Felli's winner the latest adrenaline shot in 2018/19

Marouane Fellaini's late winner that sealed qualification for the Champions League knockout stages has added to this season’s list of dramatic moments that keep us coming back for more. Here are eight adrenaline-pumping moments from the campaign so far…

1: LUKE SHAW, GOALSCORER
What a wait… but what a moment! Our no.23 had never netted as a pro in six seasons and over 100 games, so when he flicked the ball over Ricardo Pereira (intentionally, of course!) late in the season-opener v Leicester and nipped round the defender for a sight of goal, Old Trafford collectively gasped in split-second suspense. On the left peg, on the angle… on the scoresheet!

2: SMALLING ON THE VOLLEY
A net-bursting volley blasted home is always a high-octane moment. When it comes on the swivel, left-footed – from a centre-back – it has that extra ‘what have I just seen?’ frisson. Chris’s striker-like effort against Watford in September was a corker – and one from Jose Mourinho’s training ground playbook, too.

3: TWENTY MANIC MINUTES
It would take some serious warrior spirit if we were going to fight back against Newcastle at Old Trafford in early October, two-nil down as we were with only 20 minutes to play. Cue a classic United cavalry charge, with each goal ratcheting up the heart-rate yet further. Juan Mata sparked the kindling with a wizardly free-kick, Anthony Martial fired in the equaliser and then Alexis Sanchez headed the roof-raising third. Electric.

4: MEGA MART
Stamford Bridge has scarce been a happy hunting ground in recent times, and at one-nil down in the second half, odds on a positive return from West London seemed stacked against the Reds. Anthony Martial, though, had other ideas – first lashing home a leveller from close-range, then whipping a second into the bottom corner from one of his favourite goalscoring spots to send pulses soaring. (Ross Barkley’s equaliser probably features in Chelsea’s version of this feature!)

5: CHERRY BOMB
Eddie Howe’s impressive Bournemouth looked set to take a share of the points on the south coast as the final seconds of our November encounter ebbed away. One especially miraculous escape involving the crossbar, a desperate block and a goal-line clearance in quick succession had seemed to suggest that any United effort to find a winner would not be rewarded. In the dying moments, though – those familiar frayed seconds of clung-to hope – Marcus Rashford scrambled a close-range goal to send the away end barmy.

6: JUVE GOT TO BE KIDDING
Whatever heights of breathlessness had been reached thus far in 2018/19, five minutes in Turin topped the lot. Having defended manfully and rode a bit of luck to keep Ronaldo and co at only 1-0, the Reds effected a late smash-and-grab not seen in Europe since May 1999. Juan Mata was the dead-ball genius to provide ‘Wow!’ moment number one, curling in a sublime effort. Alex Sandro was then the United hero/Juve fall guy as he got the last touch on Ashley’s Young’s mischief-laden free-kick. Adrenaline through the roof!

7: RUBBER DAVE
Split-seconds of drama don’t only happen at one end. David De Gea provides them on a regular basis, and his save against Young Boys was the work of an illusionist in goalkeeper gloves. That ‘We’ve just conceded’ downer became a ‘No we haven’t!’ high within the blink of an eye, as our resident escapologist clawed what looked a certain goal off the line with an impossible-looking lunge and paw. Rollercoaster moments for the emotions!

8: ONE FELL SWOOP
De Gea’s act of mirage set the stage for an almighty adrenaline-rush at the other end, courtesy of Marouane Fellaini. The cause of victory looked lost as the battling Swiss, who had manned the barricades with honour for 90-plus minutes, looked like prising a point off the Old Trafford turf to take home as a memorable souvenir. But one final foray into the box came good when the big man controlled, turned and banged a shot into the far corner. Bedlam.

The opinions in this story are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Manchester United Football Club.

Jose continuing fine European record

When Jose Mourinho took charge of Manchester United, at his very first press conference in July 2016, the boss expressed his dissatisfaction at not being in the Champions League after the team had finished fifth in the previous season's Premier League table, behind Manchester City on goal difference.

”I feel a bit frustrated I’m not playing in it,” he said. “I don’t hide that I chase Sir Alex [Ferguson]’s record in the Champions League. But the club is much more important than me and we have to make sure this club is where it has to be.“

Qualification for the top continental competition was duly secured with the excellent success in the Europa League. Last term, of course, the Reds finished runners-up to City domestically to once again obtain a group spot and help Jose move closer to Sir Alex’s tally of 194 matches in the tournament, a figure achieved over some 22 campaigns.

Arsene Wenger and Napoli’s Carlo Ancelotti are the only other coaches to have taken charge of more Champions League games than Mourinho and, at 55, he can harbour realistic hopes of overhauling Sir Alex at the top of the tree. After all, as he pointed out after the 1-0 win over Young Boys at Old Trafford, he has an exemplary record of qualifying into the knockout stages on each of the 14 occasions he has managed a club in this situation.

