Jose Mourinho Meets The Press.

It was a calm, confident and assured new Manchester United manager who sat in front of the world's press at Old Trafford.

After almost half an hour Jose Mourinho had laid out his plans for his revolution at Old Trafford in a manner that suggested he was relishing the tough task ahead.

However, it wasn't what he said, but more what he implied during his first question and answer session as the new man in charge of resurrecting the Red Devils.

Mourinho was careful enough not to mention anybody by name but everyone knew who he was talking about. He started by confirming that he wasn't a manager who hid behind philosophies, a dig at his predecessor Louis van Gaal. He then took aim at Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger when he reminded everybody that some managers had not won the league for ten years whereas he had achieved it one year ago.

Next, it was his old adversary Pep Guardiola's turn down the road at Man City when Mourinho stated that he had twenty rivals not just one. He also brought age into the mix when he claimed that at 53 he was more motivated than older managers at the end of their careers which could have been a reference to van Gaal, Wenger and any manager over 60.

Mourinho then proceeded to tackle the Wayne Rooney dilemma by confirming exactly what many United fans have been saying for the last three years and that is the captain is not a midfielder but a striker who the new manager will utilise as a number 9, 10 or even a 9.5 but never 50 metres away from goal where his scoring talent is wasted. Music to the ears indeed.

He addressed the elephant in the room in an honest manner and that was the departure of Ryan Giggs after almost 30 years by admitting that the Welsh legend would only have stayed on as manager but the board had decided to appoint a manager with experience over sentimentality.

When asked about his transfer plans Mourinho confirmed that he had four players targeted to fill in what he called specialised positions but didn't confirm any departures. However, he was very clear on his stance that players should not play out of position. Another shot across the bow of van Gaal's baffling tactics.

Even though Mourinho had a serious look about him the session did have humour built into it, especially when he had to ask his press assistant if the club had finalised the deal with a third player to which she replied 'No, not yet'. He followed that up by replying to a question about whether or not he had received any advice from Alex Ferguson and that the Scot had told him to bring an umbrella and his usual good taste in wine.

The only time that he seemed to become slightly riled was when one journalist questioned him about his past record on promoting academy players. True to his style Mourinho had come prepared with a list of 49 players he had brought up through the ranks at his previous clubs. End of debate.

Overall, it was a Mourinho who seemed to be very much at home in his new surroundings as he said all the right things that will certainly go down well with the Old Trafford faithful. Sure, he will face tougher press conferences as the season unfolds, but at this one, he was in full control of the proceedings.

He appears to have grasped the enormity of the job in hand and the early signs in the transfer market show that he understands exactly who and what is needed to inject a sense of urgency and aggression into a side drained of confidence over the last three seasons.

Only time will tell if the special one is indeed the right one to bring success back to United but all the signs point to a successful partnership between manager and club. Confidence breeds success and Mourinho is not short of that characteristic.

Finally, In Mourinho's own words 'Giant clubs must be for the best managers.'

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Ryan Giggs: End Of An Era.

Farewell To United Legend Ryan Giggs.

All good things have to come to an end and after being at the club since he was 14 Ryan Giggs has decided that it is the right time to call it a day at Manchester United, for now.

When Sir Alex Ferguson first cast his experienced eye over Giggs flying down the wing as a youngster, he likened the sight to a dog chasing a piece of silver paper blowing in the wind so effortlessly was the way the young Salford lad moved.

Almost 30 years later and the most decorated player in world football is leaving his only club for pastures new. His roll call of trophies is truly amazing 35 in total including 13 Premier Leagues, 4 FA Cups, 4 League Cups and 2 Champion Leagues. Add to that his total of 963 appearances for the club and you can see how difficult a decision it must have been for him to break his association with his beloved United.

In his time at the club, he had held the position as player, captain, player/manager and assistant manager. But did he stay too long in his last post under van Gaal? Should he, in fact, have been given the responsibility of manager before the Dutchman or even after?

The answer in my opinion to both those questions is no. He has to take heed of the lessons he learned under Fergie, Moyes and van Gaal and turn them to his advantage. Sometimes it's better to learn from mistakes, especially other people's.

After witnessing at close hand how the good, the bad and the ugly managed the club will certainly stand him in good stead for his future in management.

In van Gaal's case, most fans were optimistic when he was appointed especially with the signings and the changes he made. The main one being the appointment of Giggs as his assistant, which I believe was made with the intention of getting the United fans in his corner. Giggs said all the right things while working with van Gaal but you could tell he wasn't convinced about the so-called philosophy. How could he be?

