There was nothing the under-fire Manchester United manager could do as he dreaded the worst, staring down the barrel of another defeat that would have had the world showering him with the toughest questions once more.
uncertain
world → be → questions
Fortunately for the Red Devils, as they so often do, they dug themselves out of the huge hole that they had buried themselves in, as Matheus Cunha’s late, deflected equaliser cancelled out Martinez’s horror moment.
asserted
equaliser → do → moment
It was a draw that the visitors simply did not deserve.
asserted
visitors → deserve → that
Alvaro Arbeloa and his Cottagers can feel robbed of what would have been their first Premier League victory of the campaign, but in the end, this is what United do, no matter who is in charge.
asserted
who → feel → charge
They churn out results.
asserted
They → churn → results
Just how sustainable this can be, remains to be seen.
asserted
be → remain → ?
Same old story for Man United
Just taking a glance at the United lineup ahead of kick-off would make you do a double take on the date and year you were in.
asserted
you → take → date
We have seen it before.
asserted
We → see → it
We have seen it before.
asserted
We → see → it
Bruno Fernandes’ Hollywood switches out to Marcus Rashford, desperately trying his one trick of cutting inside and shooting with his right foot?
asserted
Hollywood → switch → foot
You get the picture.
asserted
You → get → picture
You could go as far as to say we have seen the current state of United’s dugout before as well, when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was installed as the club’s permanent head coach after a stellar interim spell that got the vibes back intact.
uncertain
that → go → vibes
The visitors did not look up for this fight, where they were outpowered, outran, and outbattled across every third of the pitch.
asserted
they → look → pitch
Look at Josh King, demanding the ball between the lines at every opportunity so he could create.
uncertain
he → look → opportunity
Look at Alex Iwobi, smelling blood and fear every time he got near Diogo Dalot.
asserted
he → look → Dalot
This is a side that flourishes on the counter-attack, and that has been their problem no matter who is in the dugout.
asserted
who → flourish → dugout
Sir Alex Ferguson would have watched on from the directors’ box in disbelief at the lack of identity.
asserted
Ferguson → watch → identity
Midfield problems still unsolved
This summer was all about rebuilding the engine room, but even after all the money spent, it was evident that United still have not replaced Casemiro.
asserted
United → rebuild → Casemiro
Youri Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo were far too pedestrian in possession, when what United were crying out for was incisive passes into the pockets where Fernandes and Cunha love to operate.
asserted
Fernandes → cry → pockets
The one time they played the ball into Cunha’s feet, the Brazilian span on a sixpence and forced a smart stop from Bernd Leno.
asserted
Brazilian → play → Leno
Too many times King, who buzzed about with some fervour, was afforded every inch of space that he craved, and it was his initial burst down the right that led to the hosts’ goal.
asserted
that → buzz → goal
He ran off Tielemans and Mainoo as if they didn’t know he was there, while the United duo found themselves outrun and overpowered by the physical Shea Charles and Sander Berge.
asserted
themselves → run → Charles
This would have been a perfect time to introduce summer signing Carlos Baleba, who was not handed his long-awaited debut despite being named to a United squad for the first time.
asserted
who → introduce → time
The Cameroonian could have freed up one of the two - or substitute Mason Mount - to maraud further forward and add extra thrust to United’s attacking moves.
uncertain
Cameroonian → free → moves
Alas, he was not brought on, and that is on Carrick.
asserted
that → bring → Carrick
Next year, it will be to sort out the defensive unit.
asserted
it → sort → unit
But this performance highlighted just how urgently this squad needs its surgery.
asserted
squad → highlight → surgery
Dalot was a clear weak link at right-back, and it will baffle many as to how he was given the full 90 minutes, while Noussair Mazraoui sat on the bench.
asserted
Mazraoui → baffle → bench
If Carrick does not trust the Moroccan, a right-sided full-back has to be an immediate priority.
asserted
back → trust → Moroccan
Luke Shaw was sturdy at left-back on his return, but replacing him with Patrick Dorgu, who is limited as a winger let alone an overlapping wing-back, is not the answer.
asserted
who → replace → winger
Newcastle’s Lewis Hall was heavily courted, and should have been signed now.
asserted
Hall → court → ?
Waiting for the ‘perfect time’ to sign players is what is holding this side back, and is what will keep them plateauing into mediocrity.
asserted
them → wait → mediocrity
The Aporia