Once again, it is a case of mission accomplished in this regard – and with a game to spare. United were placed in a group with a Juventus side reckoned to be one of the favourites to lift the trophy, the fourth best team last term in Spain, in Valencia, and the top club in Switzerland. And yet we are safely through already and Juventus have to win in Bern to guarantee top spot as the Reds have a better head-to-head record with the all-conquering Old Lady, which is an achievement in itself.

It seems to have been underplayed that Juve had only suffered two defeats in 34 European matches at their home ground, winning 20 of those ties. Since our 2-1 triumph, they have won again – against Valencia on Tuesday. The Bianconeri have won the last seven Serie A titles and are, at the time of writing, eight points clear in the latest table.

So, naturally, that remarkable victory at the Allianz Stadium does provide hope that United should be not be fearful when the draw for the last 16 takes place on 17 December in Nyon. Anything can happen in knockout football as last season showed when Sevilla took their chances to score crucial away goals at Old Trafford to progress, after a hard-fought draw in the first leg.

An exit at that stage was disappointing but was, effectively, a first stab at the tournament after the Europa League triumph for Jose’s team. Many of the current squad will, no doubt, have learned from the experience and discussions will be held to meticulously prepare for our next opponents, between now and February. The importance of the away-goals rule could certainly be in the forefront of our minds as our task became so much harder when Wissam Ben Yedder opened the scoring last March.

What is for certain is United can already look forward to being engaged in Champions League combat next February and March, a matter of reassurance for all supporters. If Napoli do not progress from a tough group also containing Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool and Red Star Belgrade, then the Reds’ manager will be the most experienced in the competition.

And let’s not forget no manager has ever lifted the famous trophy with three different clubs. Jose guided Porto and Inter Milan to European glory when few fancied them as genuine contenders to rank him alongside Ernst Happel, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Jupp Heynckes and Carlo Ancelotti. That will be providing further fuel and incentive for a manager who is rightly proud of his record and his historical standing within the game. Furthermore, as he was quick to stress on his appointment, Manchester United also deserve to be at Europe’s top table.

No matter the outcome of the final group fixtures, Jose’s men will be among the leading 16 teams on the continent again in 2018/19. And we have a manager who knows what it takes to go all the way in the competition, even when the odds might be stacked against us. When it comes down to the crunch, there is every reason to approach the knockout stages with optimism.
The opinions in this story are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Manchester United Football Club.

Credit: Manutd.com

'Jose was a big influence in my move to United'

Diogo Dalot has explained Jose Mourinho was a major influence behind his transfer to Manchester United and praised the manager for easing his transition from their shared former club, FC Porto.

The 19-year-old defender was educated at the famed Portuguese club and broke into their first team during the 2017/18 season, before a move to Old Trafford was completed during the summer.

Mourinho described Dalot as one of the best young right-backs in Europe and, although injury has hampered his start, the no.20 has already impressed fans with a handful of encouraging displays.

In a feature-length interview that will debut on MUTV at 18:30 GMT, entitled ‘Diogo Dalot: My Old Trafford Tour’, our summer signing opens up about his motivations behind that move to United.

“Jose was a big influence on me coming here,” Dalot explains. “He was very important. His history speaks for itself, the way he is coaching and the way that he has made football change.

“It is the fact that is he is Portuguese too. The relationship that he has with the players is very good, and it was quite impressive to me. He pushed me to come here and the way that he believed in me was very good. That is why I am here. He is a big reason why I came.”

Mourinho is of course a former manager of Porto and remains their most successful boss in history, after guiding them to the Europa League, UEFA Champions League and multiple championships.

Dalot believes that unique knowledge of the club was key to him being head-hunted in the summer.

“It is a big connection with Porto,” says Diogo. “He knows the former club where I played. He knows the way I think because players in Porto think in a different way to the other clubs and he knew that.

“So he was very, very important to me. I don't have doubts that in Portugal, the best club to form a player is Porto. It was a very good 10 years to develop, not just as a player but as a man. But it was important to make this step. The coach helped me to do it and it is a lot easier with him here.”

Cristiano Ronaldo is another important connection between United and Portugal, which was also an influence when Dalot was making up his mind in the summer. The youngster describes as our former no.7 as the best player in his country’s history and is continually inspired by his famous work ethic.

“Cristiano, I don't need to describe him because you already know him. For me, since I remember, he was the inspiration to play football and of course, if you asked me if the fact he played here was also an influence to come, then of course I say yes. The way he played here, the way he developed, was unbelievable. I want to make that step too, to improve and play for many, many years here.

“He is an inspiration for everyone, for every player, for every young player. To have a player like that in the world, we just have to enjoy it for as long as he stays with us, playing and giving us the opportunity to enjoy his football. It was a proud few years for Manchester to have him here and, hopefully, one day the United fans will say it was good for them to have Dalot here.”