When you look back at the last two seasons their body language towards each other looked uncomfortable. Sitting together on the bench week in week out they hardly communicated and Giggs looked far from happy and quite frankly appeared to be as bored as the fans.

Many people argue whether or not the position of manager at a club the size of United should always be awarded to experience rather than to a player for sentimental reasons.

Moyes came with nearly a decade of trophyless seasons behind him at Everton and in the end van Gaal's vast championship winning experience counted for nothing. Sure the Dutchman ended his reign with the FA Cup, but little else, so the debate will undoubtedly continue.

42-year-old Giggs is Man United through and through and if he doesn't know what style of play the club needs then nobody does. He has that winning mentality that he honed under Ferguson but now the board has once again gone for experience in the shape of Jose Mourinho. So he needs to cut his teeth at another club and stand on his own two feet, build up his backroom staff and prove his worth. Then in the future, he will return a better manager for it.

United have produced many players that have gone on to earn a decent reputation in management without exactly setting the world alight. The likes of Giggs' old teammates Robson, Bruce, Ince, Keane and Hughes have all enjoyed respectable careers at various clubs. However, none of them have what it takes to be considered for the hot seat at Old Trafford.

Maybe Giggs is different, maybe he has got that special ingredient to become a great United manager. Let's wait and see.

Hopefully, it's not goodbye only see you later Giggsy!

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

The Rise of Red Devil Rashford.

Manchester United have had a fabulous habit of introducing young raw talent onto the world stage, none more so than the new striking sensation Marcus Rashford.

The youngster from Wythenshawe, Manchester is one player who can hold his head up when he returns home from the Euro 2016 championship.

As the England squad left the home shores to make the very short journey across the Channel to France to embark on their European Championship adventure there was a young man who must have been pinching himself as he looked around him taking in the fact that he was among the elite chosen to represent his country at the highest level.

How the 18-year-old Rashford came to be sitting alongside the likes of United and England teammates Rooney and Smalling is a remarkable achievement in itself and the stuff of dreams.

He was plucked from the relative obscurity of the under 18's due to an injury to Anthony Martial in the match warm up as United prepared to play Midtjylland at Old Trafford in a Europa League tie. What followed that night is exactly why the stadium was given the moniker of The Theatre of Dreams and set the local lad on a journey that doesn't look like ending anytime soon.

Die hard United fans, of course, knew of his immense potential, but many would have been surprised by the way he took his chance with aplomb in a game in which he not only scored a debut double but in doing so cemented his hero status in front of an adoring Stretford End.

The teenager then followed that up with another double against Arsenal in his first Premier League match. A star was born and the confidence he showed in scoring the winning goal in the Manchester Derby was the shining light in a mediocre season for the team under Louis van Gaal.

Rashford ended his first remarkable season as a regular and capped it off with an FA Cup winners medal to boot. He was awarded for his efforts with a training session with the England squad which led to a first international cap against Australia in which it only took him four minutes to score yet another debut goal and in doing so became the youngest England player to score on his international senior debut.

The England manager Roy Hodgson had seen enough and Rashford had booked himself a passage to France. He made his debut at the Euros as a substitute against Wales becoming the youngest England player to play in the Championships beating captain Rooney by four days.

Unfortunately, for Rashford and the nation as a whole he was only called upon one more time and that was for the last five minutes in the shocking defeat to minnows Iceland. In the short time he spent on the pitch he performed considerably better than the other players had in the previous eighty-five minutes.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it is remarkable that Hodgson persevered with Sterling and Sturridge for so long during the tournament when they were clearly not up to the task. There will be many more international campaigns for Rashford in the future and let's hope he has learnt from his experience of being involved in a major championship.

New United manager Jose Mourinho must be licking his lips at the prospect of working with Rashford especially if he can bring in an experienced striker to help fine tune the youngster's undoubted talent.

The future looks bright for Rashford who has been rewarded for his progress at the club with a new improved contract that will keep him where he belongs for the next four years and hopefully beyond.

Many fans will be interested to see how next season will unfold for the teenager who doesn't seem to be short of confidence and approaches the game exactly how it should be by a United player. His ability, awareness, pace and an unnerving eye for goal should ensure that this shining light will not be diminished anytime soon.

If Rashford continues at the same pace he has the capacity to break many more records for both club and country and at his young age could end up making Rooney take a look over his shoulder.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

United On The March To Wembley.

West Ham United 1 Manchester United 2

Man United came out on top in a typical cup tie in which two evenly matched teams battled it out in a replay for a place at Wembley.

The tie took place on a wet evening under the floodlights within a packed house in the last FA Cup tie to be played at Upton Park add to that the goalmouth drama towards the end and it all ensured that nerves were on edge right until the final whistle.

