Ahead of the game with Manchester City, yesterday, I was of the opinion that it was a game that, if Manchester United had title aspirations, we just had to win.
I pointed out that a failure to win, coupled with a Manchester City victory, would leave Manchester United so far adrift of their near-neighbours that the gap would prove impossible to close.
In the cold light of day, my feelings have not changed.
As I contemplate two weeks without any domestic football, courtesy of third the international break of the season, any dreams of winning the title have gone.
Indeed, with the club having been knocked out of the Carabao Cup, any dreams of silverware now related to the Champions League and the FA Cup. With the former so hard to claim, the good old Fa Cup, a trophy not good enough to save Louis van Gaal’s hide, could be our only realistic target.
Following the game, Jose Mourinho, as reported by the BBC, had this to say about the game:
“We were in the game until the 80th-something minute and the third goal killed the spirit and morale of the team.
“One thinking is a bad performance and one thinking is a performance with mistakes. I think ours was a performance with mistakes.”
Maybe, maybe not. But there’s no denying that, at times, Manchester City, and it pains me to say this, were a different class to us.
But, returning to title talk, Jose added:
“We are outside the top four, how can we speak about the title? Let’s fight to close the gap to jump into the top four. If we jump into the top four then let’s see the difference.”
By then I reckon City will be so far ahead of us, hibernation might be a winter option!
