[Mitser]

Great starting line up and team performance.
Could have made significant in roads on our goal difference deficit but Zlatan had a shocker unfortunately.
Very happy with the 3 points, hopefully some results go our way elsewhere.

 

[Godfather]

That first half was as sexy as it gets

 

[Irrational.]

Jose post-match:

"We needed to win. Sixteen games unbeaten is an amazing record but it would be the perfect record with two or three fewer draws at home. It was a difficult match and a very important win for us.

"We are not a team scoring lots of goals so it is important to keep the clean sheets. I am really happy with performance.

"In the 10-15 minutes before the goal we were playing in a brilliant way. The goal had to come.

"I am so happy with the game between Liverpool and Tottenham later because I know someone will lose points.

"Chelsea are very good defensive team. They defend very well and with lots of players and I think in this situation a very defensive team wins the title with counterattack goals and set pieces goals so I don't think they will let it slip but football is football."

Good man, Jose.

 

[WyoManU]

It must be frustrating to play us on days like today. We didn't seem to expand half the energy of Watford, other than Herrera, but we still made it look relatively easy. I was a little worried after the first half an hour, but when we turned the screw again the chances just started to flow and you knew the first was coming. Very professional display and a good result heading in to our run of cup fixtures. MotM for me was either Mata or Herrera...probably would give it to Ander.

 

[RedNed77]

err..liverpool play in around half an hour.....

Yeah, got a bit carried away. I'd finished typing that then saw them getting off the bus at Spurs. Still, Spurs'll probably stuff em anyway

 

[Kubalionzzale]

Even when we win we miss a stupid amount of chances. If only this Man Utd side was full of lethal finishers...

Then we wouldn't have a shitload of chances

 

[JustinC00]

Still, Spurs'll probably stuff em anyway

Nah dippers are game raising cnuts against top 6 this year, they don't lose, although they haven't really won either. But Spurs have a tendency to bottle matches like this and of course it would come when a loss or a draw for liverpool would keep them in 6th

 

[Scorpy]

Delighted with the win. We played some great stuff today and really should have scored more.

No one blames the winners, though, so we should just enjoy the win and focus on the next game vs Saint Etienne on Thursday.

Herrera, Pogba, Martial, Micky and Bailly were all excellent. Good to see Martial start the game and show Mourinho what he's capable of. Hopefully this puts the rumors to rest once and for all.

 

[dannyrhinos89]

Really enjoyed watching that today

We played brilliant martial especially.

 

[TMDaines]

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Great performance except in front of goal where we were pretty dross again. To only score two goals today was well below par considering how we dominanted and carved out quality chances.

First 45 minutes was one of our best at OT for a while. Some lovely football. I thought Smalling and Bailly were excellent, even if Bailly made hard work of the second half.

Shame that the last 15 minutes was utterly lethargic and complacent. Watford make all three subs and then their left back is fecked with an injury. He can barely move. None of our team, not even Mourinho, look to capitalise and punish the opposition. There's about five or six of us in the Stretford End screaming about this, but our players lack the smarts to notice. We have no killer instinct whatsoever and there's a really high chance we'll finish a place or two lower again on GD this season.

I'd have liked to have seen Mkhi right and Mata central as I think that plays to their strengths. Mkhi has more pace and is better running with the pool and Mata has more of that poaching instinct. Martial showed why he needs to be first choice on the left as he makes things happen. Nothing happened for Zlatan today, but he still got an assist.

 

[Mockney]

Am I right in thinking this is first time we've started a game with Ibra, Pogba, Martial, Mikhi, Mata and Herrera all in the line up? Seems bizarre it's taken this long if so..

 

[OohAahMartial]

Showed a lot of progress since our defeat against them:

• The right partner next to Pogba - Herrera was brilliant
• Mature performance from Pogba too
• Found our best #10 in Mhki
• Rooney stayed on the bench
• Fellaini used only as sub
• Martial Mhki Mata tried out at last
• Attacking threatvon both flanks giving us width
• Pacy counter
• Calm defense with Bailly superb and bringing the ball out Rioesque
• Good from the off
• Good movement and interplay

Perhaps Ibra is a bit off form was the only slight negative. He always wants to play which us admirable but maybe Jose needs to decide for him when he actually needs resting.

