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Watch the highlights key plays as Manchester United and Valencia play to a draw in the Champions League group stage.
Manchester United did little to calm the frustration that currently appears to be surrounding the club.
Valencia held Jose Mourinho’s Red Devils to a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford in the Champions League group match on Tuesday, adding to the pressure the manager is feeling–though putting United in second place in the group behind Juventus.
Man United beat Young Boys comfortably to open Champions League play but has dropped to 10th in the Premier League and was eliminated from the League Cup by Derby County since. Paul Pogba, at the center of much of the controversy surrounding Mourinho at the club, was heavily involved in creating a number of chances for United on the day as it looked to snap its streak of futility, but neither he nor Romelu Lukaku could find the breakthrough.
The start to the match was delayed a few minutes due to heavy traffic in the area, which prevented Man United’s team bus from getting to the stadium on time, according to the host club.
When the action did get underway, it was Manchester United that was out on the front foot, with the embattled Pogba in the center of all the creation. His flick forward appeared to put Lukaku in on goal in the ninth minute, but the Belgian forward was called for a slight offside, nullifying the play.
It was Valencia that put the first chance of the game on frame in the 12th minute, when Goncalo Guedes took a rip from the right side, but David De Gea made a clean catch to prevent the Portuguese winger from opening the scoring.
Pogba tried to find Lukaku again at the half-hour mark, getting in deep and firing in a cross from the left, only to have it cleared to safety before it could reach Lukaku at the doorstep.
Guedes remained the danger man for Valencia, continually beating Antonio Valencia for pace down the flank, but it was from the center of the field where he nearly scored the opener. Given time and space at the edge of the box, Guedes tried to curl a right-footed blast into the top corner and didn’t miss by much, as De Gea watched it fly by the post in the 49th minute.
The close call perhaps provided a spark for Man United, as both Pogba and Marcus Rashford had chances from in close, though both were blocked, in the minutes that followed.
Pogba nearly put United ahead in the 62nd minute after a phantom foul call on Alexis Sanchez gifted the hosts a free kick. His long-range effort dipped over the wall but was saved well by Neto, keeping the match scoreless.
Lukaku then forced a save from Neto about 10 minutes later, taking on his defender before powering a left-footed strike on frame.
Neither side could find a winner from that point on, though, forced to settle for the draw and a point apiece.
Here were the lineups for both sides:
Manchester United returns to action in the Premier League Saturday at home vs. Newcastle, while Valencia hosts Barcelona in a massive showdown in La Liga on Sunday.
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