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On Wednesday night, fans gathered at Old Trafford hoping for a response from the continuously miss-firing Manchester United team. The Red Devils welcomed League One side Rochdale for a third-round tie of the Carabao Cup, knowing very well that they could no longer afford to slip up. Last season, Manchester United were knocked out from this stage of the competition by Deby County via penalties, so Solskjaer knew better than to underestimate his opponents.
This was going to be the first meeting between the two sides in three decades; the last time they played each other was in the FA Cup third round in 1986, when United won the game 2-0. Solskjaer was hoping for a similar outcome this time, however, he still had quite the dilemma while selecting his team. Anthony Martial and Luke Shaw had not recovered yet, and Marcus Rashford was also sidelined with a groin injury he picked up in the 0-2 defeat away to West Ham. Solskjaer did have Paul Pogba available again, and the Frenchman was drafted into the first team.
Manchester United starting XI: Sergio Romero; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Axel Tuanzebe, Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo; Jesse Lingard, Fred, Pogba; Andreas Pereira, Tahith Chong, Mason Greenwood.
United started the game well, but Rochdale held on to go into the break with the score 0-0. In the second half, the home side went ahead courtesy a Mason Greenwood goal, however, Rochdale hit back through Luke Matheson eight minutes later. The score remained 1-1 after 90 minutes, and the game headed to penalties. United went on to convert all their spot-kicks, while Sergio Romero managed to stop Jimmy Keohane’s kick, helping the Red Devils secure a 5-3 victory. Here are the five talking points from the game.
#5 United fail to secure a clean sheet once again
Manchester United’s defensive woes are world-famous right now. Last season, United’s failure to secure a clean sheet was one of the main reasons for the club’s downfall. As a result, the Red Devils spent the big bucks in the summer to secure the services of Harry Maguire.
However, even with the Englishman marshaling the defense, United had managed just three clean sheets from seven games in all competitions this season ahead of the game against Rochdale. The Red Devils, though, were expected to manage a clean sheet against a team that was 17th in League One.
Solskjaer changed his backline for the game, however, the visitors still managed to score at Old Trafford, through 16-year-old Luke Matheson. It showed how vulnerable the Norwegian’s team still is at the back.
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#4 Mason Greenwood and Fred ready for Arsenal?
Mason Greenwood had another assured outing in United colors and after scoring two goals in two starts this season, must be in contention for a starting place against Arsenal. The youngster impressed with his movements all game, before finally showing his eye for the goal in the second half. Picking up the ball inside the box, Greenwood had the maturity to make space for himself, before unleashing a low shot to give United the lead.
Fred was another player who is on the fringes of first-team and against Rochdale, had a chance to stake his claim for a first-team place. The Brazilian looked comfortable sitting alongside Pogba and dictated the play from deep.
He managed to connect the defense and the attack with uncanny ease and was stellar with his switch of play. Fred showed against Rochdale that he deserves to start in Solskjaer’s team right now and could even be pushing for a place in the starting eleven against Arsenal.
#3 United struggled to break down another team that defended deep
Despite all the firepower in their ranks, Manchester United still could only put one past Rochdale at the end of 90 minutes. The League one side was inspired and committed on the field and defended with their hearts at times.
United was often sloppy with their passing in the middle of the park and was also guilty of being too casual at times in attacking positions.
The Red Devils did manage to carve out quite a few chances in the game, however, their performance in the final third was far from impressive.
Even though the home side started well on the night, they still appeared clueless at times near the opposition box. The wing play, especially on the right-hand side, was not good enough and United failed to use the game to build up their confidence. This lack of a plan in the attack has been one of the biggest problems at United right now and it has shown no signs of improving.
#2 Red Devils show great character in penalties
After their less than impressive performance in the 90 minutes, many expected the United team to fall short in the tiebreakers. The Red Devils were extremely low on confidence and it was hard to imagine the set of players progressing through to the next round. However, the tenacity and spirit shown by the team to get through the penalties must be lauded.
Juan Mata scored the first spot-kick and paved the path for a 100% success rate on the day. Andreas Pereira, Fred, Mason Greenwood, and Daniel James all scored their penalties, while Sergio Romero made a crucial save to help United win 5-3 on the night. It is a win that should renew the players’ faith in themselves. Manchester United showed great character to win the game via penalties, and it is now time to incorporate the same character into their normal gameplay.
#1 Solskjaer lives to fight another day
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is walking a tight rope right now. The Norwegian does have the public backing of his Board of Directors, but he will know better than anyone else that football is a results-oriented business. Solskjaer had been stressing the importance of patience in the rebuilding of Manchester United, yet the optimism of that 4-0 victory over Chelsea in the opening day instilled early hopes of a trophy challenge in the hearts of the supporters. Sadly, those good fortunes were short-lived and the Norwegian is under tremendous pressure to perform right now.
A Premier League title challenge is out of the question, but everyone associated with the club wants at least a top-four finish, which is looking increasingly unlikely. The defeat at the hands of West Ham United was one of the lowest points of the season already and as such, this hard-fought victory against Rochdale brings much-needed respite for the gaffer, albeit temporarily. Anything other than a win against rivals Arsenal on Monday would further pile the pressure on the Norwegian, who, at this moment, lives on to fight another day.
