With a 1-1 draw against West Ham United today, Manchester United have now failed to achieve a win in four consecutive league games at Old Trafford. This is the first time this has happened since Feb 1990. The Red Devils’ four consecutive home draws is an event that hasn’t occurred since 1980.
Despite dropping two badly needed points, they truly dominated the Hammers in this game, owning all of the stats, except the one that really counts- the scoreboard.
United won possession 68%-32%, shots on goal 8-2 and total shots 17-6.
United are now 11 points behind Chelsea for the top of the table, and in precarious position regarding making a run for the Premier League title. The Hammers are hovering just above the relegation zone in the current Premier League table, so not achieving all three points today is a huge loss. United have already had a couple inexplicably bad and totally unacceptable results like this during the 2016-17 season.
You can feel the frustration in this side. Manager Jose Mourinho lost it today in response to a questionable diving call on Paul Pogba. Maybe it was a penalty, maybe it wasn’t but Mourinho needs to do a better job controlling himself, as he kicked a water bottle on the touchline and got himself sent off to watch the rest of the game in the stands.
Pogba booked for diving. Mourinho boots a water bottle down the touchline and has now been sent off.
— Rob Dawson (@RobDawsonESPN) November 27, 2016
It is now the worst start after 13 Premier League games in the history of Manchester United. Their 5-5-3 record has yielded them just 20 points. This is even worse than the David Moyes season. United have acquired just 21 points after 13 games on three occasions (2001-02, 1992-93, 2004-05). Two of those seasons (’05, ’02) resulted in a third place finish while the ’93 season ended in a league title.
However, it’s very hard to imagine this team rising up to that kind of occasion. A new low has been reached at United under Jose Mourinho.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
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