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Very little has changed at Manchester United despite Ralf Rangnick replacing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the dugout around two and a half months ago. The underlying problems Solskjaer couldn’t fix are still prevalent, and the team is still struggling to win games.
When United lined up against Southampton on Saturday, there were always doubts over whether the Red Devils could keep take all three points at Old Trafford.
That was duly the case, as the Saints came from behind to snatch a 1-1 draw. It was a disappointing performance from Rangnick’s men, and Southampton deserved to walk away with a share of the spoils.
Red Devils drop points again
Manchester United are now winless in their last three matches across competitions. Interestingly, they took the lead in all the games, only to fail capitalising on it on each occasion.
It was no different against Southampton on Saturday. The Red Devils were completely dominant in the first half, and didn’t give their opponents a sniff.
Jadon Sancho’s 21st-minute goal was expected to be the beginning of a goal-fest. However, just like against Burnley last week and Middlesbrough in the FA Cup before that, the Red Devils allowed their opponents a way back into the game.
Much of that, though, was due to Manchester United’s own insipid performance as the game wore on. The hosts completely capitulated, conceding the equaliser three minutes into the second half, thanks to a well-taken goal by Che Adams.
It’s deeply troubling that Rangnick’s side has dropped points from winning positions in three consecutive games now as the German manager finds himself in an unenviable situation.
Yet another poor second-half performance from Manchester United
It is gradually becoming a hallmark of Manchester United to drop their levels after 45 minutes. They did so against Middlesbrough, Burnley and now Southampton on Saturday.
In all the aforementioned games, the Red Devils started on the front foot, but couldn’t sustain their intensity for the rest of the game. For a team that boasts so many experienced players, this is simply unacceptable.
“I can assure you, we are not talking too much. Our half-time conversation with the team lasts as long as all the other teams,” Rangnick said after the draw against Southampton, as quoted by Manutd.com.
“(Team-talks) are four or five minutes, bullet points. (We discuss) the most important things. We show them two or three videos of footage of situations of what we have to be aware of and wary of. It is not a problem about the half-time conversations we are having.”
Rangnick added:
“Our team has a lot of technical players, and it is difficult for them to stay compact for a longer period of time. This is one of our problems, and the other is that we just do not take the chances that we create. It is not a question of not being able to create the chances; it is a question of (being) effective enough.”
Manchester United’s poor second-half performances are costing the team points. Moreover, their talisman Cristiano Ronaldo has now gone without scoring in six consecutive games across competitions.
He squandered a few presentable opportunities and had an effort ruled out for offside. It’s now his worst scoring drought since 2009. If things do not change soon, it could cost them a place in the Premier League top four.
