Manchester United’s holding pattern before touchdown in Bilbao was evident again at Stamford Bridge.
The team’s appalling record in the Premier League was extended, and is worthy of fully detailing, but everyone’s immediate focus was on readying for that Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur.
Fans in the away end were clambering over each other to sing their anthem about travelling to the Basque country, growing loud on loop in the second half as the game drifted, while Ruben Amorim made his selections and substitutions with the showpiece occasion on Wednesday in mind.
Where Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou rotated his entire team at Aston Villa, Amorim chose to go strong at Chelsea, of a view that “competing” would get his players into the sharpness required five days later, or at least summon a confidence-boosting performance.
United looked to be heading that way initially, scoring in the 16th minute through Harry Maguire, whose finish to Bruno Fernandes’ cross was crisp. But VAR intervened to rule the goal offside — that was as close as United came to getting a goal.
Marc Cucurella’s header meant United lost again, for the 18th time in this Premier League campaign, and Amorim said the display had given him a clearer thought on what selection to pick in Bilbao.
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Rasmus Hojlund’s ineffective efforts up front do raise the prospect of United’s head coach having a decision to make in that position. But afterwards Amorim backed United’s No 9, saying: “Of course, all the team has to improve, but, again, the way he runs, he fights for every ball. Loses a lot of duels, wins some duels. He needs to improve the connection. He is. So I’m really happy with him. He just needs to continue to work hard and better days will come.”
Amorim was not speaking like a man preparing to try Kobbie Mainoo, for instance, as a false nine, as he did for the visit of Crystal Palace in February.
But Hojlund’s struggles saw him finish without a shot on goal for the 16th time in the Premier League this season, out of 31 appearances, and a few moments of tension with teammates.
Fernandes was annoyed at Hojlund not running beyond Chelsea’s backline in a move just before the hour. Hojlund apologised at the next break in play.
Two minutes later Casemiro delivered a stern reaction when Mason Mount flicked on a high ball from Andre Onana so Hojliund could control. But Hojlund tried to turn Tosin Adarabioyo and went to ground, once more waved away by referee Chris Kavanagh. Casemiro showed his displeasure, physically demonstrating how Hojlund could have taken hold on the ball and laid off to a teammate.
A short while Hojlund was hesitant to shoot when collecting the ball on the edge of the area, turning tentatively back into traffic. His indecision came soon after Mount had sprung a counter attack when Chelsea messed up a free-kick, but chose to pass right to Amad rather than left to Hojlund as he demanded it. Amad then pulled the ball back and Fernandes hit over.
The issue for Amorim is there is nobody else, unless he tries something out of the ordinary, which is why he needs to back his orthodox striker publicly in an attempt to maintain his spirits.
Really, as rudimentary as it sounds, United might be served finding ways to get the ball to Maguire in the box. He really did attack the six-yard area to meet the ball by Fernandes, which came after a corner had been recycled. In stoppage time Maguire sprinted forward into the box when Victor Lindelof carried the ball, and that element of chaos, which swept United through against Lyon, could work again against Spurs.
The most intriguing debate will likely be around Mount or Alejandro Garnacho. Mount was starting his second game in a row after the hamstring injury which kept him out since December 15, and he linked nicely with Amad.
Mount’s big moment came in the 52nd when he picked himself up off the grass after being clattered by Cucurella, riding the jeers from Chelsea fans as he passed to Amad, but he got his finish off his left all wrong. The ball skewed wide in a similar manner to Mount’s first-half chance from Patrick Dorgu, when he stretched and only made loose connection with his right.
(Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images)
So there was no goal to silence the boos from Chelsea fans, and Mount was again subjected to strong feeling from the stands when was replaced on 70 minutes. It was a substitution with Bilbao high in thoughts, made alongside Casemiro with Fernandes and Luke Shaw following in the 81st minute. United did make it out of west London unscathed from injuries, which was the priority.
But the bigger picture is atrocious. United are on an eight-game winless run for the first time in the Premier League, and will finish the campaign with two points from a possible 27 if Aston Villa win at Old Trafford next Sunday.
The 40-point mark, traditionally seen as just about keeping a team safe from relegation appears beyond United. West Ham United went down with 42 points in 2003. United currently have 39.
Paul Jewell, who in the Premier League managed Bradford City, Wigan Athletic and Derby County — where he went 24 games without a win — has a higher overall points per game ratio that Amorim (0.94 to 0.92).
Lifting the Europa League would gloss over those numbers to a degree, but whatever happens in Bilbao, Amorim can ill-afford for that desperate state of affairs to continue into next season.
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