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Manchester United allowed yet another team back into the contest this season and had to be satisfied with only a point against Chelsea in their Premier League game at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first league game resulted in a 1-1 draw with the Red Devils taking the lead through a Bruno Fernandes penalty before the Blues equalised within five minutes.
United’s mentality after taking the lead has left a lot to be desired this season, with the team frequently throwing it away, and that reared its ugly head against the team from London as well.
Moises Caicedo’s volley was exquisitely struck but nobody put their body on the line and the lack of energy and urgency inside the box was concerning.
Mentality problem
Attacking-wise, the hosts had 11 shots in the game and they created numerous chances, with Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford guilty of spurning gilt-edged opportunities.
But something incoming manager Ruben Amorim must work on is the lack of a clear style with the team’s chaotic play still very much a feature.
Ten Hag wanted his players to go vertical at almost all times, which often resulted in frequent losses in possession, leaving the midfield badly exposed at times.
And that was mostly the case on Sunday as well, with the skipper and Casemiro going long to one of the forwards more often than not, with one of them then failing to hold on to the ball resulting in the Blues regaining the ball cheaply.
Manuel Ugarte, in particular, struggled against Enzo Maresca’s side and the incoming Portuguese tactician needs to help develop a possession-based style which can hasten the pace of the game when needed.
United have often played a counter-attacking game and while that will be the gameplan against superior opposition, it is time the club adopt a more patient approach when it comes to other games.
Too direct at times
Both Chelsea and United are not a million miles apart despite what the current table would suggest but the 20-time English league champions need to work on their composure in the final third.
Their inability to find each other under pressure and to keep calm when it matters the most has been hurting the team frequently this season.
While the result was ultimately disappointing, it was a much-improved display from what the fans were seeing under Ten Hag and means Van Nistelrooy is yet to lose in his first two games in charge.
He has another league game and a Europa League encounter to navigate before handing the reins to Amorim, who has a lot to work on if the club are to finish the current campaign strongly.
Feature image Carl Recine via Getty Images