Manchester United left Elland Road with a 1-1 draw on Sunday, a result that does little to ease the growing sense of frustration around the club.
Points dropped again
United’s league form since the international break has been a story of nearly. Against Tottenham at Old Trafford on 10 October, in front of 74,129 supporters, Bryan Mbeumo gave them the lead on 73 minutes, only for Dominic Solanke to equalise deep into stoppage time. A week later at Leeds, they again had to settle for a share of the spoils in a fierce Roses rivalry.
Two draws are hardly a crisis, but with Manchester City yet to drop a point, every slip widens the gap at the top.
A tough night in Madrid
In between the two league draws, United were beaten 2-0 by Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Diego Simeone’s side were organised, aggressive and clinical, and United struggled to create clear chances. It was a reminder of the level required to progress in Europe this season.
United’s recent results
- Manchester United 1-1 Tottenham (Mbeumo 73; Solanke 90+2)
- Atletico Madrid 2-0 Manchester United (Champions League)
- Leeds United 1-1 Manchester United
- Next: Como v Manchester United, Wednesday 21 October, 7:45pm EAT
Como: a dangerous opponent
Next up is a Champions League trip to Lake Como on Wednesday. The Italian side have become one of the stories of European football in recent seasons, finishing fifth in Serie A last term. They opened their league phase with a 4-1 win over Leipzig before losing a thriller 3-2 at Feyenoord, so they will be desperate to get back on track at home.
The verdict
United have the talent to turn draws into wins, and their summer additions give the squad more options in the middle of the park. What they need now is a performance that brings a convincing result, and Wednesday in Italy is the perfect stage for it.