In a season already short on expectations for a club of Manchester United's stature here was a make-or-break cup tie that would determine if once again they would end another season empty handed.

After the capitulation against Spurs over the weekend van Gaal decided to tweak his starting eleven: De Gea, Fosu-Mensah, Blind, Smallng, Rojo, Carrick, Herrera, Felliani, Lingard, Martial and Rashford.

The impressive young defender Fosu-Mensah recovered from his knock last time out to take his place at right back. There were recalls for Herrera and the much maligned Fellaini. Carrick somehow kept his place after some poor displays of late and Rooney was deemed fit enough to join Mata, Young, Schneiderlin, Valencia and Memphis on a pretty strong looking bench.

The home side got the match underway amid a chorus of cheers from both sets of fans inside the compact stadium.

Lingard showed great early awareness as he played a delightfully weighted pass to Rojo on the left wing who in turn sent over an early cross into the box that was cleared by the home defence.

West Ham put De Gea and his defenders under pressure early doors as they threatened to open the scoring with a flurry of free kicks in dangerous areas all taken by Payet who looked the likeliest of players to score from set pieces.

Fosu-Mensah seemed to have his hands full at right back with both Payet and Lanzini testing the youngsters nerves.

United worked their first shot towards goal following a run by Fellaini. The Belgian chose to pass to Rashford whose effort was blocked for a corner. Martial was left fuming at Fellaini's choice of pass as he was totally unmarked on the left edge of the area.

There was a great chance for Fellaini to put United ahead as he struck from close range, but his goal-bound effort was somehow saved by Hammers keeper Randolph.

Twenty minutes played and after the home side had started well United enjoyed their best period and could have burst West Hams' bubble on a couple of occasions if it wasn't for their usual poor finishing and dire deliveries from corners.

The recalled Herrera enjoyed a bit of freedom in the midfield and showed his quality of vision as he picked out the runs of his forwards time and time again.

United's captain on the night Carrick was booked for a blatant block on the advancing Valencia deep in his own half. From the resulting Payet free kick Lanzini blasted over De Gea's bar. United had to be more careful not to give too many cheap fouls away.

The visitors worked an opportunity for Lingard after a brilliant surging run by Rashford and as Lingard only had the keeper to beat, he placed his shot well, but Randolph stuck out his boot to make the save.

That was the second clear chance to fall for United and you got the feeling that with the space West Ham was giving them the Red Devils should have put one of those chances away.

Next up was Carrick to see his shot squirm just wide of the post. It would have been fitting if he could have scored a goal at his former club in the last cup tie at the ground.

Just before the break Rojo wad cautioned for a careless foul which was followed by a yellow for Carroll.

Half-time and to be honest United had the better of the play and created the most chances and if not for the Hammers' keeper would have gone in ahead at the break.

They managed to pass the ball around well and had a good balance about them as they played the game at their own tempo which took the sting out of the home side's game at the same time quietening down the home fans.

The worrying factor had to be yet another first half in which United had failed to find the back of the net and you worried that the missed chances would come back to haunt them in the second half.

United got the second half underway and van Gaal decided not to replace Rashford with Ashley Young as he had surprisingly against Spurs.

An early swerving effort from Lingard in the opening minutes showed United's intent as they piled the pressure on West Hams penalty area. At the other end, De Gea had to be alert to save low at his near post from a long range effort from Kouyate.

Then in the 52nd minute it was the turn of the man of the moment Marcus Rashford to turn the tie in United's favour in spectacular fashion as he opened the scoring with a piece of individual skill to bend in a screamer into the top far corner of the goal to put United 1-0 up after being played in by Martial.

A lead that they fully deserved and what a strike from Rashford as his confidence knows no bounds at the moment.

The home fans tried to raise the atmosphere and they all jumped to their feet when they believed a penalty should have been awarded against Carrick and Blind but thankfully referee Roger East waved away the claims.

United's lead was doubled in the 66th minute by Fellaini who bundled the ball home with his knee after some poor home defending to put the visitors firmly in control of the tie. The goal led to the 5,000 away fans blaring out the fact that United was going to Wembley.

Following the goal, a jubilant van Gaal decided to replace Rojo with Valencia which meant that Fosu-Mensah switched full-back roles for the last twenty minutes.

Herrera became the third United player to be booked after a high boot against Payet. Shortly afterward he was injured in a challenge and had to be replaced by Schneiderlin. West Hams' captain Noble decided that Herrera wasn't leaving the pitch quick enough so took it on himself to carry the Spaniard off much to the joy of the home fans.

Another Spaniard was called into action as De Gea saved with his feet at his near post. But in the next attack West Ham pulled a goal back after Tomkins headed in bravely from close range. Game on.

