This anguishing fate came on Wednesday evening against Burnley – a side who had to wait 33 years before tasting Premier League football again.
So the “Red Giants” have been wounded after only two fights; how will they recover against Wigan Athletic this coming Saturday?
Playing against the Latics has often – if not always – been advantageous for Manchester United.
Good memories from a Red Devil point of view can recall the Mancunians celebrating the 2007/08 English Premier League trophy at the JJB stadium after managing a 2-0 victory on the very last day of the campaign.
Manchester United’s superiority over Wigan Athletic in terms of players, skill, and success is unquestionable, but football is not based on simple calculations.
Manchester United will have to be careful on Saturday as facts indicate that Wigan Athletic were able to upset this year’s Peace Cup champions Aston Villa on the opening day of the league season.
Saturday will only mark Day 3 in the EPL but the bells are already ringing on the Red Devils who currently lack behind Carlo Ancelotti’s Blues.
The ‘Ronaldo-less’ factor and the ‘wasteful’ issue
Yes, Manchester United are known to be slow starters but then again, a big factor should not be forgotten.
In the past three seasons, the Red Devils endured two poor starts. Coincidently (if it was really a coincidence), these occurred when their former playmaker Cristiano Ronaldo was absent. In the 2007/08 season, the Portuguese winger had to serve a three-match ban after sustaining a red card for head butting a Portsmouth player. The following year, Ronaldo missed the initial stages of the campaign due to an ankle injury. Manchester United only began to click and fire more than two goals per match on average when Cristiano Ronaldo came back on the field of play.
The 24-year-old World Player of the Year was known to raise Manchester United’s games against lower teams; He was unstoppable against Wigan Athletic especially.
Who will offer goals to the EPL defending champions? Who will help to power them above quick starters Chelsea?
Cristiano Ronaldo’s number 7 successor, Michael Owen, is supposed to fill the gap created by the departure of the prolific Portuguese goal scorer. Unfortunately for Manchester United, the English man hasn’t found his scoring boots yet. Missing glorious chances against Birmingham City and Burnley didn’t only signify a bad league start for Michael Owen as an individual. It also affected Manchester United as a whole.
However, Michael Owen is not the only one to blame for Manchester United’s inability to make the most of their chances. The Red Devils had the opportunity to clinch at least a point against Burnley on Wednesday evening when they were awarded a penalty. But again, Michael Carrick missed his spot kick.
Against Wigan Athletic, Manchester United should have no problem to create chances upfront if they manage to dominate the game with their passes. What could cost them a lot is their inefficiency in front of goal. Manchester United may suffer punishment again if Wigan Athletic are able to convert their opportunities into wonder goals like they did against Aston Villa.
Should this happen, it will send a message to the world that the Red Devils are effectively missing the services of Cristiano Ronaldo.
