Five mysteries that surround Manchester United's season so far

3. Where has the never-say-die spirit gone?

Even after United went behind for the second time against West Brom in the 70th minute, most of the United fans wouldn’t have been too concerned as they have seen time and again how their team always claw back into the game, especially at Old Trafford, over the last quarter of a century.

But the fact that United failed to kick on, and rather allowed Wes Brom to re-assert themselves was perplexing and most unlikely of the ruthless Manchester United that the English football has got accustomed to.

Equally surprising was the timid manner in which United collapsed after second half in the Manchester Derby, while the United teams of the years gone by would have won the match against Chelsea and may have rescued a point at Anfield.

Earlier United teams, after falling behind in game, used to bombard themselves on the opposition. But that has still to materialize in the current campaign. United earlier showed patience and composure in such situations, but there has been anything but that in the season thus far, where we have seen the simple passes being misplaced, ball being mis-controlled and stumbled, and desperation on part of United players to equalize or score.