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Harry Maguire consulted with referee Jon Moss to confirm that Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s last-second tie would stand, and there was in fact no more time left on the clock, before roaring an expletive into the cold night air. Manchester United started up again and Moss sounded the final whistle.
Maguire’s sentiment will have been shared by everyone associated with United. This was a painful draw that felt like a defeat.
But was it a fatal blow to United’s hopes of winning the Premier League? Not yet. Curtains for a club that has fought so many title battles to the end? Barely.
So it was strange to hear Ole Gunnar Solskjaer effectively rule out his team’s chances shortly after.
The United manager has been trying to manage expectations at Old Trafford for the past few weeks and that is perhaps understandable. But this was much more depressing.
“We are not talking about winning titles,” Solskjaer said. “We have come a long way in this team and we should not have been considered as contenders for the title.”
Why not? Manchester City are the clear favorites, but United are their closest rival in this strangest season that has opened up so many possibilities.
It’s only February and nobody wins the title now, as Solskjaer has said. Had United held out a few more seconds, they would have become a joint leader with City after playing two more games.
The coach has been in charge for over two years and named a match day team against Everton that cost almost £ 600 million. If United aren’t a title contender by now, maybe they should be.
It is clear that they are progressing with Solskjaer and if there is still the slightest hope of contesting the title a little earlier than expected, why not take it? There are no guarantees that City will be weaker next season and Liverpool certainly will not be.
Roy Keane has already suggested that his former club is “scared” of mounting a title challenge, and Sportsmail expert Jamie Redknapp also believes United should have more conviction.
“You’re not going to have a better chance,” Redknapp said. ‘This United team should be believing. This is the year when anything is possible. They are not children, are they? They are full of experience. I should tell this team: Believe you can do it. City are by far the best team, but they may still have a problem. ‘
United have an attack to match anyone in the Premier League and were excellent on the 63rd anniversary of the Munich air disaster.
Marcus Rashford provided a wonderful cross for Edinson Cavani to open the scoring and Bruno Fernandes took an even better shot to make it 2-0.
But they were pitiful on defense and Abdoulaye Doucoure and James Rodriguez scored twice in the space of four minutes after the break. Scott McTominay headed United back up front, but Calvert-Lewin leveled in the 95th minute.
It stemmed from a free kick conceded by United substitute Axel Tuanzebe, who revealed that he has been subjected to racist abuse for the second time in recent weeks.
David de Gea was criticized for making a weak attempt to block Calvert-Lewin after he pushed the ball directly into Doucoure for Everton’s first.
Dean Henderson is likely to be in goal for Tuesday night’s FA Cup tie against West Ham and, not for the first time, Solskjaer was asked about De Gea’s position, replying: ‘Every player has to earn your place. We are a competent team and that applies to each and every member of the team. ”
Everton take on Tottenham in the cup at Goodison Park on Wednesday and Carlo Ancelotti was delighted with another excellent result away from home. ‘Wow! What a game, amazing! Fantastic emotion, ”said the Italian, who received a bear hug from his jubilant assistant Duncan Ferguson after the dramatic late draw.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
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