0 shots on target and trying to claim they dominated the match.

Next up, Palace away. Could be a bit depleted up front? Haven't seen an update but I assume we'll be missing Martial, Lingard, Mata and potentially Rashford? This is the exact sort of fixture I ended up having no confidence in us winning by the end of Mourinho's tenure but am confident under Ole, even with all those injuries. We could see one or two of Greenwood/Gomes/Chong at least on the bench.

Legit question, not trolling. Who is likely out for the Arsenal match based on current injuries? We're looking a little exposed at RB with Bellerin out long term and Lichsteiner a bit poked in the short term. Rest of the squad is looking good, aside from Holding & Welbeck who are out for the season.

Without being involved with the side, no one on here could possibly know. Just guesswork. 

So tough to know, especially considering Mata, Matic, Herrera, Lingard and Martial all seem the be groin/hammies/muscle injuries.

Game vs Crystal Palace looks like we'll be filing the squad with youth though.

Team news in. Am interested to see how we actually line up, particularly whether it's Dalot or Young further forward. 

The best I can do is listen to the radio commentary online at work. Sounds as though Dalot is playing in front of Young on the right. There's not a lot of work being done for the next two hours!

Dalot was the obvious choice for me. In past always looked good higher up the pitch.

Some interesting numbers out of today's game:

- United has now won 8 consecutive away games in a row, for the first time in our history

- Luke Shaw finished the game with: 100% successful take-ons,  100% aerial duels won, 100% tackles won,  2 interceptions,  2 fouls, 1 assist

- From 2017/18 to current season, Pogba now has 52 appearances, 17 goals, 19 assists. De Bruyne has 50 apps, 9 goals, 16 assists

Would say the job is definitely Ole's now.

I mean Dalot has looked dangerous going forward, but Young is a converted winger. One has extensive PL experience on the wing, one is a player early in his career being played out of position.

From the outside looking in, Young would be the obvious choice to push forward. Dalot played well and it worked though so looks like a good decision.

Overall an impressive performance but allowed Palace a few too many chances for my liking. Nice to see Lukaku putting away a couple of nice finishes. McTominay and Luke Shaw were outstanding, Sanchez still a passenger.

“Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are pliable.”
― Mark Twain

Yeah totally, though I wouldn't have expected the minutes played to be so different. And both players obviously offer more than the stats record.

Although in Pogba's defence, KDB has been doing it at City while Pogba has been doing it at Mourinho's United :(

Half time: United 0 Southampton 1

Young absolutely pants again. His positioning at right back all over the show. Rashford can't get into the game. Sanchez offering us nothing on the left. Nobody, other than maybe Andreas, playing well yet. First five minutes aside, Southampton have been the better team here.

Fair to say we got away with one there. Lukaku's finishing was brilliant. Dalot made a difference. Andreas decent. Not much else to shout about. 

Young with one of the worst individual performances I've seen by a United player at Old Trafford - absolutely abysmal. 

Ole has obviously had a big influence on the team but with certain individuals it’s showing a bit more. Rashford and Pogba obviously but now Lukaku as well. I didn’t think Lukaku was ever going to thrive for United again and happy to be proven wrong. Next stop Sanchez. I think he has until the end of the season to turn it around or he’ll be shipped out. Holes to fill in the squad and his wages are way too high for his output currently. On today’s performance, it was poor but old United teams could win on a bad day and that attitude is back. Back in 4th and 3 points off third.

12.00 mins in & 1 - 1 v PSG 

Bailly & Young are in for a long night as currently they are all over the shop... They dont seem to know how to be aware of, watch or stay with a runner when ball played behind them.. 

1-3...Yep...I'll take that. 

OH MY DAYS!! It's times like this when I despise working normal business hours! Can't believe the result. Ole's at the wheel!

So under the LOTG that will definitely be a penalty in the future, just the ref decided it was also one now. https://www.clippituser.tv/c/dngpae

That was incredible!!! Ole is flying!

Fair play, outrageous comeback.

That was incredible. 

Well done chaps, always lovely to see another chapter written into the annals of PSG European collapses.

Justice.

Di Maria celebrating around Old Trafford like he owned the place. The director obviously had a great sense of humour; the shot of hi at the final whistle was superb.

Also the irony of Kimpembe, who should have been sent off in the first half of the first leg, giving away the penalty is not lost on me.

Neymar's meltdown on Instagram is particularly delicious.

Think it was Marquinhos who sort of mounted Luke Shaw and then collapsed to the floor in search of a pen, Neymar was on the sideline at this point and his rage was both palpable and hillarious. 

This feels like the United of old. Haven't felt like this after a United game in a long, long time.

Yea that was an absolutely hilarious penalty shout.

Best way to sum up this game came from Phillipe Auclair;

https://twitter.com/PhilippeAuclair/status/1103414...

https://twitter.com/PhilippeAuclair/status/1103416...

"Manchester United may not deserve to win, but PSG certainly deserved to lose.

This is not the ' fault ' of Tuchel. PSG needs a psychiatrist as much as a coach. This second half was incomprehensible".

Was a very soft pen, and very soft goals to concede, but I particularly think you have to give Rashford props for slotting that penalty under such pressure.

That (trying to claim a penalty) and Neymar's reaction shows how pathetic he is. If that goes to VAR he gives Shaw a free kick for being climbed on.

Honestly, PSG have absolutely nothing to stand on moaning about the VAR. Even if the penalty was marginal (I think it's pretty clear cut to be honest), their first goal in the first leg was thanks to a player who shouldn't have been on the pitch.

Undermanned and with a bench full of wide eyed youngsters, turned out to be a great Champions League night! 

Tense, dramatic and with a dash of controversy. Loving the belief in the team at the moment, every game we seem to be just growing in confidence and to see the players reactions at full time, it definitely meant a lot, not just to them, but the travelling fans as well. The scream I let out after Rashford buried that penalty must've given the neighbours a fright. 

14 wins in 17 games across the board for OGS, surely a permanent contract will be waiting for him when they arrive back in Manchester?

The faith in youngsters is so refreshing.

These guys are good players. They just need a bit of confidence, someone who believes in them, and a chance. And I will take someone with the mentality and mindset of a United player over an expensive "trendy name" any day of the week. I think that's what our club thrives on!

Love it. World's biggest cheat & diver bitches about a VAR decision which was 50/50. If I had a dollar for everytime he dived or dives, I'd have enough to be able to fly to the A League Grand Final.

I think you've got plenty of trendy names, who were bought for trendy money, but still totally agree with what you're saying there. You and I have both been parroting this for a while - the players are good enough, no doubt about that. Needed the right Manager and the right mentality. Feels like they've got that now. 

What else does OGS have to put on his CV to make him the strongest contender? 3-1 away aginst one of the more richer clubs around.

I think he is the strongest contender.  Unless there is some sort of implosion in the next month or so I hope he gets the job.

Me too. Although not a United fan, I did enjoy watching him as a player and think these last few months that he has done exceptionally well and good on him. He appears to have that SAF work ethos in getting the best out of most of the players and using them right.