Since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, Manchester United has looked like a completely different club. On the pitch as well as in the board room it has looked like a club without a plan. The Red Devils are enduring their worst campaign since the Premier League came into existence in 1992. There is a lack of long-term vision and at the moment the club is a shell of its former self and mired in mediocrity.
Not all of us have had to go under the knife for a serious surgery. But we all have seen and enjoyed the post-surgery videos that people post while the anesthesia is wearing off.
It is comforting to know that even the best athletes in the world also feel the effects of anesthesia.
Just watch this video that Paul Pogba posted after his recent ankle surgery.
Though they’re third and fifth in the Premier League, the gulf between Manchester City and Manchester United is vast. City is 15 points ahead of its rival in the league and now two goals ahead after a 3-1 victory over United in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinals on Tuesday at Old Trafford.
The Carabao Cup semifinals, usually an afterthought in England, has some unusual excitement with a two-legged Manchester Derby on the docket.
Unfortunately, some fans may find themselves ejected from Old Trafford even with a legally purchased ticket.
In the lead up to Tuesday’s Manchester Derby, United issued a statement saying anyone “visibly or audibly” supporting City outside of allocated visitor’s sections will be ejected from the grounds.
Manchester United punished Newcastle United 4-1 at Old Trafford on Thursday thanks to a devastating performance from the front three of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood. Newcastle’s Matty Longstaff scored the game’s opening goal in the 17th minute, but the Red Devils replied with four unanswered (three of which were down to Newcastle errors) to climb to seventh in the table.
As it turns out, Son Heung-min did not bring about world peace with his brilliant solo goal on Saturday. He couldn’t even bring harmony Man City fans during a Manchester Derby that had no real title implications later in the day.
Manchester United frustrated City for a 2-1 win on Saturday at the Etihad. Pep Guardiola’s side was furious over not being given a penalty kick on two different hand-ball situations while Marcus Rashford converted a penalty thanks to a rare VAR reversal.
Sheffield United and Manchester United played out a sensational 3-3 draw at Bramall Lane on Sunday evening with the Red Devils overturning a two-goal deficit and looking certain of three points themselves before Oli McBurnie’s late equalizer in the 90th minute.
Sheffield’s early period of dominance could’ve been more pronounced on the scoreboard but for the brilliance of David de Gea, who recorded five saves on the night, including this incredible double save to keep things at 0-0 in the 11th minute.
Manchester United defeated Brighton 3-1 at Old Trafford on Sunday to move up to seventh in the Premier League table heading into November’s international break. A heavily deflected Andreas Pereira effort and a Davy Pröpper own goal got United off to a 2-0 lead before the 20th minute, and although Lewis Dunk pulled one back for Brighton off a corner, Marcus Rashford’s sixth goal in 12 EPL appearances guaranteed all three points for the home side.
Scoring a hat-trick in Europe’s premier club competition is no mean feat, especially so as an adolescent teenager between the ages of 13 and 19. The list of players to have accomplished the goalscoring achievement reads like a who’s who of the world’s greatest talent since the tournament’s adoption in 1992.
In fact, only 19 players have multiple Champions League hat-tricks to their name, with both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo having accomplished the task a staggering eight times. Nobody else has recorded more than three.
Manchester United looked like a different team when it traveled to Norwich this past weekend. Despite the club’s lack of good penalty takers, the Red Devils put three goals away on a Norwich side that is struggling but is better than what the league table shows.
United has been missing Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic for quite some time, and United’s midfield looked weak recently with the pairing of Scott McTominay and Fred with Andreas Pereira ahead of them. Anthony Martial has also been out for some time but returned to start the match.