Manchester United 0-0 Crystal Palace: 5 things learned | Premier League 2018-19

It was more doom and gloom for Manchester United, after a 0-0 draw at home to Crystal Palace.

On paper, this was a game Manchester United should be winning, despite their current low league position. It's pretty telling they have major issues, and this latest draw certainly doesn't ameliorate them.

Overall, this season has been very bad for United, and they have performed far worse than the other top six.

Mancunian rivals City have been exceptional, and are surely favourites to retain the league.

Traditional enemies Liverpool look strong, and Tottenham as well as Chelsea (despite the latter losing to the former this weekend) have been good. Arsenal too has changed, and look a strong contender for the top four.

But United has been weak and beset with numerous issues, mishaps, disputes, and calamities.

Jose Mourinho has said his team lacked heart, but is this the issue at hand here?

Mourinho's tactics have been maligned by fans and pundits alike, and he has not sought to progress the team in this fashion. Sanchez still hasn't performed to his Arsenal-esque levels. And whilst Shaw staying is a boon, he too has been sporadic in form.

It's clear that much needs to change in this context. But what exactly?

Is it purely tactical? Does Mourinho need replacing?

Should players be sold?

Should there be a holistic change at all levels of the club? Should Mourinho stay, amidst a widespread change?

Something has to give though. The telling point is what? If there are no changes, then things are bound to deteriorate.

Man United may finish even 10th this season. Is this a hyperbole? It may be. But with City, Liverpool, Spurs, and Chelsea winning, and a steadily improving Arsenal, they will get left behind. Lets not forget that Wolves, Bournemouth, Everton, and Leicester City, are strong in the bottom half of the top ten.

It's said that when things get tough, the tough get going. Things are tough for United now - and the club holistically needs to get going, if it's to prosper.

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#1 Limp attacking play

These are all players, on paper at least, who are top quality

Whilst Lukaku, Pogba, Martial, and Mata, all had some chances to score, the overall play in the final third was not very potent. The introduction of Alexis didn't add much, and it was a very limp showing.

These are all players, on paper at least, who are top quality. They should have enough to beat Palace, but they just didn't click.

This is concerning, especially with the coming Champions League games and key PL games ahead.

Mourinho must find another way, or he could be out of the job soon, and United may not get in the top six, let alone top four.

Lukaku's form this season also has been off, as he's not at the levels of last season and at Everton. Is it all down to the vibe at the club? It's clear that he needs to shape up, as does Lingard, Mata, and others.

Alexis Sanchez too has still not shone, despite being at the club for months now. Is he spent? Or has he gone over the hill? Maybe. But he too needs re-invigoration, if United are to improve.

#2 Palace put in a strong showing

United's woes are naturally a strong talking point, but Palace's play here was strong. Hodgson is a maligned manager in some quarters, but to get two credible draws vs both Arsenal and United shows that he intends Palace won't go down without a fight.

Palace themselves had some strong chances to score, and with better finishing could have made this a far worse game than needed for United.

Hodgson should be given credit for this, and with players like Zaha and Townsend, Crystal Palace can take heart in the midst of their relegation battle.

Another point was that United's defence couldn't cope with Zaha's pace, and if not for the bar and a late offside call, Zaha could have secured a win for Palace here.

With regards to defenders, it's clear United need an overhaul in that area, and Palace was unlucky not to secure more from this fixture.

#3 Mourinho's man-management

Is Mourinho adding fuel to the fire? Given his recent comments on how "weak" modern players are.

Possibly. This may not go down very well. But if he is this "bad" and "abusive", why did Luke Shaw decide to stay? Why is Lingard happy to stay, or why are Smalling and Young being offered new deals?

Whilst comments Mourinho makes in the public domain can be terse and abrasive, how he acts in private may be different. Fans nor random observers cannot know the deep goings on in clubs, nor the major intricacies at hand.

However, his actions may not be creating a harmonious unit, and this could be translating into the performances on the pitch.

This is speculation though, but it's clear that rumours of players "downing tools" could materialise if comments he's made in the public domain are not well-received.

In the above video, Rio Ferdinand is right to say that Mourinho's comments can have an effect, though it's subjective for each player involved.

#4 Should Mourinho still go?

Mourinho is clearly not producing, but is it simplistic to cite him as the major issue?

Yes, tactically things haven't been going well.

But then relations between him and the board have not been smooth, especially in terms of attaining top players. It was clear that the team needed new defenders, and they haven't really secured this, despite moves for Alderweireld of Tottenham Hotspur.

Would a new manager have better relations with the board? It's moot. Would a "nicer" manager get more from the players? This again is debatable.

What's certain is that a new manager may get the most from the attacking players like Sanchez, Lukaku, Martial, Rashford, and other players who are not firing at the moment.

What's also certain is that United currently has a negative goal difference, and this needs to be corrected. Maybe a new manager would emphasise more on attacking, and thus correct this deficiency.

#5 Where does United go from here?

Mourinho's tactics have been questionable of late

The issue isn't just about Mourinho. Or whether the players are up to it, or are being properly motivated and nurtured.

The club needs a holistic review and change, from the board, players, manager, and direction.

United is today where Arsenal was a year to 18 months ago. Wenger was controlling all footballing facets, and results on the pitch were not very forthcoming. Moreover, the club needed a change, and this has come via Wenger, and key executive appointments such as Raul Sanhelli as head of football, and senior scout Sven Mislintat.

Mourinho's tactics have been questionable of late, but the issue is deeper than this.

Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, it's been a case of rudderlessness. The club did not anticipate his departure, and has seemingly relied more on commercial growth than success on the pitch.

Yes, there have been the FA Cup, League Cup, and Europa League wins. But the league form, bar the runners-up place last season, hasn't been stellar. Even then, United was far behind City, who won the league in record-breaking fashion.

Getting rid of Mourinho is an option, but like Arsenal and Wenger, it's not the entirety of the problem. Arsenal has acknowledged they needed structural change, and it has come. Whether it will deliver is moot naturally, but the club must be commended for doing this.

What Manchester United need is the same, and perhaps more. United's revenues are still the highest in the world, and most likely will be again despite Real Madrid's record-breaking Champions League win. United still sell shirts and merchandise, and thus attain much financially. If this continues, will there be a catalyst or prompt for change?

Things may get worse before they get better, and it's time for United's fans to put pressure on the club and board. Until then, a seventh or eighth place finish may result, which for a club of United's history, traditions, financial strength, and even player quality, is insufficient and unacceptable.