Amusingly, Dalot was not always a fan of Ronaldo – specifically, when United beat Porto in the 2009 UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg, thanks to a rocket-fuelled strike from Cristiano.

“I was in the stand, right behind the goal that he scored,” Diogo recalls. “Of course at the end I didn't like it because I was - and still - supporting Porto. We played good, but playing against this team was always difficult and especially when you have Ronaldo. It was an impressive goal.

“I had not seen a goal like that before. It was my first live match seeing Manchester, so seeing that goal was impressive. I was not happy at all, but when you like football and goals like that then you need to recognise it.”

‘Diogo Dalot: My Old Trafford Tour’ will debut on MUTV at 18:30 GMT on Thursday and digital subscribers can watch it on demand afterwards.

Credit: Manutd.com

Mourinho provides a fresh update on Lindelof's injury

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed Victor Lindelof should be out for the next three weeks with a muscle injury.

The defender looked uncomfortable in the latter stages of Saturday’s draw with Crystal Palace and missed our 1-0 win against Young Boys on Tuesday night.

Jose revealed ahead of our victory against the Swiss side that Lindelof would have a scan to assess the extent of his injury.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Mourinho conceded the Swede looks likely to miss United’s next few fixtures.

“I hope that he can play around Christmas time, when we have accumulation of matches,” said Jose. “I would say three weeks, or something like that.”

Mourinho's estimation means the centre-back could be miss the upcoming games against Southampton, Arsenal, Fulham and Liverpool in the Premier League, as well as the final Champions League Group H game against Valencia on 12 December.

However, if Lindelof is indeed back for the busy Christmas period, then he could help Jose rotate his team when there are four games to play in just 12 days.

Using his official Instagram account on Tuesday afternoon, our Sweden international posted this message to supporters.

“Will be working hard to come back as soon as possible. Thanks for all the messages.”

Speaking in last Friday’s pre-match press conference, Jose spoke about the growth Lindelof has made in the last few months.

“I decide to give Victor the opportunity of his evolution,” he said.

“Evolution with some mistakes, yes, because he is young, and especially young in the Premier League, but we decide to give him this continuity which I think it is clear that it improved him by his physical qualities.”

In Lindelof’s absence on Tuesday, Phil Jones was introduced to the team and played superbly alongside Chris Smalling.

Jose also has Eric Bailly available and will be able to turn to Marcos Rojo once he has returned from injury.

Fellaini: The fans deserved that win over Young Boys

Marouane Fellaini was delighted to help Manchester United qualify for the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

The influential Belgian scored an injury-time winner at Old Trafford on Tuesday evening to register an important 1-0 win over Swiss champions Young Boys.

That result - coupled with Valencia's defeat to Juventus - meant qualification to the knockout stages of the European Cup was also secured.

After bagging the all-important goal, humble Fellaini was quick to praise his team-mates’ performances on Tuesday.

“It’s always good to score a goal but, for me, the most important thing is the three points,” he said after the game. “I think the supporters deserved that. I think that it was positive, I think the players were positive and aggressive.

“We wanted to win, we showed it and we gave everything to score a goal. We create a lot chances and I think we deserved the win today. OK, David did a great save and they had a few chances, but I think we did everything to win the game.”

This isn’t the first time Fellaini has scored a dramatic late goal this season.

The midfielder netted a stoppage-time equaliser against Derby County in the Carabao Cup in September, which meant the game went to penalties.

“I always try to give everything for the team whether I start or don’t start,“ he told us on Tuesday. ”Everybody knows I am a team player.

“The manager has given me a lot of confidence. He trusts me. That is important for a player and I try to give it back and repay him on the pitch. I give everything for him, I feel comfortable and I am happy with him.”

Fellaini's special bond with Jose was on show on Tuesday night, when he celebrated his match-winning goal by giving his boss a big hug.

The 1-0 win means the Reds are on 10 points after five games and cannot be caught by third-place Valencia, who are the opposition on matchday six.

That game in two weeks is important for the Reds, who could yet finish top of the group with a win in Spain.

“It’s always good to be in the Champions League,” said Fellaini. “OK, we are qualified. It’s going to be a good atmosphere at the Mestalla, Valencia are a good team, so we go there with no pressure and play our game.“

Mourinho: De Gea wants to stay at United

Jose Mourinho insists David De Gea wants to stay at United and is hopeful a new deal with be agreed with the stopper in due course.

Speaking at his post-match press conference, Mourinho said: “He’s a world-class player. He’s the best goalkeeper in the world and we need the best goalkeeper in the world and you need also some other players who are the best in the world.

“In this is case, we have the best goalkeeper in the world and I know that he wants to stay.

“I know that his agent is happy to do what the player wants and I also know that the board wants him to stay, and hopefully, sooner or later, they arrive into a good conclusion.”

