MAN UNITED 1, WEST HAM 1
Manchester United’s hopes of landing a Champions League place are fading, even at this early stage of their stuttering campaign.
The Reds’ failure to beat West Ham meant it was fourth consecutive draws as they are experiencing their worst run at Old Trafford in 26 years from the pre-Premier League era.
It is also only one win in seven league games as United find themselves sixth in the table and eight points adrift of a top-four place after a performance against the Hammers that mirrored so many of their recent games.
United enjoyed 68-per-cent possession, had 17 goal attempts compared to six by the visitors, but all they had to show was a Zlatan Ibrahimovic goal that cancelled out a quickfire early strike from Diafra Sakho.
As those stats are replicated game after game, there is something inheritently wrong with the DNA of the side.
And a return of 20 points from their first 13 league games is also United’s worst start to a league campaign since 1989/90 when Sir Alex Ferguson was clinging on to his job.
It is no wonder the pressure is growing on Jose Mourinho whose frustration and petulance resulted in a second sending off in his short time at Old Trafford.
And it was left for assistant manager Rui Faria to conduct the post match press conference, but he would not be drawn on Mourinho’s sending off.
As for the game, Faria said: “Everyone saw again we were the best team on the pitch. We had no tactical issues and the game was what we expected it to be.
“Our defence was very compact and offensively we created enough chances to win the game comfortably. It is frustrating, but we will keep working and hopefully things will change.”
Faria also spoke of the task of rebuilding the Reds into a major force.
He explained: “We knew it was not an easy job, but we are fighting to change things.
“We know there is a lot of work in front of us. We know it is a big club and have been at big clubs before and know what it takes, but this is a big job.”
Mourinho again rang the changes from Thursday’s Europa League game against Feyenoord with six players recalled.
David De Gea was back in goal, Marcos Rojo and Matteo Darmian restored to the defence, with Ander Herrera in central midfield while Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford provided more attacking threat.
The players to lose out were Sergio Romero, Luke Shaw, Daley Blind, Michael Carrick, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Wayne Rooney.
And there was a surprise recall for previously discarded Bastian Schweinsteiger who was on the bench.
The Hammers, who drew twice at Old Trafford last season in the league and FA Cup, made a dream start as they took the lead after only 90 seconds, the second fasted goal they have conceded at home in the Premier League.
Dimitri Payet fired a dangerous cross into the box and Sakho found the net with a diving header as he eluded marker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
United drew level after 21 minutes with their first clear-cut chance of the game.
Paul Pogba’s delightful long lofted pass was met by Ibrahimovic who glanced a header from eight yards low past keeper Darren Randolph, his ninth of the season.
Pogba was booked after diving to win a fee kick, replays showed it was outrageous. And it was done only yards from referee Jonathan Moss.
Mourinho was furious, remonstrating with the fourth official and kicking a water bottle in rage. Moss came to the touchline and dismissed the Reds’ manager.
It was the second time Mourinho has already been banished to the stands in the current campaign.
And it was Moss who also sent off Mourinho last season when Chelsea played at West Ham, an incident that also entailed a half time bust up that led to him receiving a stadium ban.
It was also Pogba’s fifth booking of the season which means he will be banned for Wednesday’s EFL Cup, quarter final against West Ham.
United ought to have taken the lead after 37 minutes when Ibrahimovic’s intelligent dummy released Rashford who was clean through on goal only for Randolph to save his shot with his legs.
They had further chances to take the lead when Pogba’s header looped wide from a Juan Mata corner and Ibrahimovic headed wide from a Darmian cross.
And in stoppage time, United had another great chance when Lingard burst into the box only to be denied by a super save from Randolph.
The Hammers came clos to regaining the lead when Sakho’s header looped on to the roof of the net from Payet’s corner.
And the visitors went close again when De Gea had to tip over a terrific free kick from Payet which was dipping towards the top corner.
United made a double change midway through the second half when Rashford and Mata were replaced by Rooney and Mkhitaryan.
And Rooney soon had a strike at goal, though it was comfortably saved by Randolph.
It was Mikhitaryan’s turn to come close as his shot was turned on to the upright by Randolph and bounced along the line to be tapped in by Lingard, one of two Reds’ players stood in an offsde position.
Randolph was having a game to remember as he turned a goalbound drive from Pogba round the post for a corner.
United went close again after a mistake by James Collins let in Ibrahimovic who was clean through. He took the ball past Randolph, but Cheikhou Kouyate appeared from nowhere to save the day with a last-gasp clearance.
The Reds made their last change with five minutes left when Marouane Fellaini took over from Lingard.
Former Reds’ player Ashley Fletcher almost conjured a late winner for the Hammers when he weaved his way clear in the box only to see his angled shot blocked by De Gea as the Hammers earned a third consecutive draw at Old Trafford.