Europa League news - Flat Manchester United fail to win again, this time against AZ
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Updated 03/10/2019 at 21:36 GMT
Cars Jeans Stadium, Europa League, Group L - AZ Alkmaar 0 Manchester United 0
Fred of Manchester United, Victor Lindelof of Manchester United during the UEFA Europa League match between AZ Alkmaar v Manchester United at the Cars Jeans Stadium on October 3, 2019 in Den Haag Netherlands
Image credit: Getty Images
Goal-shy Manchester United were held to a 0-0 draw by AZ Alkmaar at the Cars Jeans Stadion in the Europa League, leaving them on four points after two games.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made eight changes to the side who drew with Arsenal on Monday and a new-look United struggled to break down an AZ side who have conceded just three times in eight Eredivisie games this season.
Mason Greenwood went close in the first half but was unable to convert from close range, while second-half substitute Jesse Lingard fizzed a shot wide late on.
Dani de Wit went closest for the Dutch side but David de Gea was equal to it, and with neither side able to make a breakthrough, it was a share of the spoils after a drab encounter.
The hosts did have the ball in the net early on only to be denied by the linesman’s flag, before Myron Boadu forced De Gea into a fine save.
Teenager Greenwood had the chance of the first half after being picked out by Daniel James, but his close-range effort was blocked by former Aston Villa defender Ron Vlaar.
It did not get any better after the break, as United seemed content to settle for the point, finishing the match without having had a single shot on target all match, leaving Solskjaer still without an away win as permanent United manager.
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Marcus Rashford of Manchester United speaks with Match Referee Gediminas Mazeika during the UEFA Europa League group L match between AZ Alkmaar and Manchester United at ADO Den Haag on October 03, 2019 in The Hague, Netherlands.
Image credit: Getty Images
TALKING POINT
Youth cannot reinvigorate sterile United. With his side having not scored more than one goal from open play in a match in all competitions since the opening day, Solskjaer turned to the highly-rated Greenwood in the Netherlands, but he could not spark United into life. Angel Gomes was also ineffective, but he and Greenwood were not helped by some woeful and unimaginative passing from their senior team-mates. Only Daniel James and Rashford have more than one goal in open play this season for the club, and on this evidence, nobody in a United shirt is going to be adding to their own goal tally in the near future.
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ictor Lindeloef of Manchester United challenges Myron Boadu of AZ Alkmaar during the UEFA Europa League group L match between AZ Alkmaar and Manchester United at Ado Den Haag Stadium on October 03, 2019 in The Hague, Netherlands.
Image credit: Getty Images
MAN OF THE MATCH
Victor Lindelof. While United’s attackers once again flatter to deceive, United’s backline, which was put under pressure on numerous occasion by the hosts, stood firm, with Lindelof looking especially assured. The Swede stood out as the senior man in a reshuffled defence, and marshalled his troops well.
PLAYER RATINGS
Manchester United: De Gea 7, Dalot 7, Lindelof 7, Rojo 7, Williams 7, Fred 5, Matic 5, Mata 4, Gomes 4, James 5, Greenwood 4... Subs: McTominay 6, Lingard 6, Rashford 6.
AZ: Bizot 6, Sugawara 7, Vlaar 7, Wuytens 7, Wijndal 7, Midtsjo 6, De Wit 7, Koopmeiners 6, Stengs 6, Idrissi 7, Boadu 6... Subs: Hatzidiakos N/A.
KEY MOMENTS
12’ - NO GOAL! Boadu meets the ball low with his head thinks he has given the hosts the lead, only to be denied by the offside flag. Right call.
16’ - SAVE! Corner is headed clear only as far as Oussama Idrissi, who fires for goal, but David de Gea gets down well to make a fine save.
30’ - CHAAAANCE! Brilliant work from James to get to the byline before pulling the ball back for Greenwood, eight yards out, but Vlaar makes the block in front of his goalkeeper.
71’ - SAVE! Wijndal has time to shoot, fires for goal, the ball moves around in the air, but De Gea gets two hands to it to beat the ball away.
75’ - WIDE! With the outside of his right foot, Idrissi drills for goal. De Gea is scrambling across, but the ball flashes wide.
81’ - NO PENALTY! Rashford cuts back inside, Stijn Wuytens comes sliding in, sends Rashford tumbling in the penalty area, but again nothing is given. Looked like United had a case there.
85’ - CLOSE! Great ball into Lingard from McTominay, but the England forward can only fire wide from a good position.
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Myron Boadu of AZ Alkmaar battles for possession with Nemanja Matic of Manchester United during the UEFA Europa League group L match between AZ Alkmaar and Manchester United at ADO Den Haag on October 03, 2019 in The Hague, Netherlands.
Image credit: Getty Images
KEY STATS
- Manchester United have failed to win any other their last 10 away matches across all competitions (D4 L6) – they last went on a longer winless run on the road between February and September 1989 (run of 11).
- Manchester United failed to have a shot on target in a UEFA Europa League game for the first time in their history (25 games).
- AZ have only won one of their previous seven home games in the Europa League (D2 L4), with this their first clean sheet in this run.
- David de Gea kept his first clean sheet on the road for Manchester United since February against Fulham, ending a run of conceding in 10 consecutive away matches for the Red Devils.
- Man Utd debutant Brandon Williams had 89 touches against AZ Alkmaar; five more than any of his teammates.
- Aged 19 years and 30 days old, Brandon William’s is the fourth teenager to be handed a first start for Manchester United since Ole Gunnar Solskjær took over in December 2018 (along with Tahith Chong, Mason Greenwood and Angel Gomes).
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