The Spaniard won our Man of the Match award with 59 per cent of the votes ahead of goal hero Marouane Fellaini, and Mourinho hailed De Gea's second-half save to deny Young Boys a shock lead and set the Reds up for a dramatic late win at Old Trafford in the Champions League.

Young Boys sub Ulisses Garcia’s shot took a deflection but De Gea reacted brilliantly to scoop the ball off the line.

“I think David's save, only one save in the whole game, looks like a phenomenal save. A save that the best goalkeeper in the world does and gives his team the possibility to win the match.

“What David did is what the best goalkeeper in the world does. He is the best. He proves every time that he is the best. He makes saves that give you points.

“In this case a case that gives you almost a qualification, because if we conceded that goal then we are in trouble. This is what he is, a world-class player.”

Mourinho reacts to vital European win

Jose Mourinho praised another stunning contribution from David De Gea as Manchester United beat Young Boys to secure qualification for the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League.

Speaking to BT Sport, MUTV and in his post-match press conference, the manager discussed the need to take chances going forward, another world-class save from David De Gea and provided an update on the condition of Victor Lindelof. Read what he had to say below...

QUALIFICATION IS GOOD

“We have qualified, that’s good. It was a very difficult group and to qualify with one match to go is obviously good. The performance had lots of good things but also lots of disappointed things. We lost too many chances, crucial chances in crucial moments of the game.”

A SAVE ONLY THE BEST GOALKEEPER CAN MAKE

“From my position I think David's save looks a phenomenal save. A save that only the best goalkeeper in the world does and gives his team the possibility to win the match. He’s a world-class player. He’s the best goalkeeper in the world and we need the best goalkeeper in the world and you need also some other players who are the best in the world. In this case, we have the best goalkeeper in the world and I know that he wants to stay.“

THE PLAYERS GAVE EVERYTHING

”When you start the game and don't score immediately, that feeling comes. We are not a team that is scoring a lot of goals. We feel that. In the Champions League we have qualified with one goal scored at home. It is a negative record. But it is fantastic that we have qualified from such a difficult group. So I think the boys feel it on their shoulders, but I have very tired players and that is what I like. It means that they gave everything and their effort was big.”

PRAISE FOR FELLAINI

“Felli works hard. That is what you can demand and that is what a player has to do without anyone demanding it, and he does that. Obviously, I would be very, very upset with the draw because it would be a big chance to qualify missed with a match in hand. But I am happy with the intensity, the desire and the change of image in relation to the last match.”

LINDELOF UPDATE

“I hope that he can play around Christmas time, when we have accumulation of matches. I would say three weeks, or something like that.”

AN IMPECCABLE RECORD

“For some of my lovers I just want to say for the ones that like stats: 14 seasons in the Champions League, 14 times qualified through the group phase. Never one of my teams stay behind in the group phase. The season I didn't play Champions League, I won the Europa League.”

Champions League: Man. United 1 Young Boys 0

Marouane Fellaini scored a dramatic late winner to send United into the knockout stages of the Champions League with a game to spare.

The Reds beat Young Boys 1-0 thanks to the Belgian just as Jose Mourinho's men were fearing a last Group H match visit to Spain to face Valencia in a shoot-out decider. With Juventus beating the Spaniards in Turin, United were running out of time to avoid that December tense climax, before Fellaini struck in front of the Stretford End.

Mourinho implored his side in his pre-match press conference to be “proactive” rather than reactive and he assembled a freshened up XI and ‘fast” personnel to deliver. His side responded to the message and the manager’s animated encouragement from the off on the bench.

The introduction of Fred in midfield and the plan of playing Marcus Rashford in the main striker’s role gave the Reds a lively and positive look that almost instantly paid off.

A Luke Shaw forward ball fell fortuitously into Rashford’s path after just five minutes and the Mancunian had the noisy, yellow cagoule-clad visiting support with early hearts in their mouths as he chipped just over. Fred followed that up with a stinging left foot drive that flashed a fraction over the bar.

The biggest concern, however, remained that United were not able to get off to a flyer in front of goal.

Rashford’s pace continued to give the Swiss a headache as he had the bulk of United’s efforts.

He was even able to get Young Boys back-pedalling and causing all sorts of mayhem but when the ball finally went loose Fred again hit another chance just off target.

At the start of the second half a deflected, looping Anthony Martial shot caused Young Boys goalkeeper David von Ballmoos problems clearing. The ball fell invitingly to Fellaini but he lifted his shot high into the Stretford End.

Perhaps sensing Ballmoos and Co might be susceptible to a bit of added muscle, Mourinho brought on Romelu Lukaku after 64 minutes for Jesse Lingard. Paul Pogba also replaced Fred and Pogba’s first touch set up Rashford for a lashing shot just wide.

The big worry remained that the Swiss were breaking on United at speed whenever possible and a four-on-three counterattack had the visiting support whipping off their yellow tops and waving them in support as they smelt blood.