The goal set up a very nervy last ten minutes as United tried to relieve the pressure by keeping the ball, which frustrated the home players and fans, but the youngsters in white showed their willingness to get through to the semi-finals.

Then in true FA cup drama as full time approached the best keeper in the world made a brilliant double save as De Gea kept the ball out in outstanding fashion and in doing so kept his side in the cup. The Hammers did manage to get the ball in the net at the third attempt but it was ruled offside.

Wayne Rooney made a return to first team action when he replaced scorer Rashford in injury time. What followed was a frantic end to a match that was true to the romance of the cup as United persevered and made it through to a semi-final against Everton.

There were some outstanding players on display tonight, including the revelation at the back Fosu-Mensah along with Fellaini, Herrera and Carrick holding firm in the middle.

De Gea had yet another superb night in goal and was so close to the man of the match. However, that honour has to go to goal machine Marcus Rashford who once again showed his cool head and quick feet to provide the platform for the victory.

Louis van Gaal is between a rock and a hard place as even if he manages to bring the FA Cup to Old Trafford the campaign will still be considered a failure especially as if expected there will be no Champions League football next season.

In the meantime, the team should be applauded for the way they overcame West Ham and set up a tasty match at Wembley against Everton.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

 

Martial Bursts The Hammers Bubble.

Manchester United 1 West Ham United 1

Martial keeps cup hopes alive.

A much needed equaliser from Anthony Martial, following a superb opening goal by Payet, kept Manchester United in the FA Cup after another uninspiring display at Old Trafford.

The return of the FA Cup, which is conceivably the last chance of silverware for the Red Devils, saw the visit of high-flying West Ham United to Old Trafford in a match that would have a strong bearing on how United's campaign will end.

How would van Gaal and his coaches pick their players up for a tie against a Hammers side that under the guidance of Bilic have performed exceedingly well this season? Especially with their playmaker Payet.

Van Gaal decided to make three changes to the team who lost against Liverpool as Carrick, Lingard and Herrera came in for Schneiderlin, Memphis and the suspended Mata. 17-year-old defender RoShaun Williams became the latest youngster to be given a chance by van Gaal. The locally born lad was placed on the bench.

United's starting XI: De Gea, Varela, Smalling, Blind, Rojo, Carrick, Fellaini, Herrera, Lingard, Martial and Rashford.

United got the tie underway amid a buoyant atmosphere attacking the old Scoreboard End and it was Rashford who immediately stretched his legs with a run into the opposition area and earned the first corner of the match which was headed over by Fellaini.

In the build up Martial received a nasty-looking kick to his shin which Reid was quite rightly booked for by referee Atkinson.

Lingard had the next chance in a game that was an open affair, but his effort was wide of the far post.

The visitors came close when Antonio managed to work his way through United's defence and thankfully pulled his shot just wide of a stranded De Gea.

Ten minutes in and the match was a typical open FA Cup tie with both sides attacking at will. Carroll was the next to have a go with a flying header that whistled over De Gea's bar.

Martial recovered from the bad challenge in the opening minutes and won a corner after a run down the left-hand side. When delivered it almost had Rashford in on goal.

Jesse Lingard cut in from his position on the right wing but his low effort lacked any real power as it trickled wide. From the same wing, Varela delivered a teasing cross that Rashford met acrobatically but couldn't get the connection needed.

It was the visitors turn to attack and they came near to the opener as Emenike met an inviting cross from Cresswell and his header looked goal bound until De Gea saved on the line.

Then it was back up the other end as Herrera tried his luck from the edge of the area, but he mishit his strike and it was deflected behind for a corner but the referee didn't spot it and awarded a goal kick, much to the displeasure of the Spaniard.

As the game approached the half hour mark one thing was clear and that was Martial had the bit between his teeth as he terrorised the defence with his mesmerising runs down the left wing.

The best chance of the half fell to Herrera after fine combination work by Martial and Rojo who played the ball to the Spaniard who was unmarked inside the area, however he seemed to rush his shot and the ball ballooned high and wide.

Rashford had a similar chance to Herrera's and, this time, it was blocked for a corner. United enjoyed the majority of the possession and chances in the first thirty minutes, but would have to keep an eye on Payet and his teammates on the counter.

Not for the first time in his United career Fellaini picked up a needless caution for a foul on Noble that really didn't have to be made. United continued to allow the Hammers to bully them into giving away free kicks and this time, it was Rashford's turn to come back and in trying to help out his defenders only succeeded in putting his teammates in more trouble.

