It was a happy and peaceful week for the Reds after a victorious encounter with QPR. Having thrashed the Rangers with an exceptional score-line of 4-0, a glimpse of hope tinged with a much-longed confidence lightened the United dugout. A comeback seemed certain and the clash with Leicester City was expected to be a herald of the destructive Reds we have all been eagerly waiting for after all those lavish signings at Old Trafford. Well, expectations met a disastrous fall when United were routed by the newly promoted Foxes.
To be specific, it was a devastating Sunday with Everton suffering a terrible blow at the hands of Crystal Palace, Spurs being washed away in front of their home crowd by West Bromwich, a side that had failed to score in three consecutive fixtures prior to this match and finally, United feeling the same old misery tailing their performances.
The clash between United and Leicester City was poised to be a cracker. The Foxes were on a confident run after haunting Arsenal and Everton in the past and they surely had sensed a chance against United who were just sort of pulling themselves out of the dark. The United manager presented a stronger unit for this fixture by introducing Falcao in place of Mata along with same side that featured in the victory against QPR. Consequently, it remained the right move by the Dutch as the first goal came off a perfect cross by the Columbian and a neat header by Robin Van Persie.
United continued to excite the enthused fans by scoring twice and reached a comforting lead of two goals as the scores read 3-1. A win was an obvious result. But then we all know it’s the Premier League, one of the most exciting leagues in the world with its unpredictable twist and turns. A penalty for Leicester and the home crowd went wild. What followed later led the Red fans into utter dismay. United continued to try and alleviate the distress but the Foxes had, by then, turned into a rejuvenated lot, quickly cementing the gap and grabbing a two goal lead. “What just happened?” were the few words that I could recollect as said by a United fan seated beside me, appalled by his team’s terrible display in the second half.
The United Manager is no different than the bewildered fans and is equally terrified after witnessing an amateurish defending from his side. It’s hard to doubt the team’s credibility as it comprises of some of the best in the business. So what exactly is bedeviling the team right now? Louis Van Gaal, I bet, is surely working on this. Time too seems to be deserting him as the responsibility to finish in the top four continues to mark its presence. The Champions League deprived team now has a lot at stakes and a lot to prove in the upcoming fixtures.