 

[Harry190]

Should have scored at least 4.

 

[Mani]

Great performance,Martial's finishing was sublime completely out smarting defender and keeper,that's the approach rest of our attacker should take(keeper and defender covering the near post and they where never expecting Martial to finish from that near post considering position from which he took the ball from)Miki was the other one that really impressed especially with his vision,movement and passing.Going forward I believe our goal scoring would be much better.Other clean sheet and our defending was much better as a team though Blind had some nerve movements at the end.

 

[EyeInTheSky]

Martial should have shot much earlier during that great run down the middle

Needs to shake the van gals off him and not be scared to miss

 

[Camilo]

Very solid first half. Sat back more in the second half, but still controlled it mostly. I thought Pogba was excellent - strong, with quick thought and accurate passing.

DDG solid. Defense wasn't really tested, but Bailly looked good, Smalling looked his usual shambles, Valencia was good and Blind was anonymous (apart from when Watford ran past him).

Herrera was pretty good today, Mata was excellent, Martial was much better than he has been, Zlatan was great (apart from finishing nothing - although he didn't really get an easy chance) and Mkhitaryan was fairly terrible throughout (but he's allowed to have one now and again).

Onwards and upwards - Martial and Mkhitaryan need to start scoring regularly now - that's what they're bother there to do.

 

[RedDevil@84]

Dippers ripping Spurs apart. Score could easily have been 3 or 4 up.

 

[Sultan]

It's good we're now winning games and moaning we didn't score enough!.

Great point!

What a change from last season.

 

[Shimo]

Yay 3 points. And played brilliantly but finishing just keeps letting us down. Can only imagine our confidence and the fear in others if we start putting away some of these very good chances.

Even with Martial with the assist and goal I think Mata was motm. He was as someone said earlier - unplayable.


Only other small gripe is Ibra. Hold up play was excellent but wasteful with passing and finishing. There was a break where he went for the shot when he easily could have played Martial or Mata and too desperate to get on the score sheet.

Hope others can keep scoring like today so we are not looking for him to keep bailing us out. We are in a very good position now to break into the top 4.

 

[kafta]

Jose played the perfect line up, boys were great tonight.

Very happy for Martial. Mata and Mkhi were great, and some praise for Bailly too, feel so much more confident with him in our back four.

 

[ChaddyP]

Where is Luke Shaw these days?

Working on becoming a better LB in training

 

[Wumminator]

Good win.

Thought the atmosphere was poor.

 

[siw2007]

Very happy with the win today. First half we were excellent against a team with a lot of confidence and ability. The goal should have come sooner but it was a great goal to open the deadlock by Mata minus one boot. Second half was more even and De Gea made two great saves, but I'm pleased that Martial scored a very good goal to clinch the win.

 

[Wade3]

One of the best games of the season in my opinion. We were fluent in attack, created good chances, converted some and for the most part had Watford under control. If there's one major reason for us bottling so many chances, then it's us rushing to finish. With a little more patience, we could've had a 3/4-0 win.

I'm a big fan of Blind but the risk of playing him at LB was obvious tonight. Watford's only true danger came through that side.

Offensively we were very fluent. Everybody was moving into good spots, moving the ball quickly but was also constantly dangerous with the ball. The trio of Martial, Herrera and Mkhitaryan works very well together.

 

[Sandikan]

One of the best games of the season in my opinion. We were fluent in attack, created good chances, converted some and for the most part had Watford under control. If there's one major reason for us bottling so many chances, then it's us rushing to finish. With a little more patience, we could've had a 3/4-0 win.

I'm a big fan of Blind but the risk of playing him at LB was obvious tonight. Watford's only true danger came through that side.

Offensively we were very fluent. Everybody was moving into good spots, moving the ball quickly but was also constantly dangerous with the ball. The trio of Martial, Herrera and Mkhitaryan works very well together.

Mourinho fairly quickly worked out that Blind is a good squad player, but certainly not worthy of a regular first 11 place for a team with our ambitions.

We really could do with Shaw back and playing like he can.

 

[Sandikan]

Jose played the perfect line up, boys were great tonight.

Very happy for Martial. Mata and Mkhi were great, and some praise for Bailly too, feel so much more confident with him in our back four.

