There are only a couple of letters between winners and whingers. There may be other common denominators, given that Manchester United’s moaner-in-chief is one of the most decorated players of all time. Perhaps complaining is a consequence of standards not being met. It nevertheless gives the impression of a fragmented, underachieving club playing the blame game.
The former United captain Gary Neville branded the current team “whingebags” in Monday’s draw at Newcastle. In particular, he arrowed in on two of their superstars, in Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes. Referee Craig Pawson tired of Fernandes’ whingeing, booking him for dissent.
Ronaldo makes no attempt to conceal his irritation, marching off down the tunnel at the end of the defeat to Aston Villa and the draw with Everton. He has always been expressive and demanding. When he rejoined United, he presumably did not expect them to be seventh now.
If Neville and some of the raft of other high-profile ex-United players feel such visible unhappiness undermined their old teammate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the Norwegian’s vision of Old Trafford as a magical, permanently joyful place felt delusional.
Instead, whingeing has highlighted United’s problems: the disconnect between senior and junior players, the sense neither is really helping the other, the way a mismatched group seem to deem each other at fault for failings.
Interim manager Ralf Rangnick criticised his new charges’ body language in their unimpressive win at Norwich. He felt the greater issues at Newcastle came elsewhere, but it was a wretched performance, rescued only by Edinson Cavani, the warrior who sets the right tone on the pitch.
Elsewhere, however, the feeling is that United have an attitude problem. It was apparent in the capitulations to Leicester, Liverpool and Watford. It was not remedied simply by sacking Solskjaer. Most are culpable in some respects, even while some try to blame others.
Harry Maguire is the captain who has led by the wrong sort of example, suffering a crisis of confidence as his game has fallen apart. Ronaldo and Fernandes are the big personalities whose own efforts can be questioned.
Ronaldo has 13 goals in 19 games since returning but has only struck twice in open play in his last 12 league matches. He has twice been very fortunate to escape red cards for petulant hacks, against Liverpool and at Newcastle. On both occasions, he may have been protected by his status, by the fact that officials were too timid to send off Ronaldo because he is Ronaldo.
Newcastle 1 Manchester United 1: player ratings
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NEWCASTLE RATINGS: Martin Dubravka - 6: Had home hearts in mouths when charging out of area to sweep up attack just before half hour. Palmed dipping Rashford shot over bar at start of second half. Dropped cross and sliced clearance in injury time to send jitters around St James’ Park. Reuters -
Emil Krafth - 7: Swedish right-back put perfect ball into middle for Saint-Maximin just after break that Frenchman should have scored from. Booked for pulling shirt of Rashford. AFP -
Fabian Schar - 7: A few all or nothing challenges that, happily for the Swiss, came off in first half. Played well at back in spirited Newcastle defensive display. Reuters -
Jamaal Lascelles - 7: Captain been part of a – rightly – much maligned Newcastle defence this season but looked solid at St James’ Park right up until Cavani bundled home 71st minute leveller. Cleared another off line after indecision with Dubravka almost gifted second to Cavani. AFP -
Javier Manquillo - 7: Spaniard did superbly to help keep likes of Greenwood and Rashford relatively quiet, so much so former was hooked at break. Dalot did find space down his wing to provide Cavani equaliser. Getty -
Ryan Fraser - 8: Heavy first touch meant Scot failed to take advantage of early Maguire error down right. Some crunching tackles that delighted home fans. Forced decent save from De Gea just after hour. Ran himself into ground in probably his best game for club. Reuters -
Jonjo Shelvey - 7: Almost caught in possession a couple of times in opening quarter of an hour but then stung hands of De Gea with rasping strike after surging run. Still piling forward looking for winner until very end. PA -
Sean Longstaff - 7: Pinched ball off Varane and provided ball to Saint-Maximin for early opener. Impressive game in centre of park for Magpies, excellent pressing and some fine long passes. AP -
Joelinton - 9: Curled shot wide of target from edge of box 12 minutes in. Relentless workrate from Brazilian who has found his niche with deeper role under Eddie Howe. Booked for dissent. Outstanding with and without the ball. Reuters -
Allan Saint-Maximin - 8: Brilliant right-footed finish on the stretch to put side ahead after seven minutes. Missed sitter just after half-time after fine Krafth run and cross, then forced good save from De Gea from low strike. Limped off injured in last 10 minutes. Reuters -
Callum Wilson - 7: Had ball in net after 39 minutes following Saint-Maxmin run and pass but striker was caught offside. Went down in a lot of pain at end of first half after falling awkwardly, tried to carry on but forced off minutes later with what looked like calf problem. EPA -
