If Manchester United fans were expecting their team to carry on the same form they exhibited in the thriller against Liverpool, they were dead wrong as the Red Devils luckily escaped with a 1-1 draw against Brentford on Saturday.
Returning to Premier League action after two weeks and chasing a place in next season’s Champions League, the 20-time English league champions were expected to give it their all against a team who were winless in their last six games.
But as has often been the case this season, United players simply did not display any real urgency as the Bees almost played them out of the park at times with the United goal leading a charmed life.
The visitors had Andre Onana and the framework of the goal to thank for the lack of goals until added time when Mason Mount popped up to score in what Erik ten Hag must have felt would be yet another unlikely smash-and-grab win.
United never looked like they were up for the challenge
But the footballing gods did not allow such a travesty to happen and Kristoffer Ajer equalised minutes later with both teams sharing the spoils.
Brentford had 31 shots, while five hit the post, and they also had 85 touches in the United box, the most any team has managed in the league in the past five years. And manager Erik ten Hag surprisingly does not think that is a problem.Â
The Old Trafford side lost almost every single duel inside the box and looked lackadaisical when defending, allowing the hosts to cut them open with ease every time they countered.
And former England international Jamie Redknapp was critical of Marcus Rashford’s performance, accusing him of lacking commitment, something that should not be the case at this level of the game.
“I think Man United fans would have been really looking forward to tonight after what was the back of brilliant result against Liverpool, and you thought it might have turned their season around,” Redknapp told Sky Sports.
“They have been so bad tonight. I cannot believe the lack of effort, the lack of spark and desire to win individual battles to make things happen in that team.
“Watching Marcus Rashford he’s walking around like it’s a bit of fun out there. It’s the Premier League. You’ve got to try to win games. We’ve been amazed at how poor Manchester United have been.”
Rashford’s poor form continues
His attitude issues have been a common problem with the Mancunian often looking disinterested when not in form and worst of all, he simply refuses to put in the effort required.
The club has backed him with a new five-year deal last summer and the fans have kept supporting him but things are close to reaching a point of no return with the forward.
Unlike the Glazers, INEOS are expected to be ruthless, even if it means moving on their Mancunian star. And Rashford should be rightly worried for his future. Not even Paris Saint-Germain will tolerate such displays on a weekly basis.
Ten Hag should have substituted him much earlier but still kept him on, hoping he would come up with the goods. Rashford deserves to be on the bench for the next game against Chelsea.
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