Are Manchester United ACTUALLY In The Title Race?

Hello and welcome back to Winners and Losers. You know the line-up, it's myself and Joe, and you probably know the score as well. Man United have beaten Man City 2-1 at home. I'm joined by a jubilant Joe Tomlinson. What are your initial thoughts on the result, Joe? Smug. Smug! Oh my word. I mean, what a win. What a win. Not the prettiest of performances, but I didn't think Manchester City were particularly good either. I think Manchester United got their tactics spot on, defended spaces really well, limited Manchester City massively. I think they only had five shots, didn't they? Just one on target, and that was the goal from Jack Grealish. And were very dangerous on the break. You can make arguments in the first half, they should have been 1-0 up going into the break. Marcus Rashford missed two fantastic chances. But overall, just pleased at the progress that has been made from that humiliating 6-2 loss earlier in the season. Them smacking us at Old Trafford last season. To come a year later and see us beat Liverpool at home, Arsenal at home, Tottenham at home, Man City at home, feels like a drastic year change. And it just feels like a big moment today for Manchester United. A massive result. Yeah, absolutely. You're now unbeaten in your last 12 matches at Old Trafford, winning 10 of the last 11, which is incredible. Considering that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, his best days, were really on the back of an amazing away form, I think it was really. So Erik ten Hag's turned that around completely and worrying for Man City. I'm going to touch on Man City. Joe will obviously focus more on Man United. But after a loss to Brentford, they've now dropped points against Everton. They got beaten by Southampton in the Carabao Cup, obviously a competition they've dominated so much in recent years. And now this loss, having been 1-0 up away at Old Trafford. Huge, huge defeat. And it felt like one of their worst performances of the season, to be totally honest. I thought it was surprising how they were seemingly unable to retain possession in Man United's half. It just seemed so un-Man City. There seemed like so many misplaced passes, particularly in that first half. I think there were three or four seemingly going out of play. And they just couldn't get their forwards into the game. I don't think Mahrez or Foden had a shot, key pass or dribble. Both of them. Unreal. And Haaland didn't get a shot on target either. The best chance was probably blocked by Casemiro. So very, very worrying times for Man City. And they do seem a little bit off it. And people will say, you know, has Haaland affected them as a side? I don't really think it's down to that, to be honest. Because he was making runs, he was trying his best today. It just feels like so many Man City players, be that Cancelo, Bernardo Silva, Mahrez until recently, Foden's form recently, just aren't having really great seasons. So it's slightly troubling for Man City. But Joe, which Man United player do you want to focus on most in terms of giving praise? I mean, we've got to talk about Rashford, haven't we? Because his goalscoring run at this stage is absolutely superb, isn't it? I think it's seven games in a row he's scored in now for Manchester United. He just looks so dangerous. And there was a big worry, wasn't there, when he picked up that injury in the first half? You know, I was watching with Dugan George when we thought if he comes off here, United are in massive, massive trouble. And it does seem to affect your sort of belief as well. And I think it definitely not only affected the belief, but I also think it affected the shape. He couldn't press as effectively. When Martial came off, we didn't really have a number nine going through the middle. But he's just so dangerous in moments. You could argue he could have scored a hat-trick tonight. Obviously, the goal he did score when he took it round Ederson probably should have done slightly better. The 1v1 with Ederson should have done slightly better. He's creating massive chances in games, which is always the sign of a good striker, I think. So yeah, Rashford for one. But I also want to highlight Luke Shaw. You know, keeping Lissandro Martinez out of the team, a £60m signing that some people have probably got in their half-season team of the years on the left-hand side of the centre-backs, and dealing with Haaland, who is the most physically demanding striker in the league to deal with, a goal-scoring machine, and doing it to an excellent level. So I think massive praise to Luke Shaw, massive praise to Marcus Rashford. But I do think, Dougs, the people at home will be wanting us to talk about the incident. The offside incident. I'll give my thoughts on it first of all. I think it's really, really smart play from Marcus Rashford, to be honest. I think his awareness, given his form at the moment, to pull out of shooting for that and leaving it for Bruno Fernandes to finish really excellently into that bottom right-hand corner, I believe. It was really smart play. It's a tricky one, whether he's interfering with the play. I mean, we had James Wayne on our WhatsApp group, obviously a City fan, saying that Walker changed his run because he thought that Rashford was interfering. I mean, as a United fan, trying to take out all bias, do you think it was a dodgy decision? I mean, if it was given... I can see the argument of City fans, because if it was given that way for Manchester City, I would have been absolutely raging. But the Man United fan in me is just like, he doesn't touch the ball. I don't think he actually shields Akanji. I think Akanji kind of stops his run and he's a little bit pulling out of the incident thinking that he's offside anyway. I think if Akanji runs into the back of him, or he has to make a deliberate movement to get around Rashford, then I would say, yeah, definitely offside. But it felt like, to me, Akanji was already slowing up and had kind of given up on the situation thinking he was just offside. So yeah, like you said, I think it's really smart play by Rashford, a brilliant finish by Bruno as well to nick it around the keeper. And at the end of the day, comments, I just don't care. I really do not care. It was a massive moment in the game and it came at a period where Man City were totally dominant. I think Man United probably dominated the first half and they certainly dominated off the ball. They were very happy to let Man City have the ball in these nothing