As the half drew to a close West Ham had the last chance when Cresswell delivered a threatening cross from the right, which De Gea did well to cut out before it could cause any damage.

Both teams went in at half-time ruing their missed chances in a half that was as open as it could get. Once again United's inability to put the ball in the net left the fans frustrated, especially knowing how big a threat the visitors have been all season.

After trying the duo of Carrick and Fellaini to little or no effect, maybe it was time for van Gaal to unleash Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger on the midfield to try and add that extra bite needed to push the Reds forward.

The visitors started the second half on the attack and almost caught the defence out with a dangerous ball into the box which De Gea was quick to react to as he punched away the ball.

United's first corner of the half had the players shouting in unison for a penalty for an alleged handball in front of the Stretford End. It would turn out to be the start of the referee waving play on from appeals.

A great passing game move by the home side almost opened the visitors defence until Payet brought down Lingard right on the edge of the area.

From the resulting Herrera free kick Martial almost sneaked in unnoticed at the far post and his header was blocked by a defender's hand. For the second time the referee saw no intention made. This upturn in action had the home fans raising the volume within the Theatre of Dreams.

In the next attack, the ball was worked along the edge of West Ham's penalty area where eventually Herrera blasted the ball goalwards only for his effort to be blocked by Reid's hand. That's was the third clear-cut handball inside the visitors' box, all of which were ignored by Martin Atkinson.

At least, Atkinson balanced the books by not awarding Payet a penalty when he deliberately dived in the area. If the ref believed that Payet dived then he should have been cautioned and sent off as he had been booked for an earlier foul on Lingard.

Right on cue in the 68th minute, Payet stepped up to deliver a superb free-kick which flew into the top corner past a despairing De Gea to give the visitors a 1-0 lead and sink United into more despair.

Twenty minutes left on the clock and van Gaal still hadn't made a change when quite clearly the players on the pitch were not providing the goods needed to turn the tie around. Even Carrick added to the woes with a late lunge on Lanzini that deserved the yellow it received.

Then with fifteen minutes to go van Gaal finally decided to freshen things up with double substitution when Fellaini and Rashford made way for Schweinsteiger and Memphis. There was a round of applause as Fellaini departed. However, it was more for the fact he had been substituted than for his performance.

In the frantic few minutes that followed the change Herrera had another shot blocked and Schweinsteiger blasted wildly wide. Time was quickly running out for United as they stared defeat down the barrel as they looked incapable of scoring an equaliser let alone a winner.

Then up stepped Martial to creep in at the far post to tap home a superb cross from Herrera to make it 1-1. Game on and could United find the winner in the final seven minutes? The crowd thought so judging by the noise levels as they urged the players to attack.

Carrick had a shot which squirmed just wide of the post. This was followed by the last change by van Gaal as he withdrew Varela for Darmian.

A shot from distance by Antonio in added time almost caught out De Gea but thankfully he reacted quickly and saved low to his right.

That was the last piece of action of the match as United hung on in the cup by the thinnest thread after falling behind to West Ham and unconvincingly clawing their way back into the tie to earn a second chance in the replay in the capital. A draw was probably the fairest result after a less than convincing display be referee Atkinson.

For United the outstanding players were Herrera, Martial and De Gea who all kept their side in the cup when other players struggled to get a grip on the game. When Schweinsteiger entered the fray United looked a different side and one can only hope that he starts in the upcoming matches.

Next up is the second leg of the Europa League tie against Liverpool at Old Trafford and the concern has to be where are the goals going to come from without conceeding at the other end. The man that has all the answers is Louis van Gaal, who has his work cut out over the next few days if he wants to save his and Man United's season.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

United vs Liverpool: Europa League Preview.

Manchester United vs Liverpool Rivalry Continues.

They are the two biggest rivals and also the most successful teams in English football, but now they come together for the first time to fight it out on the European stage.

The Europa League could prove to be the only way for one of these sides to gain entry into next season's Champions League as both teams look more and more likely to be failing in their bid to finish in the top four of the Premier League.

Of course, both United and Liverpool have a rich history of playing at the highest level in Europe which, goes back to the days of Busby and Paisley but now the situation both clubs find themselves in is a little foreign, to say the least.

Having to rely on the poor relations cup to gain access to the top table of European football is not an ideal position to be in. However, that's how it is after another fairly lackluster season for both sides.

There are many reasons as to why both teams have underperformed this campaign and no amount of excuses can appease both sets of fans who not only expect, but demand their clubs are fighting for the league each campaign, especially United.

During the present campaign Van Gaal has given so many youngsters the chance to show their worth as his side has been hit by injury after injury and it could be those same youngsters who will have the huge responsibility to carry United through to the quarterfinals when more regulars should be available to add strength and valuable experience to the team.

