On Sunday, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sufficiently absorbed by the minutiae of preview pieces that he attributed Manchester United’s inability to get at penalty at Stamford Bridge to the 21st paragraph of an article on the Chelsea website.
Two days later, he had shifted his gaze to the bigger picture. Questions about the spot kick that wasn’t, about Callum Hudson-Odoi’s handball, and speaking to PGMOL, the refereeing body, were deflected. “I think the refs have a difficult enough job without extra pressure,” he said.
“That’s water under the bridge. You move onto the next one. I’ve not looked back on that one. We all know it’s a high-pressure situation and you have to accept the decisions.”
Instead, he reflected on his players’ efforts in troubled times. “This year has been the strangest of all our lives,” he said. “We didn’t live in the Second World War, thankfully, but these restrictions have been nearly as harsh.
"I am impressed with the way they handled the whole situation, the whole season, the whole pandemic and not being able to have your social life and have the time to switch off from football; normally, you go and meet your friends, you go to the cinema, you go out for a meal, you go to a concert. Now it's relentless.”
His United have been responsible for some of a strange year's stranger elements. Tonight's trip to Crystal Palace is a reminder of their season's false start, a 3-1 home defeat in September, and took a solitary point from their first four fixtures at Old Trafford.
They nevertheless then surged from 15th to first, even if Manchester City’s form has made it hard for them to sustain a title challenge. “We enjoy being as close to the top as possible,” Solskjaer said.
They have also enjoyed their travels. If the absence of crowds has eroded the notion of home advantage, there may still be something odd about United’s away record.
They are not alone in faring better on the road and have taken 58 per cent of their points there but avoid defeat at Palace tonight and they will equal Liverpool’s Premier League best of 21 away league games unbeaten.
It would put them behind only Arsenal’s Invincibles, who went 27 undefeated before losing at Old Trafford in 2004.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Arsene Wenger’s Gunners were both champions. United may be in a shootout with Leicester for second. They might not be an era-defining side but they could be record-breakers.
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Chelsea 0 United 0: player ratings
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CHELSEA RATINGS: Eduoard Mendy - 5: Punched away Rashford free-kick after 14 minutes when he should have caught it. Was the hour mark before had to make another serious save, a decent block from a McTominay shot despite a crowded box in front of the Senegalese goalkeeper. Spilled simple James ball into middle in last quarter-of-an-hour, but recovered to gather quickly. Can look very unconvincing on crosses. AP -
Antonio Rudiger - 8: Surging 40-metre run with ball down left in first five minutes in sign of early Chelsea intent. Brilliant turn and switch of play out to Hudson-Odoi on right in move that almost saw Giroud head home. Strong defensively as well. AFP -
Andreas Christensen - 7: Strolled through first half when United’s attacking threat was minimal and while had a little bit more to do after half-time, never really looked in trouble. Reuters -
Cesar Azpilcueta - 7: Fine supporting run down right followed by lay-off to set-up chance for Hudson-Odoi in first half. Like rest of Blues back three, very solid performance. Getty -
Callum Hudson-Odoi - 7: Nervy moment quarter-of-an-hour in when ball hit his hand in box but referee Stuart Attwell decided no penalty after checking out pitch-side monitor. Volleyed just wide of target with decent effrt five minutes later after exchanging passes with Azpilcueta. Fine ball into box centimetres from Giroud’s head. Forced off at half-time due to injury. EPA -
N’Golo Kante - 8: Started ahead of Jorginho to keep close tabs on United dangerman Fernandes. Good block on Portuguese’s long range effort just before half-time. Stole another chance off laces of Rashford minutes later. Frenchman is a monster at breaking up play. AP -
Mateo Kovacic - 8: Read play really well in a congested middle of the park and, as usual, kept things simple and covers ground so quickly. Curled a couple of weak efforts straight at De Gea in second half. AFP -
Ben Chilwell - 7: Replaced Alonso at left-back and looked to get forward from first minute. Lots of surging runs down left and one of those, followed by good cut-back at start of second half, set-up Ziyech for great chance to open scoring. Booked for rash lunge on Greenwood. Reuters -
Hakim Ziyech - 5: In starting line-up ahead of Werner as Tuchel gives German “a little break” and had Chelsea’s first shot on target – a weak effort straight at De Gea. A comically bad pass out for throw-in where he thought Hudson-Odoi should be and one or two other sloppy moments in possession. Better after half-time without ever looking particularly dangerous although was denied goal when shot was well saved by De Gea a couple of minutes into second half. Reuters -
Mason Mount - 7: Relentless running and pressing which would delight his manager. Excellent driving run into United box just after hour mark needed last-ditch challenge by McTominay to prevent shot on goal. Chelsea’s main attacking threat in second half. AP -