It needed a quite brilliant reaction save from David De Gea in the 70th minute to stop the Young Boys followers from getting the breakthrough they were roaring for. A vicious free-kick soon after was also too close for comfort for the home fans.

United responded to the scares with sub Lukaku just steering a header wide as the minutes ticked by and that elusive qualifying win still out of reach.

But just when it seemed the Reds might be held to a draw, Lukaku glanced a header on and Fellaini controlled, turned and drove home the winner.

The joy and relief poured out in Mourinho as he grabbed a water bottle carrier at the side of the pitch and flung it into the ground spraying nearby stewards and fans. But nobody cared as the job was done.

United: De Gea, Valencia © (Mata 72), Smalling, Jones, Shaw, Matic, Fellaini, Fred (Pogba 64), Lingard (Lukaku 64), Martial, Rashford.

Subs not used: Romero, Bailly, Andreas, McTominay

Booked: Matic

Young Boys: von Ballmoos, Mbabu, Camara, Von Bergen (Garcia 45), Benita, Sulejmani, Sow, Lauper, Aebischer, Assale, Nsame (Moume Ngamaleu 82).

Subs: Wolfli, Bertone, Fassnacht, Schick, Seydoux

Bookings: Camara, Benito

Exclusive: Mourinho's pre-match interview

Before addressing the media in his press conference on Tuesday, Jose Mourinho spoke exclusively to MUTV, ahead of United's Champions League clash with Young Boys at Old Trafford. Here's what the manager had to say...

Jose, what’s the latest injury news?
“Marcos Rojo is injured and [Victor] Lindelof obviously injured. Matteo [Darmian] has a little thing but everyone is ready.”

Victor showed great heart to carry on at the end of Saturday’s game despite struggling to walk – are you looking for that kind of heart from everyone?
“Yes of course. We had no more changes [left to make], the result was totally open, with a few minutes to go and he gave everything that was possible. Then of course it was impossible to play as a central defender to cover metres at a high intensity against a team that was playing counter-attack football. So he had to go in front of the defensive line, but to be there and stay there until the end was fantastic.”

It was obviously a frustrating result against Palace but do you have to put that to the back of your mind now?
“I don’t know another way. If you moan and stay in the dark because of a frustrating result then you are not able to compete in the next match. The fact that we play Saturday then Tuesday isn’t good from the recovery point of view, but we had to train Sunday and today and we play tomorrow so everything goes really fast and you don’t really have time to be thinking about what we could have done against Crystal Palace because it’s over. It’s about the next game and the next one. In practical terms even if we don’t win tomorrow we have the last match to try to qualify, but I think we have to play the match tomorrow like it is the last one. I think it’s the way we have to think, all of us… myself, the players and also the stadium. It’s a bit of fiction but we have to think that this is the last opportunity we have and you have to win the match to qualify. That’s the way to approach it.”

It’s great to have our Champions League destiny in our own hands isn’t it?
“Yes. We only took one point from two matches at home but we managed to take six from a maximum of six away from home, and the victory in Turin has put us in a position where we have everything in our hands. In this moment we can be first, second or third. Obviously we don’t want to be third and go into the Europa League so there is a lot to play for in these couple of matches. We depend on the Juventus/Valencia result to have or not a decision tomorrow [on qualification] but mentally we need our three points and then we go to 10 [points] and we also need to look at the pride perspective and the fans’ perspective. Two matches at home which were very difficult – Valencia and Juventus and I cannot say we played bad matches in both, but in both we couldn’t win or score. We have another difficult match tomorrow, Young Boys are a much a better team than people think. If you analyse their matches against Valencia and Juventus away they were not easy matches for the home team – 3-0 and 3-1 [defeats], but especially in Valencia the game was so close. So we can imagine that this game will not be easy.”

They’ve only lost one game all season in their domestic league which goes to show they’re a good team…
“Yes but domestically there is no story [no competition]. I played a few times against Basel and Basel at the time were in a similar situation to Young Boys now, they are super-dominant. It’s not just dominant… they have won the title already and we haven’t reached December. They’re a very good team and obviously the best team in their country and with conditions to compete the way they are doing because even though they have only one point, but the results are results where you can say they were there [fighting].”

Can the result in Turin inspire the players to achieve even more in the competition this season?
“If you look to the top candidates [in the Champions League] then probably one of the three teams that come to your mind are Juventus and we have played both matches against them – we lost 1-0 and won 2-1. They were very difficult matches and close matches, but we were able to compete against them, even in the match that we lost. So I think it’s a good point and the first objective in the Champions League is to qualify [for the last 16]. Our group is one of the difficult ones, a very good team has to go to the Europa League, we have six points to fight for to make sure we are not that team.”

Martial: The men who influenced me

In this evening's edition of United Review, the historic matchday programme at Old Trafford, Anthony Martial reveals the club he supported as a child and the many iconic players who have inspired his flourishing Reds career to date.

