Man Utd score twice in stoppage-time to share points in eight-goal thriller
After yet another breathless, chaotic, shambolic Old Trafford classic, Manchester United do not know whether to laugh or cry.
Their fans didn’t, booing at some points, cheering at others.
Defender Diogo Dalot was singled out for gruesome treatment amid the second-half protests and songs of defiance as he was replaced by Patrick Dorgu in the 66th minute.
The players didn’t, running away joyously to celebrate Dorgu’s 96th-minute equaliser that made it 4-4 against Aston Villa.
They then applauded the supporters who stayed on despite the apparent hopelessness of the situation as the game entered injury time with United trailing 4-2, presumably to vent their anger on a day when defeat seemed certain.
Manager Michael Carrick was in spiky mood when he was quizzed about his future by Sky Sports reporter Patrick Davison.
“That’s not going to happen,” he said, when asked if he was going to walk away.
“Will there?” Carrick then added, when it was suggested there would “clearly be conversations” with United’s hierarchy.
“You’re telling me what you think,” he responded.
“I’m quite clear what direction the club needs to go in. It’s got to win games.”
Sunday’s ridiculous eight-goal thriller with Villa – a game in which the hosts twice fought back from two goals down – left United in the drop zone in 18th place.
As they enter the international break, they will spend more time in the relegation zone than they have done since 1986.
United have not won a league game since they beat Ipswich on 30 August, have conceded 15 goals in their past five games and conceded inside two minutes in three of their past seven matches.
Three minutes and 40 seconds was the earliest they have ever trailed 2-0 in a Premier League game.
Up next is a trip to Anfield to play rivals Liverpool on 22 November.
On the positive side, United’s players have not downed tools for their manager.
Somehow, despite being two goals down on three occasions in the past two games, they have emerged with a win and a draw.
Added to a creditable first-half display in a 2-0 loss at Chelsea on 31 October where they had Lisandro Martinez sent off, before which Carrick was backed to turn the current situation round, was that enough for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family – and detached from this latest crazy day?
Was it enough for chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox who were at Old Trafford?
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Michael Carrick post-match interview – Manchester United v Aston Villa
“On the one hand it’s dreadful to give up four goals at home,” former United skipper Roy Keane told Sky Sports. “But they kept going, so you have to give them a little bit of praise.
“In terms of the bigger picture it’s that rollercoaster of watching Manchester United. When you turn up most weeks there really is the feeling of not knowing what you’re going to get.”
Former United striker Dion Dublin offered his own take to BBC Sport, saying: “There’s only so many times you can do that because it’s quite tiring, physically and mentally. The players today were walking around after the game like they had lost, even though they got a point.”
Some of the post-match interviews by United players backed up that observation.
“I don’t feel happy – we are in a bad situation,” admitted Dorgu. “We need to fight together to get out of it.
“Everyone needs to look at themselves and ask if they are doing enough. We need to fight for the manager, for the club and get out of this together.”
The situation has not been made easier by fan sentiment.
Lack of form on the pitch, combined with the rising cost of ticket prices and a negative perception of how fans are being treated, has led to a negative reaction that is unprecedented in its ferocity since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
A banner was hung from the second tier of the Stretford End shortly before the teams came out to start the game. It read “We don’t want a new stadium, we want new owners”.
Full-back Dalot was jeered off the pitch when he was replaced by Dorgu, the catcalls replacing the cheers that greeted his number being shown.
Joshua Zirkzee, who scored United’s third in the second minute of injury time, suffered similar treatment during a game against Newcastle almost two years ago. The Netherlands forward was still on the bench when Dalot arrived and offered his team-mate a consoling hug.
‘We’re just making it too difficult for ourselves’
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery was livid by his side’s late capitulation, which cost him a first victory at Old Trafford.
Touted as a potential successor to Carrick, he regathered his composure after storming down the tunnel before the final whistle to assure United fans the club’s results will improve.
“They have the capacity, power, players and everything to overcome this situation,” said the Spaniard.
That is probably true. But from so many angles, the current position remains grim.
The Villa game was like a number so far this season – Everton away, Atletico Madrid away, Tottenham at home, Leeds away, Chelsea away – where either United have played well, or got themselves into winning positions in stoppage time and failed to secure victory.
Although the present situation can still be rectified, it now needs two lots of results to go Carrick’s way for the table to look more positive. Yet how long will it be before it is accepted that such anticipated improvement is not going to materialise?
Can United afford to wait until the January window opens? Have they got the resources to spend in it when it does?
These are bound to feed into the thinking of Ratcliffe, the Glazers, Berrada and Wilcox as they consider the future – plus the attractiveness of potential replacements.
For now, Carrick is still looking to a future he is certain will be brighter than what he has just endured.
“There’s more than enough,” he said, when asked if he had seen enough to believe the current situation can be improved.
“Goals change games and you’ve got to deal with it. It’s something we have to improve on drastically. We’re just making it too difficult for ourselves at certain times.
“[The players] are switched on and concentrated, it’s a variety of things. There’s not a theme to it, apart from these one-off moments are catching us out at the moment.”
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