Van Gaal has endured a torrid time of late and if he is to get any respite from the fans he has to get it right over the next two ties. He can fall back to a degree on his record of having won all of his matches against Liverpool in his time as United manager including the latest 1-0 victory at Anfield. But in Klopp, he will come up against a manager who is known for his ability to motivate his players.

Maybe the outcome is too close to call. However, there is one guarantee and that is the fans will definitely be on top of their game as this match gives both sets of supporters the chance to vent their hatred towards each other. It really doesn't matter what the competition is the only outcome expected is a victory at any cost. Losing would not only cast a shadow over the clubs, but would be unbearable for the fans especially on social media.

If I was to stick my neck out, I believe that United will prevail as the second leg is at Old Trafford which offers the slightest of advantages for the Red Devils providing they can, at least, come away from Anfield with a draw and a vital away goal. Having said that, one thing has been certain this season and that is trying to predict van Gaal and his team's results is nigh on impossible.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Mata's Red Damages United's Chances.

West Bromwich Albion 1 Manchester United 0

As the season enters its final furlong any number of teams can still end up in one of the coveted top four spots needed for Champions League qualification. However, it looks increasingly more certain that Man United will not be one of them following this demoralising defeat in the West Midlands.

After winning their last four matches on the trot United went to The Hawthorns with a proud record of having never lost a Premier League match there and was buoyed by the return of centre-back Smalling to hopefully boost their rear guard.

Van Gaal made four changes from the side that laboured to the win over Watford in midweek. At the back, Darmian and Smalling replaced Varela and Fosu-Mensah. In midfield, Carrick returned to give Schneiderlin a well-earned rest and Lingard came in for Memphis. Starting XI: De Gea, Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Rojo, Carrick, Herrera, Lingard, Mata, Martial and Rashford.

Teenage sensation Rashford was given another start up front and an opportunity to combine with Martial yet again. Fellaini returned from injury and started on the bench.

The first effort of the match fell to Martial after a couple of minutes with a long range effort to test former United keeper Ben Foster which the former Red collected easily.

United started the match well from the kick off by utilising Darmian's pace on the right to good effect as he provided some early pressure. Rashford started as the main striker with Martial positioned on the left and Lingard on the right with Mata linking the midfield and attack.

The visitors almost produced the opening goal as Mata linked well with Herrera, who tried to play his compatriot in on goal with a chip over the defence but slightly overhit his return pass.

It was then the turn of the home side to test the visitors resilience with a couple of high balls into the area which were dealt with well by Smalling and Blind. There was a chance for Dawson, who rose above United's defence only to get his header all wrong.

Blind failed to clear his lines and the poor clearance ended up at the feet of Berahino who let the ball run away from him and the chance had gone. The Dutchman was in the thick of the action again as his foot was too high as it connected with Berahino's face. A free kick was awarded right on the edge of the penalty area. Martial was back in defence and helped to clear the resulting free kick.

There was a scare for United as another free kick was floated towards the far post where McAuley stormed in and headed the ball across the face of goal with De Gea stranded. If the ball had gone in it wouldn't have counted as the flag was already raised for offside.

Then just before the half hour, a couple of rash decisions by Mata turned the game on its head. Firstly, he didn't retreat the full ten yards from a Fletcher free kick and was booked. Secondly, a few minutes later he went late into a tackle on Fletcher and caught the former United player for which the referee had little choice but to issue a second yellow and, therefore, Mata had to walk.

It has to be said that both yellows were needless from Mata and he should have known better as it put United on the back foot so early on in the match. It was also United's first red card of the season and the Spaniards first in the Premier League.

Dawson had another chance this time with a dipping shot that only just dropped wide of the post.

As the first half came to a close, it was the Baggies who dominated as United tried to regroup after Mata had been dismissed. Martial did manage to work himself into a shooting position inside the box, but he took too long to adjust himself.

Lingard engineered a good break down the left wing and earned a corner for his troubles on the stroke of half-time.

0-0 after 45 minutes and a half that was all about Mata's carelessness and less about the football. Even though West Brom created more chances they were mainly from high balls played into the area looking for either Rondon or Berahino which were dealt with without too much concern by the back four.

United created little of note before and after Mata saw red and an improvement in the second half would have to be found from somewhere if they were to gain the three points they badly needed. It would be an uphill struggle but not impossible. The biggest question was how van Gaal would reorganise his ten men for the second half.

The home side got the second half underway as van Gaal decided against making any changes and it was United that started on the front foot. They earned a corner from a Rashford shot following a great trademark twisting run into the penalty area by Martial. Better from the Red Devils now if they could only make the pressure count with a goal.