Scroll down to read part of the in-form France international's exclusive interview...

Martial says

“When I was a kid my favourite team was Lyon. It was at the time when almost all the best players were at the club. Lyon was really my team and that was also the reason I went to their Academy.”

Martial says

“Karim Benzema was there, Juninho Pernambucano, with the great free-kicks. There was Lisandro Lopez, who went there after that. They had a lot of good players.”

Anthony Martial says

“I always followed English football… Manchester United because Patrice Evra was there and he comes from the same town as me. I followed Arsenal as Thierry Henry was there, also from Les Ulis.”

Anthony Martial says

“My two big heroes were both Brazilian: Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, because they had magic in their feet! Just about every player from my age group back then would probably tell you the same thing.”

Anthony Martial says

“Then, for my French heroes, I had Thierry Henry, of course, and then Zinedine Zidane, Zizou. They were the best. I admired strikers, number 10s.”

Anthony Martial says

“I used to watch videos of everyone! Henry, Ronaldo – and another player who I really liked was Nicolas Anelka. He was a really great player, quick with loads of skill.”

Anthony Martial says

“I would watch every striker on the internet, and sometimes, right before a game, I’d be by myself watching action clips, so I’d be able to reproduce what they were doing in those videos.”

Anthony Martial says

“It was Cristiano Ronaldo. He was incredible. He is incredible. I only admired players who dribbled the ball and he did just that. He would put on a real show. To tell you the truth, he got me dreaming that one day it could be me.”

Martial says

“If I was a kid of 14 today, who would I admire? Current players today? For me, I think it would have to be Juan Mata. He is class personified.”

Shaw: We're all fighters

Luke Shaw insisted he and his team-mates are fighting for Manchester United, ahead of a potentially pivotal evening in the quest to reach the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

In Monday's pre-match press conference, Shaw answered questions about his time at Old Trafford as well as the team's current form, and stated his belief that the whole squad is striving to achieve greatness.

“I think everyone in the changing room is a fighter and everyone wants the best for the club and for the team,” he said. “We're all really good friends here, so we all need to be pushing each other. We all want the same thing and that's to win trophies and to be successful here at Manchester United.”

The Reds head into Tuesday night’s fixture on a somewhat mixed run of results. A standout victory away to Juventus in the Champions League has been followed by the disappointments of losing the Manchester derby and dropping points at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Shaw, who was suspended for United’s most recent fixture, admitted that he does not have an explanation for the inconsistency but he moved to reassure fans that players remain dedicated to giving their all on the pitch.

“It's really hard to point a finger to what's going on,” Shaw said. “Of course, it's frustrating to watch, especially with me [being suspended] on the weekend, but we all know that we are much better than that. We train really hard during the week.“

“We always train hard, we always want the best from each other, we always push each other as a team,” he added, “But it's easy for me to come here and say we need to do this, we need to do that. We need to show it on the pitch, starting with tomorrow.”

Until last weekend’s suspension against Palace, Shaw had started the previous nine fixtures in all competitions, which is the longest consecutive run the defender has had in the team since he arrived at Old Trafford in the summer of 2014.

With two Player of the Month awards at the start of this season as well, Shaw agreed that it has been good for him to get a regular role in the team.

“I think it was always important for me to get a run of games,” he said. “In the last couple of seasons I haven't really had that. I've had one game in and probably three or four out or maybe even longer, so for me it was more about getting games and keeping my fitness up and that's benefited me a lot.

“I knew this was a very important season for me, especially at the start. I worked very hard in the summer to make sure that I came back in good shape and came back to make the manager look at me and for him to play me and thankfully he has. I just need to keep fit, keep strong and keep going.”

Mourinho rules out defensive duo

Just days after declaring he had a full squad to choose from, Jose Mourinho has had his options reduced again by injuries to two or three defenders.

The Manchester United manager confirmed on Monday evening what he and many onlookers would have feared after Saturday's 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace - that Victor Lindelof is “obviously injured” for Tuesday's UEFA Champions League match against Young Boys and will be “out for quite a while.”

That news brings to an end a run of six consecutive starts for the Swede, who was recently named his country's Player of the Year and has been regarded as one of the Reds' best performers in recent weeks.

“[Victor will have a] scan tomorrow, but by the experience of the medical department and the feelings of the player, he has a muscular problem and a muscular problem takes time,” revealed Mourinho at his pre-match press conference.

“I would say if we have Victor available for the Christmas period when we need, if possible, every player to be available for that difficult period until the Newcastle match on 2 January, it will be good.”

Lindelof will be joined on the sidelines at Old Trafford by fellow centre-back Marcos Rojo. When the manager spoke to the media last week, the Argentina international was deemed to be ready to play in the forthcoming fixtures but he now has “some little injury”, leaving Mourinho with three fit centre-backs to choose from.

