Under-pressure sides Manchester United and Chelsea failed to impress after a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford this morning.
The game started at a frantic pace with solid opportunities coming at both ends. Juan Mata’s strike from the top of the box had Thibaut Courtois beat but ricocheted off the crossbar, while a John Terry header forced a magnificent diving save from David De Gea all inside of the first five minutes. Louis van Gaal’s men would look a step quicker than the reigning champions for most of the first-half and were denied an early breakthrough by the post again, yet they would visibly lose intensity as time wore on.
Chelsea had their best chances to break the stalemate just moments into the second-half, but De Gea’s heroics were again the saving grace of the red devils, with the Spaniard first diving down to his left to save a shot from Pedro, then moving to block the near-post and Cesar Azpilicueta’s quick follow-up. Courtois would also be forced to display his best, when Ander Herrera’s sliding shot on the end of an Anthony Martial cross was denied almost on the line.
The fire was lost as players fatigued though and the least half-hour saw the contest dry out, both managers seeming to take the ultimate point as an acceptable return.
Goalkeepers save each team a point
Off-field issues for both teams dominated the lead-up discussion into this match, yet we were quickly reminded of the talent on the pitch, particularly between both posts. Some of the best Manchester United attacking play in weeks saw Courtois tested from the outset and while his net would not have been kept intact if not for the post, the Belgian did enough to record Chelsea’s fifth domestic clean sheet of the season.
However, the claim of being the Premier League’s best goalkeeper solidly rests with De Gea at the moment and the Red Devils are certainly fortunate to still have his services for occasions like these. A deadly header from Blues captain Terry on the end of a corner would have been destined for the top corner if not for the Spaniard’s outstretched hand, while a spectacular double save against Pedro and Cesar Azpilicueta left many onlookers speechless.
Hiddink will be satisfied with start to Chelsea rebuild
Amid the current Chelsea run, a 0-0 draw would not have been the desired result to close out 2015 and leaves Guus Hiddink still searching for his first win since officially returning to London. The small frame of Eden Hazard as a makeshift striker was never going to be enough to significantly trouble the hosts and although there were some bright moments on the counter-attack, the danger fizzled out due to a lack of strong targets in front of goal.
However, Old Trafford is never an easy place to visit and the same scoreline proved satisfactory when Jose Mourinho’s squad travelled North last season. Now in 14th spot on the table, the Blues are still on a knife edge as 2016 approaches, but while they have only won once in the last six outings, Hiddink has already overseen the longest unbeaten streak of this season and the players are gaining morale. Chelsea will need to maximise their points in January to silence any whispers of a relegation battle.
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Enough to save van Gaal?
With the discontent around Old Trafford reaching a fever pitch in the days leading up to this match and Louis van Gaal stating he may step-down as Manchester United manager before being sacked, it looked as though it would be a do-or-die affair against a fierce enemy. While sharing the spoils is not what the Red Devils would have wanted either, some would argue the Dutchman did enough to secure his spot on the sidelines into the New Year at least.
With his tactics here van Gaal seemingly wanted to address the major criticism about his team, that they do not attack enough. A blistering opening half-hour had the visitors entrenched against a swift attacking unit, both Mata and Martial witnessing their attempts come-off the post and Wayne Rooney forcing a fine save out of Courtois from long range. The home supporters were also crying out for penalties on two occasions, either of which could have lead to a winning goal.
Man Utd fail to win 8 consecutive games in all comps for the first time since January 1990 – almost 26 years ago. pic.twitter.com/LkdEVV8Oq2
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) December 28, 2015
Although van Gaal has snapped a four-game losing streak and has indicated he will not quit for now, the restlessness remains for the Manchester United faithful, who have seen any momentum from the early season washed away over the holiday period.
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