SUBS: Jacob Murphy – (On for Wilson 45’ +6’) 8: On before half-time due to Wilson’s injury. Pace and pressing vital to Newcastle’s second-half performance. Cross-come-shot almost found way into bottom corner. Very unlucky to see late strike hit post. Getty -
Migel Almiron – (On for Fraser 75’) 7: Fine shot soon after Murphy hit post was heading for top corner only for De Gea to pull off brilliant save. Reuters -
Dwight Gayle – (On for Saint-Maximin 84’) N/A. Striker might have part to play in next few games if Wilson and Saint-Maximin injuries are bad. Getty -
MANCHESTER UNITED: David De Gea - 9: Record of clean sheets under new boss was quick to go – not that the Spaniard could do much as he watched the ball fly in. Saved a strong 23rd minute Shelvey shot and made a vital save from Saint Maximin on 46 – and again on 62 from Fraser. And again and again and again – the best from Almiron - which wasn’t easy on a slippy surface. EPA -
Diogo Dalot - 5: Early cross into six-yard box was too close to goalkeeper. Found it tough when up against Saint-Maximin, but set up Cavani for United’s equaliser. EPA -
Harry Maguire - 5: Shaky against Wilson and he twice mis-controlled the ball against a side with one win in 19 league matches. Got in front of Almiron to stop a 90th minute attack. Reuters -
Raphael Varane - 5: Back after missing eight games with a thigh injury and his pondering led to Newcastle’s opening goal. Gave ball away on 34 to set up another home attack. EPA -
Alex Telles - 6: A regular under his new boss. Not easy playing alongside two haphazard central defenders. Swung a ball towards Cavani as his side pushed for a winner. EPA -
Fred - 5: Busy as ever in front of the sell out 52,178 crowd, but Newcastle kept winning the ball in midfield – the area he was supposed to stop that happening. Good form until recently. Off at half time as United changed formation. EPA -
Scott McTominay - 5: Another who suffered in the first half as Newcastle passed around United’s press. Neat one-two with Fred in an otherwise highly unconvincing first half from his side which lacked aggression. Limped off after 78. PA -
Bruno Fernandes - 5: Failed to exploit the huge gaps in Newcastle’s defence. Outraged that he’d been pushed on 43, but the flag had gone up for offside. Cut a frustrated figure and was booked – he’ll miss Thursday’s game v Burnley. Tried the difficult passes and Involved in the goal. AFP -
Mason Greenwood - 6: Positive early movement and smart cross-field pass towards Fernandes. Shot blocked by Lascelles on 30. Off at half time. Reuters -
Marcus Rashford - 5: Got a lot of space on the right, but wasteful in his crosses. Nutmegged just before the break by Saint-Maximin. Excellent dipping shot on 48. His shot 12 minutes later would never be described as such. EPA -
Cristiano Ronaldo - 5: Failed to meet a 16th minute cross on his right foot. Yellow card – and he was fortunate it was only yellow. Led the line which struggled to create chances against a side who’ve conceded so many league goals. Reuters -
SUBS: Jadon Sancho – (On for Fred 46’) 6: Controlled the ball beautifully after 53 before shooting over. Set up Cavani on 54. Poor pass towards Ronaldo could have set him free on 88. AFP -
Edinson Cavani – (On for Greenwood 46’) 7: Made a difference. Skewed a shot wide on 54, then had a shot blocked on 71, before scoring as the ball came back to him. Another effort cleared off the line on 75. Spun a shot across the goal on 80. PA -
Nemanja Matic – (On for McTominay 78’) 6: His side dominated possession in the Tyneside drizzle – yet didn’t have the best chances. Getty
Fernandes, meanwhile, has a solitary goal in his last 20 United matches. Against both Norwich and Newcastle, he kept giving the ball away. To some extent, a risk-taker always did, but now he has lacked the end product. Fernandes was displaced as the main man and then the penalty taker by Ronaldo. Now Rangnick’s tactics have made him move again.
The German’s 4-2-2-2 formation includes a pair of what he terms No 10s. Not, however, in the way Fernandes long had the role, as the central focal point. He is less suited to a wider role, to defending on the left against overlapping right-backs. Nor have others, Ronaldo included, reached their peak under the interim manager.
United’s meagre return of four goals in four games under Rangnick shows they have not clicked as an attacking unit. Ronaldo and Fernandes, who have played 534 of a possible 540 league minutes, are two of those responsible.
Hence more frustration and more obvious expressions of it, underlining the impression they are less a team than a collection of individuals. Now they face a group whose attitude has been a reason for their relative success in recent years. Burnley lack United’s resources, talent or stardust but they come with a promise of teamwork and unity.
For Rangnick, it completes a trilogy of clashes with the sides in the relegation zone. His side have scarcely impressed against Norwich and Newcastle. They have been Manchester Disunited more than Manchester United.
