The situation was again looking rather stark. Some had naturally allowed themselves to believe that all had been eased by the 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur. A renewed hope spread through the hierarchy that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could indeed steady all this, take the club to the end of the season… and then who knows? There remains an optimism among some.
Most of the 2-2 draw against Atalanta reminded everyone just how precarious that hope is. The problems haven’t gone away. There was much more to the recent dismal spell than just a bad run of form or low confidence. Those problems weren’t arrested by the relief of an easy 3-0 win over a much worse Tottenham Hotspur.
Even more troublingly, Atalanta had eroded any idea that the new 3-5-2 formation was the solution many had thought. There had again been hope that such an approach could see Solskjaer shore up, avoid any more embarrassments, and gradually build the team back up. Atalanta just punched holes everywhere, though. United looked no more secure.
It all means this afternoon’s Manchester derby is another juncture match in the recent history of both the fixture and United’s form. So much of it goes around the man who saved Solskjaer on Tuesday, Ronaldo.
The run-up to the game has naturally featured a lot of media talk about what happened in August between Manchester City and the Portuguese, and how he could only ever have come back to Old Trafford. It just isn’t true.
Ronaldo had got quite far in a planned move to City. Some connected to United initially found him hard to get through to, and a few felt that was because his mind was made up and he didn’t want to be talked out of a move. Pep Guardiola had even outlined precisely how he would fit into the City team.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 06, 2021-Ausgabe von The Independent.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 06, 2021-Ausgabe von The Independent.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
How Spacey's career came down like a house of cards
As anew documentary reveals more harrowing allegations against the star of American Beauty’, Nick Hilton tells the story of an actor whose own character remains an enigma
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
House prices are down and mortgage costs are up. So how long will buyers and sellers have to wait before the market begins to show signs of life? James Moore digs into the data
Wilson on top after black ball finish halts Jones surge
World Snooker Championship final to resume this afternoon
Norris wins maiden grand prix to end Verstappen run
The Briton, 24, dedicates victory in Miami to his grandma’
Chelsea crush West Ham on late surge for Europe
Chelsea kept up their electric goalscoring form at home and boosted their hopes of securing a Europa League spot with a 5-0 thrashing of West Ham.
Anfield thrills to one more Klopp rollercoaster ride
Eight and a half years after Jurgen Klopp’s reign began against Tottenham, five years after it peaked in a Champions League final against them, Spurs may prove a final example of what made it great and why Anfield will mourn the German.
I'd vote for getting rid of the virtue-signalling smug selfies
A picture can tell a thousand words – but it doesn’t always.
More people should settle their differences with poetry
There’s a lot of conflict in the world right now
'Stop and search' shows that we live in a two-tier society
A few years ago, I went to Westfield in Stratford, east London. I find going shopping a bore at the best of times, so the idea of a place where all the stores I might want to go to are under one roof – a shopping centre, if you will – sounded super convenient, if also my idea of a living hell.
Tory voters won't thank us if we replace the prime minister
The results of the local and police and crime commissioner elections in England were supposed to follow a clear narrative – that Labour was on course for a massive parliamentary majority in a general election, and that Rishi Sunak’s premiership would be on the rocks, with rebel factions waiting to displace him.