“Jones, Smalling and Bailly are the three that we have at this time,” said the boss, who added that full-back Matteo Darmian also has “a little [problem]”. The Italian played the full 90 minutes on Saturday as a replacement for Luke Shaw, who is eligible to face Young Boys after serving a one-match domestic suspension.

Mourinho added in his exclusive MUTV interview that “everyone [else] is ready” for the penultimate match in Group H, a game he describes as “not crucial” with a further chance to qualify - albeit away to Valencia - still to come on 12 December.

“It's not a crucial match because if we don't win tomorrow, we still won't depend on other results, we'll just depend on ourselves,” he explained in his media briefing,

“'[But although] it's not a crucial game, I want to play from minute one like it is the last chance we have to qualify. I want to play this game as a knockout game, like it's a game we have to win.

”I want to pick a team who I think can cope well with playing a decisive game.“

A big chance for Champions League progress

Tuesday brings a second home game in four days for Manchester United as we welcome Young Boys on a potentially crucial night in the UEFA Champions League.

If coupled with the right result in the other Group H fixture, a win for Jose Mourinho's men over the reigning Swiss champions would secure a place in the knockout stages of the competition.

Form in the group phase so far makes United the favourites, following that famous 2-1 win over Juventus in Turin three weeks ago. Another pointer is the convincing way the Reds began the Champions League campaign back in September, by beating the Young Boys 3-0 with a brace from Paul Pogba and a penalty by Anthony Martial.

Here's everything you need to know ahead of our return to European competition...

ANY EARLY TEAM NEWS?
Victor Lindelof is the main doubt from the weekend, after playing out the closing stages of the Crystal Palace match with an apparent hamstring injury. Prior to that game, Mourinho stated he had a squad of 23 players to choose from, including the recently injured centre-backs Eric Bailly, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo. The boss then added, “Don't be surprised if next Tuesday he [Bailly] plays." Further forward, Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial and Romelu Lukaku all started against Crystal Palace after missing matches in the preceding international break.

The manager could provide further updates on his squad during Monday evening's pre-match press conference.

WHAT ABOUT YOUNG BOYS?
In the opposition dugout, Gerardo Seoane should have no fresh injury concerns for his Young Boys side. Jordan Lotomba remains sidelined as the right-back recovers from a knee injury while centre-half Gregory Wüthrich has a muscle problem.

HOW ARE YOUNG BOYS DOING?
Since facing United in September, Young Boys have won eight of their 13 matches in all competitions, including the last five in the Swiss Super League. On Saturday, they beat Lugano 1-0 at home to go 16 points clear of second-placed FC Basel, who they thrashed 7-1 just days after their defeat to the Reds. Guillaume Hoarau has been the Swiss champions' leading marksman in this campaign and has scored 10 goals in 13 appearances, while Jean-Pierre Nsame is also in a rich vein of form.

In terms of the Champions League, the visitors are already unable to reach the knockout rounds, but they could still grab a spot in the Europa League. A victory against United is vital for that quest but they will also need Valencia to drop points, in order to set up a fight for third place on the last matchday of the group stage.

CAN WE GO THROUGH ON TUESDAY NIGHT?
Quite simply, our qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League will be assured if the Reds beat Young Boys and Valencia fail to overcome Juventus in Turin.

DID YOU KNOW?
Young Boys are United's 75th different opponent in the European Cup and Champions League at Old Trafford.

WHO'S THE REFEREE?
The experienced German official Felix Brych will be the man in the middle on Tuesday night. He was the referee who sent off former United star Cristiano Ronaldo in Juventus's 2-0 win away to Valencia on matchday one. The lawyer from Munich, who has been officiating in the Bundesliga since 2004, also took charge of the 2017 Champions League final when Juve lost 4-1 to Ronaldo's Real Madrid in Cardiff. Brych will be assisted by Mark Borsch and Stefan Lupp, with Markus Hacker appointed as the fourth official. Bastian Dankert and Marco Fritz will also act as additional assistant referees

Inside training: Mourinho assesses his options

The clock is ticking down to Tuesday evening's UEFA Champions League Group H match against Young Boys and, in preparation, Jose Mourinho's Manchester United squad have trained in front of the European football media at the Aon Training Complex.

As part of UEFA regulations the cameras are permitted to film the first 15 minutes of the session, when they capture footage of the manager and players to use ahead of the big game at Old Trafford.

Of course, for obvious reasons, tactical work is at a premium and cards are kept close to the chest. That is only natural ahead of a tie in which United can secure qualification to the Champions League knockout stages with a victory, as long as Valencia do not beat Juventus elsewhere in Group H.

The Reds are currently second in the pool with seven points from 12, after securing a brilliant 2-1 win over Italian champions Juve in Turin last time out. Young Boys, meanwhile, are bottom with only one point and they must win at Old Trafford to maintain any hope of finishing third.

Victor Lindelof was not among those who were captured by photographers, which is not too surprising after the Swede finished the Premier League draw against Crystal Palace with an injury.