A couple of corners for United followed by a big appeal for handball against Gardner after he clearly handled a Rojo cross was waved away by the referee who was standing only a few yards away.

Lingard, who scored his first United goal against the same opponents at Old Trafford, tried his luck from distance and wasn't that far away.

It was all United at that point as Martial was upended just outside the area. Herrera fired the resulting free kick into the wall. Martial was proving to be a pain in the home side's defence as his pace and trickery caused problems for Olsson especially.

Then the first change was made by van Gaal just after the hour mark when Herrera made way for Schneiderlin in midfield.

Not for the first time this season, the away fans were in fine voice, but they were silenced in the 66th minute when West Brom took the lead through Rondon, who blasted a low left-footed drive past the despairing dive of De Gea. Exactly how Rondon escaped his marker to score only Blind can answer.

An uphill struggle suddenly looked like a mountain to climb for United who found themselves 1-0 down and with only ten men. From this point on United struggled to mount a reply against The Baggies.

Daley Blind was having a nightmare of a game against scorer Rondon and found it hard going against the robust forward.

Memphis was given a chance to rescue his team when he came on for Rashford for the final fifteen minutes. His first piece of action saw him brought down in a dangerous position. He also took the free-kick which evaded everyone inside the area.

Fosu-Mensah became the last change by van Gaal when he replaced Darmian at right back as the game entered the final ten minutes. It was a like for like change and even if Darmian had an injury then surely it would have made more sense to put on a player who could do more damage up front. A gamble on Fellaini's height maybe as the game neared the end.

The signal for four minutes of added time failed to spur United into anything close to a chance on goal and the match ended in another disappointing result for van Gaal's side.

There were many performances to forget, especially from Blind and Carrick. The latter created nothing from his holding position in midfield and spent most of the match following the goal passing backwards or sideways when the Carrick of old would have tried to pick out forward players with his passing ability. Those forwards also missed Mata's vision for the majority of the match and struggled to have any bearing on the result. Herrera was of the boil as were most of the team.

This was a defeat that could signal the end of a top four finish for United and more worryingly next up is the small matter of the first of the double header against bitter rivals Liverpool in the UEFA Europa League last 16. It will be the first time the two giants of English football have pitted their wits against each other in European football.

We can expect two matches of heated rivalry on and certainly off the pitch as both sets of players and supporters will not give an inch to each other.

With the second leg at Old Trafford, you would expect United to come out on top over the two legs as van Gaal's record of never having lost against the Anfield outfit bodes well. But after this result who knows what will happen.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.

Moment Of Magic From Mata.

Manchester United 1 Watford 0

It was a night in which United gained valuable ground in their chase for a top-four place as all around them lost their heads magical Mata kept his to ensure his side kept their winning run going.

After successfully coming through a week that included three wins and a remarkable couple of debut games for youngster Marcus Rashford it was the turn of Watford to visit Old Trafford in a Premier League match that United needed to win to mount a fresh challenge for an important top four finish and keep the confidence boosting run of wins going.

There was welcome news on the injury front with the return of to the squad of Martial and Darmian, but who would van Gaal drop to accommodate their return after the youngsters had more than done their part for the team the answer was in his starting XI: De Gea, Varela, Blind, Fosu-Mensah, Rojo, Schneiderlin. Mata, Herrera, Martial, Memphis and Rashford.

On paper, the side he chose looked exciting, to say the least with Martial taking over from Lingard to give the attack a potent looking feel alongside Rashford who has been scoring for fun this week. Mata had the honor of captioning United in the absence of Carrick, Rooney and Smalling.

In defence, Fosu-Mensah made his first start at centre-back in place of Carrick with Rojo at left back feeling no ill effects from his early withdrawal against Arsenal. On the bench, Joe Rothwell, the Manchester-born midfielder, was the latest reserve team player to be given his chance to shine.

It was the away side who started the match on the front foot attacking the Stretford End as they won an early corner which United defended well. Over the next ten minutes, United found it hard to get into any attacking rhythm and Watford took advantage of that with some forays into the home penalty area. Deeney caught Rojo with a boot to the head as the ball came in from a free-kick.

United struggled early doors to put a run of passes together as Watford hunted them down well to prevent the home side building any momentum.

Fifteen minutes in and Memphis blew off the cobwebs as he went on one of his trademark runs down the left which ended with a shot that was so wide of the mark it went out for a throw-in. At least, the winger can blame the swirling windy conditions.

Blind almost dropped a huge clanger by gifting Ighalo a chance on goal with a terrible pass which the forward thankfully hit weakly into the hands of a grateful De Gea to save the blushes of Blind.

