Real Sociedad 0-0 Manchester United: Five talking points

Moyes’s inspired substitutions almost changed the game

Manchester United gained momentum after the introduction of van Persie

Although United enjoyed the lion’s share of possession for most of the game, they didn’t really do too much with the ball. Their play in the final third was lacking a little bit of quality. And it was here that Moyes made two inspired substitutions that almost the changed the game on its head. Moyes brought on Van Persie and Young for Chicharito and Rooney and that move almost paid dividends right away as Van Persie hit the woodwork with only his second touch of the game.

After that, United were clearly in the ascendancy and Young looked lively on the left hand side, whilst Kagawa looked like a player transformed after he moved centrally into his favorite No.10 position. Just a little while after coming on, Young was fouled in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. The stage was set for the substitute Van Persie to hammer home the winner, but the Dutchman instead hammered it onto the post and missed his kick. And whilst United missed a whole host of chances, which they would have taken nine times out of ten, Moyes’s inspired substitutions almost got them the three points that their play merited.