Olivier Giroud - 5: Failed to take advantage of dire De Gea kick out when French attacker rashly smashed high and wide with finish that had his manager calling for more composure. Very close to getting head on end of perfect Hudson-Odoi cross after 35 minutes but could only crash into post rather than ball. Midweek hero against Atletico Madrid was taken off with 25 minutes to go here. EPA -
SUBS: Reece James – (On for Hudson-Odoi 46’) 6: Given long talking to by Tuchel on sideline before coming on. Manager will have been disappointed, though, as James failed to offer same attacking danger down right as man he replaced, until last 10 minutes when one fine cross into middle nearly found Werner. Reuters -
Christian Pulisic – (On for Giroud 65’) 6: Lovely touch drew foul out of Maguire that earned United captain yellow card. Skied one chance over bar when allowed time to shoot by United’s defence. EPA -
Timo Werner – (On for Ziyech 78’) N/A. One tame shot straight at De Gea from tight angle and failed to get on end of great James cross after Lindelof interception. Reuters -
MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: David De Gea - 7: Barely tested in the first half, but was lucky not to be punished by Giroud when his miss-kick landed straight at Frenchman's feet in first half. Smart save with his arm from Ziyech just after half-time. AP -
Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 5: Pushed right up but clunky in challenges and conceded possession. Should have got back quicker for chance which led to Ziyech shot, but pulled ball back to set up McTominay on hour mark. Reuters -
Victor Lindelof - 7: One quality long pass towards the corner which was picked up by Shaw. More advanced than usual, but stretched by crosses from Hudson-Odoi towards Giroud in first half. Blocked one Kante shot and produced outstanding clearance to get in ahead of Werner in last 10 minutes. -
Harry Maguire - 6: Played very high against Chelsea and the less than rapid Giroud. Booked for a needless challenge with 12 minutes left against Pulisic in what is now the fourth successive 0-0 against a top team. Maguire needs to lead them to a win soon. PA -
Luke Shaw - 7: Like Wan Bissaka, pushed up even higher than the central pair. Dangerous towards end of first half and important block in second. Reuters -
Scott McTominay - 6: Back from injury and rusty in opening exchanges, but, like his team, settled towards the end of the first half. Struck decent shot on the hour as United came alive after a period of Chelsea pressure. Blocked a fine Mount solo attack and protected defence well. Reuters -
Fred - 6: Combative performance. Neat passing in the middle. Tried step over as he ran towards goal, but few expect a goal when Fred goes towards it. Booked for a heavy challenge on Mount. Decent curling shot wide on 67 minutes ... he’s getting closer. AFP -
Daniel James - 6: Limped off against Real Sociedad but in-form and deserved selection. One good cross was the highlight of his first half. Neat interplay with Greenwood to set him up with chance and did so again with a super low cross after 75 minutes. AP. -
Bruno Fernandes - 6 Talked up by Tuchel pre-match but struggled to make an impact and gave possession away a couple of times in the first half. Headed ball towards Rashford at end of lively, entertaining opening 45 minutes where United grew stronger. Took frustrations out on referee but was his own final passes were poor. Needs to stand out more against the best but he’s been at club for more than a year and still unbeaten away from home in the league. PA -
Marcus Rashford - 6 - Early free-kick hit target from distance, but limited until end of the first half when was more effective on left with Shaw. Good ball to Greenwood on 51. Weak shot on goal just after hour. EPA -
Mason Greenwood - 5: The main striker in a 4-2-3-1 but, aside from the controversial penalty rejection in the first half, ploughed a lonely furrow. Neat move with James for 59th minute shot on goal was his best effort of game. EPA -
Anthony Martial - (On for Greenwood 77') NA. Out of form striker couldn’t break the stalemate. EPA
That remarkable run dates back to Bruno Fernandes’ arrival and United’s talisman has still not experienced defeat in the Premier League anywhere other than Old Trafford.
Unsurprisingly, the potent Fernandes has been United’s most productive player in that unbeaten run. He may have been quiet in Sunday’s stalemate at Chelsea but he has 13 goals and seven assists in those 20 matches as United have won 14 and drawn six.
His equaliser against West Bromwich Albion is United's lone goal in those last three matches. United may benefit from reinforcements in attack tonight. Edinson Cavani has missed their last four matches but he could return, potentially at Mason Greenwood's expense. Five of the Uruguayan's seven United goals have come away and Solskjaer said: "Hopefully he will travel with the squad."
But Paul Pogba, who is yet to resume training, will not. Phil Jones is yet to feature this season after suffering a knee injury and his campaign could be a write-off.
“How long is a piece of rope?” Solskjaer asked rhetorically. “We’ll give him absolutely every chance to get back this season. If not, hopefully for the start of next.”
United will be spared a reunion with one of their old boys and their September tormentor on Wednesday. Palace’s Wilfried Zaha should return to training soon but this game comes too soon for him.
Selhurst Park has a reputation as a difficult place to go but Palace have more away wins. As United can testify, they are not alone in that.