United moved up a gear and won a free-kick in a dangerous area that Mata floated over. As the ball was cleared to the edge of the penalty area Schneiderlin was lurking and met the ball on the volley and it dipped narrowly wide of the post.

Debut defender Fosu-Mensah had a mixed start at the back with some great blocking combined with some rash challenges and received a caution for one of those challenges on the edge of the box.

After thirty minutes it had to be said that Watford had come the closest to opening the scoring and if it wasn't for nervy finishing they would have been ahead. United would have to tread carefully at the back.

The atmosphere inside the stadium was a little subdued, like United's play, and the away fans were questioning whether or not Old Trafford was, in fact, a library. Let's hope United would make them eat their words and give the crowd something to shout about.

Martial had a half-chance on goal as he met an incoming free kick which he hit straight at keeper Gomes. Memphis was having trouble with his final delivery as most of them were over hit. Mata, captaining the side, was trying to lead from the front and got in some challenges to attempt to get his players going.

Another scare for United came as Ighalo found himself clean through on goal for the second time, but instead of squaring the ball to an unmarked Deeney he chose to take the shot on himself. De Gea stood up strong and blocked his effort. How Watford was not ahead is anyone's guess.

Just before half-time, Herrera had a cross come shot that wasn't a million miles away from curling into the top corner.

There was another poor back pass by Blind that Ighalo latched onto. However, there was De Gea to the rescue again for the Red Devils who were certainly living dangerously at the back.

On the stroke of half-time, United won a corner which was inexplicably played thirty yards backwards and then the possession was lost.

Half-time and United had David De Gea to thank once again for going in on level terms as Watford had the majority of the chances on goal especially Ighalo who had wasted three clear cut chances.

The home side looked markedly downbeat and a little battle weary and didn't help themselves with some poor defending. A boost would be needed in the second half if they are to maintain their winning streak. Rashford and Martial had not really seen enough of the ball to make any impact on the game and Memphis would need to stay on his feet and become more of a threat down the left wing.

Watford started the second half as they had ended the first as they were gifted possession and it was that man Ighalo who failed to convert the chance handed to him on a plate. Capoue had a long range effort that only just fizzed over De Gea's crossbar.

Rashford came to United's rescue when he cleared a Watford corner from right on the goal line. You would have thought at this stage that Watford were the home team as United still struggled to get a decent foothold in the game.

Ighalo almost gave the visitors the lead after he twisted and turned Fosu-Mensah inside the area and curled an effort wide of the far post.

As the hour mark approached it was still Watford who looked the biggest threat on the attack, then golden boy Rashford went on a strong run into the area and won a corner for his effort. Could that be the spur to action that United needed to produce the goods?

United did indeed burst into life as Mata let fly with a screamer that Gomes managed to save and from the rebound the home side won a free-kick right on the edge of the box. Memphis struck a disappointing shot into the wall.

Time for United to turn the screw as they enjoyed their best spell in the game as Mata tried his luck from distance again but his effort was blocked. Then after sterling work from Rashford down the right, the captain almost broke the deadlock with a left-footed bender that curled wide.

When Rashford is in full flight the speed he has is frightening for a big forward and United began to reap the benefits once he had moved to the right and Martial switched to the centre.

Van Gaal made his first change of the match when he replaced Rojo with Darmian for the last twenty minutes.

The following five minutes saw the game get bogged down in the midfield as both sides looked to gain the advantage in the match.

The second change for United saw Lingard make an appearance in place of Herrera. Watford then proceeded to miss two clear cut opportunities the last one was a header at the far post by Prodl under pressure from Blind who was lucky to escape giving away a penalty.

A moment of magic from Mata eventually broke the deadlock and Watford's hearts in the 83rd minute with a delightful free kick dispatched up and over the wall into the top corner. The set piece for United came after Martial had been upended thirty yards out. That was exactly the inspiration that United needed.

It was Mata's final contribution as captain as he was replaced by McNair to a well-deserved standing ovation. Now all the home side had to do was hold out for the four minutes of added time.

Hold out they did and at the full-time whistle it was an important win and three points for United if not a great display it was the win that was crucial as Arsenal, Spurs and Man City all lost which meant that United moved to level points with City and put themselves back in the mix for a valuable top-four placing.

Even though Mata was the match winner it was the solid performance of midfielder Schneiderlin that deserved the man of the match plaudits as he gave his all for the cause as he has been doing for the latest run of games. A player that quietly but effectively goes about his business in a manner that sometimes escapes attention.

Ten league games remaining and if United can keep this run of results going who knows where they could end up.

Thanks for reading.

Miles Dunton.