We wish there was more to be positive about. Unfortunately right now with Manchester United, there is another inquest due after more dropped points.
As if exiting the FA Cup was not bad enough, now United have lost ground in the race for the top four.
Drawing 1-1 against Burnley, the Premier League’s bottom team was particularly disappointing and this result felt more like a defeat.
There were some underwhelming individual displays too. Here is a look at United’s three worst players at Turf Moor…
Harry Maguire
Harry Maguire was directly involved in two goal incidents, none of them good for Manchester United.
He was naively ruled offside from a free-kick, and wouldn’t you know it, this was the rare occasion the team scored from a set piece. Raphael Varane saw his first ever Manchester United goal chalked off.
Maguire was then given the run around by Jay Rodriguez for Burnley’s goal, turned inside out by the forward to net a crucial equaliser.
He was booked later on for a challenge on Rodriguez which had the BT Sport commentators discussing whether he should have seen red.
The game ended with Maguire heading a corner over the bar, as he frequently does. This was not the performance of a £80 million centre-back, and United fans have become used to this.
Edinson Cavani
Edinson Cavani was brought into the line-up ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo to do a job, and he was a generally effective outlet in the first half, before his howler of a miss.
Cavani headed the ball into the ground from a yard out, allowing a diving Nick Pope to recover and save his effort.
The Uruguayan should have scored, and his chance to double United’s lead was wasted. After half-time he had absolutely no impact, and it was no surprise to see him substituted.
Cristiano Ronaldo
United have a bit of a problem up front at present. Cavani and Ronaldo are class acts with truly incredible records, they just are not delivering right now.
Ronaldo replaced Cavani and failed to positively effect the result. He missed two chances the Ronaldo of old would have buried.
One came when he was unmarked at a corner and headed over, the second came when Anthony Elanga floated in a perfectly placed and weighted cross and he headed the ball over the bar again.
In 23 minutes Ronaldo had just six touches, and three of them were to put the ball out of play.
Ronaldo’s poor form is a real concern now, he has not scored yet in 2022. With Cavani striking out too, United’s need for a clinical young goalscorer is growing.
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