Man Utd 0-0 Crystal Palace: five things learned as Mourinho’s side are booed off at Old Trafford

In a dry afternoon of football, Manchester United and Crystal Palace played out a 0-0 draw.

Some 0-0’s can be thrilling, this was not one of them. But there was so many things to see, even if excitement wasn’t one of them. What did we learn?

1. Manchester United are bad and should feel bad

Forget the win over Juventus, or the draw against Chelsea. These should not be taken as signs of a great side roaring to life and showing their true potential. Look at Manchester United’s league placing: they’re 7th. And if Bournemouth draw tomorrow then United will move down to 8th. So, take those big results for what they are: a mid-table team exposing a lackadaisical big side to steal a result.

United were booed off against Palace, which may not sound like much in this day and age but remember that Old Trafford stuck with David Moyes until the very end. When you’ve annoyed them enough that they will turn on you? Something has gone very wrong. And given this is United’s worst start to a Premier League season in 28 years (28 years! That’s older than Paul Pogba!) can you really blame the fans?

United are garbage. They play poorly with no cohesion and waste an absolute embarrassment of riches in terms of attacking talent. Are the full-backs great? Beyond Luke Shaw the answer is obviously no, but that’s no excuse for the team playing this poorly (especially as they willingly sold the superb Daley Blind in the summer).

2. Lingard’s lethal movement

Jesse Lingard is far from the most talented player in the Manchester United squad, but whenever he plays The Red Devils are nearly always more fun to watch, and certainly a more vibrant and dynamic side. This is because of Lingard’s movement.

Lingard’s understanding of space and where and how to move on and off the ball make him so dangerous. Repeatedly in the first half Palace only ever looked remotely stretched when Lingard was involved in the United attack.

This is why Lingard has such an important role for Gareth Southgate’s England. Southgate understands the value of Lingard’s movement and surrounds him with a positive team dynamic. It’s just a shame that Manchester United can’t do the same.

3. Palace’s useless point

Crystal Palace picked up a point away to Manchester United. Objectively, that is an impressive sentence. However when imbued with the context of the season so far and in particular the game itself, it becomes decidedly less so.

You see, Manchester United were absolutely terrible. Wayne Hennessy had one half-decent save to make all afternoon. And even United’s “Second Half FC” rally wasn’t really much in terms of actual pressure. Palace’s defenders were never really stretched by anything United could put together and indeed should have done better on the break.

And that’s the thing. Palace really should have won this game. Their next opponents won’t give them as easy a ride as United did, both defensively and offensively. Sure, United have bigger names than Burnley (Palace’s next opponent) but you can bet Shaun Dyche’s men will play with more verve. This is why just a point here is useless; United were so bad that Palace’s failure to get a win and take all three points is genuinely a failure and something that should trouble them going forward.

4. Listless Lukaku pointless in this system

Romelu Lukaku is a brilliant striker. Everyone knows this. He’s a consistent and reliable top tier goalscoring talent. But in this Manchester United side he may as well be a pillow with a smiley face drawn on it and sticks for limbs.

José Mourinho’s Manchester United do not play football in such a way as to emphasise the skill-set of their £75m striker. And that is an absolutely ridiculous thing to be able to say, but hey, that’s where we are at the moment.

Lukaku is a burst forward, in need of constant supply – crosses and balls in behind the defence. He thrives there. Instead Mourinho tries to use him as a decoy forward, battling with opposing centre-backs and holding the ball up for team-mates.

Whilst Lukaku may have idolised Didier Drogba, he is a completely different kind of player and trying to use him as though he were Drogba is utter lunacy. Lukaku serves no role for this Manchester United side, and yet paradoxically he is the player Mourinho plays more than any other. Well, almost any other.

5. Pogba vs. Matic highlights Mourinho’s malarkey

There are many ways to illustrate just how terrible of a job José Mourinho is doing at Manchester United but perhaps the best way is to look at the performances of Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic and then judge how they are treated as a result.

Look at today: both men were poor, did little in attack or defence, and yet it was Pogba that got hauled off after 68 minutes for Alexis Sánchez whilst Nemanja Matic played 90 minutes.

That’s been a consistent theme this season: Pogba’s poor displays being overblown and scrutinised whilst Matic continues to besmirch the good name of football with his consistent displays of being tall, ambulatory and absolutely nothing else.

Mourinho’s faith in the Serb (and unwillingness to give minutes to £50m signing Fred) whilst doing his level best to disrespect and/or wind up the Frenchman is so baffling that if it came out that Mourinho was trying to get sacked, you just wouldn’t be surprised. And of course, for consistently protecting Matic and singling Pogba out, Mourinho probably should get fired.

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