areas. But in the second half, they were slicing through Manchester United a little bit too easy. Those half spaces were getting picked up by Kevin De Bruyne, weren't they? Brilliant bit of play for him, by him for their goal. And I think if that hadn't happened, I think Sifu would have gone on and just comfortably won the game because it felt like United were offering nothing going forward and were struggling to contain Man City at the back. But other than that, I would be pretty disappointed if I was Pep Guardiola. I haven't watched the post-match press conference because we're literally shooting this on the full-time whistle, but I'm sure he will be having a moan about the offside. I think he should be having a moan about some of his individual performances out there as well. Yeah, no, absolutely. And I think it's worth saying that in that first half, I thought Man United could have been 2-0 up, to be honest. They had that Rashford chance where he rounded Ederson and then probably didn't quite get his shot right. We were complaining in our studio as we were watching it that he didn't go high into the net and I think that was probably the right decision. And then that moment where he was played through by Eriksen and whilst it was a nice ball, the ball probably left him with too much to do. Rodri was right on his back and he couldn't quite get his touch right. And then Ederson came out and smothered it pretty effectively. Joe, the big question that our fans will be asking now, I mean, Man United are now six points off Arsenal. Arsenal obviously play Spurs tomorrow at 4.30. Are you subtly in a title race here? I mean, the optimist in me wants to say yes, because we're a point behind City and City, you would all say, are in a title race. But I think the fragility of Manchester United's squad was shown today alone. You look at the options off the bench, it's not strong enough. Valtveghorst needs to have a big impact immediately, given Anthony Martial appears to have an injury. I don't think United have the squad depth to compete going forward in attacking areas, goal scoring areas. I think if Rashford was to pick up an injury, it's season over. If Casemiro in Diem was to pick up an injury, it's effectively season over. I think we saw a bit of fragility from the midfield today as well. Didn't think Christian Eriksen had his best game in there. Didn't actually think Casemiro had his best game either, other than maybe the last 20 minutes when it's prime Casemiro time. Big game, big player. But other than that, I think we're well in contention for the top four. But for me still, I know United fans are going to be really excited, I just don't think we've got the forward options to do it. What do you think? No, I probably agree, to be honest. I think United being in a title race, it's wishful thinking at the moment. But that shouldn't detract from what's been an excellent start to life at Old Trafford for 10 hard. I believe if you take out the first two results of the season against Brentford and Brighton, no side has picked up more points in that period than Man United, which is a crazy achievement. And to do that whilst dealing with the departure of the biggest name at the club in Cristiano Ronaldo, if not the best player anymore. And to deal with, you know, an example the other day, Rashford turning up late for training, gets dropped, comes on off the bench and scores. He's putting aside all ego and he's just picking players without any favouritism or bias. If you deserve to play, you seem to play at the moment. And playing Shaw at centre-back was a big, big call today. I know, because Lisandro Martinez is his guy. He's his guy, but he's come back from the World Cup, seemingly still isn't quite match fit. Looked very shaky mid-week against Charlton at the back. And Luke Shaw has been sensational in that centre-back position. I think he quite likes playing there from the interviews I've read where he's talked about, you know, I would like to play there and stuff, but I understand the options are really strong there. What that means for a player like Harry Maguire, I think leaves big question marks, given Luke Shaw is now a centre-back ahead of him. Varane, Lisandro and Lindelof probably defenders ahead of him. I think that leaves big question marks for Harry Maguire, but forget the negatives right now. I think Man United fans just need to focus on the positives. Winning an early kick-off derby as well, always sensational, because you can smash into everyone on every WhatsApp group chat. Joe is going to be lively this afternoon, for sure. And just a quick word on Tyrrell Malasia as well. I thought he was excellent defensively. Yes, he's slightly limited on the ball. Yes, he's not as dynamic as Luke Shaw going forward yet, but he had Mahrez on toast really all game, some of it very aggressive, maybe crossing the line at times, but fair play to him. Did he get booked? I don't think he did. How? He must have fouled Mahrez eight times. It was mental. And Garnaccio as well, not the most polished player yet, but my goodness, he's exciting. Absolute chaos factor whenever he comes on and it feels like he's contributed in every single game he's come on, even if he hasn't always ended up with the golden assist, ends up getting the assist for what proved to be the winner for Rashford today. So happy days, Man United fans, is the message from Joe. Fingers crossed, by the way, Rashford's injury doesn't get worse over the week. And also, Casemiro coming off, that worried me a little bit. I know that he walked off at the end and he jogged off in sort of extra time, but it looked like he hurt his knee, didn't it? And big, big game against Arsenal next weekend. If United get a result against Arsenal, then all hell breaks loose. Especially if Arsenal don't win tomorrow But I think that's a much more difficult game right now. Going to the Emirates, best home record in the league, whereas City, a little bit out of form, stuttering a little bit in your own backyard when you're on form at home. Next Sunday is just a monumental match. I mean, we've got tomorrow's derby as well, but I'm buzzing. Absolutely, absolutely. Guys, if you've enjoyed this video, go check out our other talking points from this week. We did one on Wout Weghorst, or Wout Weghorst. We did one on Jai Felix. And why don't you go check out the explain that dropped this morning on Antonio Conte as well, ahead of that derby tomorrow. Thank you very much for watching, guys. Like and subscribe, and we'll catch you later. Bye-bye.