Three.
That’s the number of points Manchester United have won from losing positions this season in the Premier League. A 1-1 draw with Liverpool in October, that incredible 3-3 draw with Chelsea and, although it didn’t feel like a rescue act, the 4-4 draw with Everton. The Community Shield was the only instance of Manchester United winning a match this season after conceding the first goal.
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Manchester United have always been known for their comebacks. Wave upon wave of relentless attacks on the opposition’s goal in the dying minutes of a match were often followed by Sir Alex Ferguson jumping like a crazed madman on the touchline in ‘Fergie time’ and lauding his team’s quality and character in post match interviews.
A recent tweet from Opta Sports read:
12 may seem to be a very small number, but United always script fairy-tale victories at the most crucial of times. Who can forget Federico Macheda declaring himself on the big stage with a last minute winner against Aston Villa to virtually win United the title, or Michael Owen winning the Manchester derby for United in the 96th minute, or those famous scalps of 1999 – Juventus, Arsenal and of course, Bayern Munich.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1pgPFmXjC8&feature=related
Often, the most awe inspiring of United’s comebacks are complete long before the final whistle is blown (Spurs 3-5 United in 2001, Everton 2-4 United in 2007, United 5-2 Spurs more recently in 2009).
Ferguson’s and Manchester United’s teams are famous for their never say die attitude, and their refusal to accept defeat until the final whistle is blown. Followers of Manchester United’s fortunes over the years have come to expect the unexpected, so much so that the unexpected is now considered the norm. Whenever a situation which demands another valiant last minute effort arises, commentators always seem to make reference to the glorious comebacks adorning United’s rich history.
Ryan Giggs scores to make it 2-1 against Norwich City deep into injury time.
But such references make me cringe nowadays. As soon as commentators mention past glories of 1999 or any other of United’s countless comebacks, I can’t help but be reminded of how poor this United team is when compared to Ferguson’s previous teams. It is a team which has been blighted by injuries this season. It is a team in transition, and Cleverley, Welbeck, Jones, Smalling et al will surely form the core of not just Manchester United, but also England in the years to come. I am confident that United will be raring to prove their doubters wrong next season. The most worrying facet of this team though, is a lack of inspiration and an even more frightening lack of motivation. Yes, Ryan Giggs’ late winner at Carrow Road epitomized the United spirit, and that 6-goal thriller at Stamford Bridge was nothing short of spectacular. But for the most part, United have failed to deliver when it mattered most.
The recent performance against Manchester City saddened me. The characteristic Manchester United drive and fighting spirit was noticeably absent. Even though they were trailing in the most important match of the season, the players were unable to bring the required urgency into their game. Manchester United did not have even a single shot on target, which is an extremely startling statistic given how vital this match was. United may still go on to win the title (C’mon Sparky!) and QPR have been showing more fight than United the past few weeks, anyway. And victory in such a close title race against our fiercest of rivals would be very sweet indeed, but the mood among the fans is despondent. They know that there’s a better team in Manchester now.
Our ‘noisy neighbours’.
