Manchester United suffered their third defeat in as many games as they failed to beat a relatively weaker Watford side at Vicarage Road. The hosts dominated from the start and ended up winning 3-1.
Etienne Capoue’s strike just after the half hour saw Watford race into a 1-0 lead at half-time. United came out all guns blazing in the second period and clawed their way back through a goal from Marcus Rashford.
However, just as the visitors looked to be getting a hold of the game, super-sub Juan Zuniga scored in the 83rd minute which was followed by an Troy Deeney penalty to seal the deal for the hosts.
Here are The Hard Tackle’s takeaways from the contest:
Martial’s 36 minute horror show
After being dropped for the Manchester derby, French attacker Anthony Martial was brought back into Jose Mourinho’s starting lineup. With Marcus Rashford on the other flank, expectations were high from the Manchester United squad.
But, Martial struggled down the right for the Red Devils. He looked shaky and uncertain on the ball and seldom attempted to take on an opposition defender. Things went from bad to worse for the United golden-boy as he was involved in a clash of heads with a Watford player, leaving him dazed for a couple of minutes.
The 20-year-old then lost possession which saw the Hornets break the deadlock post the half hour mark. Mourinho had to withdraw the French attacker in the 36th minute, as he seemed to be in distress after the tackle and unable to continue.
Capoue continues to shine for the Hornets
Watford midfielder Etienne Capoue is not one known for his goal scoring exploits. But with five games into the new season, he has defied all odds and managed to find the net on four different occasions for the Hornets.
His most recent contribution came in the game against English giants Manchester United. Watford full-back Darryl Janmaat took the ball away from Martial and played it into the stride of Capoue.
The Frenchman found himself in acres of space and a fired a shot at goal which David de Gea barely managed to get his fingertips on. Apart from scoring the opener, Capoue was tireless in midfield and put in an impressive shift to aid his side to victory.
Mourinho plays his cards wrong for the third game running
Jose Mourinho continued to pick captain Wayne Rooney and he ended up shooting himself in the foot. His side lacked creativity for most of the contest and were virtually outplayed by a comparatively weaker opposition.
The Portuguese decided to play Martial and Rashford as wingers and opted to field Rooney in a slightly deeper role to occupy the third midfield berth alongside Marouane Fellaini and Paul Pogba. Unfortunately for him, none of his tactics worked as he his side craved for creativity.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, much like the Manchester City game, saw himself isolated in the final third. Mourinho must bring about meteoric changes or he might suffer the wrath faced by his predecessors in the last few years.
Prodl keeps Zlatan in check
Ibrahimovic was a much maligned figure due to the lack of chances created, but even when he had the ball at his feet, he was rarely given any room. Sebastien Prodl constantly man-marked the Swedish striker and won most of the duels the two encountered on the field of play.
Prodl looked a tad sharper than his Swedish counterpart, and used his size to his advantage. Ibrahimovic, for once, looked unconvincing and apart from a headed effort in the second period, he did nothing to threaten Gomes in the Watford goal.
The end is near for Wayne Rooney
Another game, another lacklustre performance by the Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney. One of the most coveted players to represent the club in the Premier League era has now been made a scapegoat for its poor performances, and with good reason.
Rooney has struggled to impress under Mourinho this season. After being tried and tested as a number 10, the England international slowed down the play and failed to create anything for Ibrahimovic. When deployed in a slightly deeper position against Watford, the 30-year-old looked like a vortex of despair.
His passing was second-grade, and to be honest, he has stopped looking the part for the 20-time champions. It seems his inclusion is a mere formality and Mourinho only seems to believe in Rooney because of the impact he has over his fellow teammates.
But, after five below-par performances from the club captain, the time may have come for Mourinho to use Rooney sparingly or avoid using him altogether if it proves to be beneficial for the side.