Despite Jones and Rojo having a nice little run of games, for the main part I much prefer the power, height and pace of Bailly and Smalling together

 

[Zoo]

We play our best football with triple M in the side.

 

[Al-T]

Back in sixth. But only two points off second.

 

[marlowe78]

Good result, especially when considering they tonked us in the away fixture, but cripes, do we practice our finishing at all in training? The game should've been out of sight by the late stages of the first half. I was getting nervous that Watford would convert on one good chance (they actually played very decently, IMO) and we would be kicking ourselves now.

Elated that Martial took advantage of his chance with a solid performance. Mkhitaryan excellent again and deserved a goal somewhere. Pogba I thought was by and large pretty good. I found it very assuring that our midfield of Pogba and Herrera (and later Fellaini) kept things together without needing Carrick. Bailly was again superb. It actually looks like his composure has increased since coming back from AFCON.

My only complaint today was Ibra, who I thought was positively awful and should have been taken off. He looked exhausted to me by mid-2nd half and we could've maintained better pressure on the Watford back 4 by subbing him off for Rashford. He also squandered 2 great chances up close - not even able to keep the ball on pitch level - that we would've torn him up about had we dropped points.

Anyhow, we did the job and hopefully will get ourselves in a comfortable position with the Europa tie this week. On my 10 scale, I'll give today 6 out of 10.

 

[Joseunited]

Showed a lot of progress since our defeat against them:

• The right partner next to Pogba - Herrera was brilliant
• Mature performance from Pogba too
• Found our best #10 in Mhki
• Rooney stayed on the bench
• Fellaini used only as sub
• Martial Mhki Mata tried out at last
• Attacking threatvon both flanks giving us width
• Pacy counter
• Calm defense with Bailly superb and bringing the ball out Rioesque
• Good from the off
• Good movement and interplay

Perhaps Ibra is a bit off form was the only slight negative. He always wants to play which us admirable but maybe Jose needs to decide for him when he actually needs resting.

You don't think Blind at left back was a negative? Going to ground to often in the hope of getting the ball when he never did.I thought he was shocking today and Ibra average at best, with his one saving grace being a goal threat even when he's playing bang average.

Those two apart I thought we looked menacing going forward and strong at the back and thoroughly deserved 4 at least today.

Roll on these next 4 cup games.

 

[red_john]

Great performance by the lads today! Everybody played their part. Time to celebrate tonight.

 

[utdalltheway]

Back in sixth. But only two points off second.

let's go for 2nd and see if Chelsea have a blip.
Crazy how it's so tight, 2nd to 6th.

 

[Manny]

Still missing too many chances. That could start costing us when Europa League starts up again.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Still missing too many chances. That could start costing us when Europa League starts up again.

It could, but there again we have more squad options. Spurs on the other hand will either tire because of it, or risk going out early because their squad is really shallow. It depends how Jose wants to play it.

 

[SuperiorXI]

It's amazing how we continue to be 6th on such a good run.

 

[Lord Zlatan]

Didnt see the game as had a family function but by all accounts a good performance. 6th is irrelevant now. 2 points between 6th and 2nd mean we are fully in contention for a champions league place. City Arsenal and Liverpool are all unsettled and inconsistent. I know we have a tough run in but there is no reason whey we dont have a top four place cemented by then.

 

[Fitchett]

Good win.

Thought the atmosphere was poor.

Were you actually inside Old Trafford? I was and I thought it was a great atmosphere.

 

[Wumminator]

Were you actually inside Old Trafford? I was and I thought it was a great atmosphere.

Yeah, but previous two games I was in the "singing" section.

 

[Fitchett]

Yeah, but previous two games I was in the "singing" section.

Which section were you in today?

 

[Treble_Winning]

I've been advocating for Mata, Martial an Mhkitaryan to play together in the band of three behind the striker for months. Today showed just how amazing they can be as a unit. The first half was incredible, mind blowing stuff. We could have won this game 4-0 or 5-0 and that's no exaggeration.

This needs to be said - our recent run of results is essentially title winning form. Jose has really turned this team into a superb unit. Best football we've seen in a long while. I'm surprised that we aren't right up there with the likes of Chelsea. We are playing as well as they are, perhaps even better.

We play like this next season and we will win the title. No doubt about it.