Mourinho confirmed the knock after the final whistle and praised the defender’s gallant performance, telling us: “He was a brave guy - probably punishing himself - but a fantastic example.”

Matteo Darmian was also not pictured in the session, despite playing a full match at right-back in the goalless draw against the Eagles on Saturday. Marcos Rojo was also not photographed at training, which suggests he is unlikely to make his first appearance of the season on Tuesday night.

Progress to the last-16 will be secured with a victory against Young Boys, as long as Valencia do not beat Juventus in the other Group H tie. Juan Mata understands how important that opportunity is, with a difficult match away to his former club Valencia looming large on matchday six.

“Still feeling bitter from the draw against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford, we’re already focused on our game against Young Boys,” he writes in his latest blog. “Obviously I would have liked to have been able to say something else, believe me, but the only way to get over the disappointment is to keep moving forward and in our case our next chance to do so is in a matter of hours. Tomorrow we have a key game for moving towards our objective of progressing in the Champions League.”

Anthony Martial scored in the 3-0 away win at Young Boys back in September and he looked happy during the training session, smiling for our photographers.

While he expects a challenging game against the Swiss Side at Old Trafford - particularly as this will be their first visit to our stadium - he remains confident the team will get the job done.

“Without a doubt it won’t be an easy game,” Anthony explains in his interview with United Review, the club's official matchday programme.

“It's quite the opposite. They will give everything they have but really it’s up to us to be fully focused on the game as we have qualification at the end of this as our target. So it’s up to us to go out to win this game and, at the same time, hope for Juve to provide the right scoreline for us!”

Will Manchester United be in the Premier League top four by January?

Last week, Jose Mourinho challenged his Manchester United side to surge into the top four by the start of 2019 - but their charge immediately stalled with a goalless draw at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

However, thanks to Chelsea's defeat against Tottenham, they remain seven points off fourth place.

With seven more United Premier League games before the end of December, we look at their chances of bridging the gap to the Champions League qualifying places…

Ahead of United's clash with Palace, Mourinho was asked whether he believed his side could overcome the seven-point gap that had opened up between them and fourth place, following a frustrating start to the season.

The Portuguese was confident in his team's chances - but insisted they had to capitalise on a busy run of fixtures at the end of 2018 and make their move now.

"It is a big gap but I know that until the end of December we have eight Premier League matches to play," said Mourinho. "We are speaking about 24 points for us to fight for and the other teams that are in the top four. I believe we are going to be there."

On paper, Mourinho's men have a favourable run-in to the New Year - but, as their struggles against Palace showed, there are no easy games for this United side right now.

Next up is an out-of-sorts Southampton side who are only out of the relegation zone on goal difference. United also have each of the bottom three on their schedule before the year is out, plus Eddie Howe's Bournemouth, who have kept pace in the league with United this term.

There are also the two standout fixtures against their Big Six rivals. Home to Arsenal and away to Liverpool. United have taken just one point from meetings with Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City so far in this campaign and they cannot afford to give away more points to the sides they're aiming to overhaul.

So how are United going to bounce back from their Palace stalemate and deliver the performances they need to push for a Champions League qualifying berth?

Mourinho picked out two key areas of concern on Saturday night: United's chance-taking in front of goal and their attitude.

Both problems have been hallmarks of their campaign to date. With just 20 goals from 13 games this season, United still have a negative goal difference. When it comes to finishing clear-cut chances, United are 14th in the Premier League for conversion percentage, according to Opta.

Lead striker Romelu Lukaku is badly out of form, too, and on an 11-game goal drought for his club but he was also starved of service against Palace. Mourinho and his midfield creators must find a way to carve out more openings - especially against sides determined and organised in defence.

The second issue may not be so quickly resolved. Mourinho has publicly criticised the mentality of his team several times this season and the Sunday Supplement panel suggested he has only exacerbated the problem.

Mourinho demanded more aggression, ambition and intensity from his side after the 0-0 with Palace, and he won't have been surprised to see United out-run and out-sprinted by their visitors at Old Trafford.

Going into the international break, United had been ranked fifth-lowest for distance covered and sixth-lowest for sprints in the Premier League.

With seven points to make up on fourth-placed Chelsea, United are going to need some results to go their way if they're going to climb into the top four by 2019. Here's who the rest of the Big Six have got coming up:

So can they do it? While United's trip to Anfield is a daunting challenge on the horizon, they have an ideal opportunity to make up ground on the teams above them, with fixtures against four relegation-threatened sides in their next seven.

Rejuvenating form and confidence will not be so straightforward, though - and United can ill afford any more slip-ups.

Credit: Skysports.com

Gary Neville on 'inconsistent' Manchester United's struggles

Gary Neville has branded Manchester United "inconsistent" and says Jose Mourinho is likely struggling with team selection for each game.

It was another lacklustre performance from Man Utd on Saturday as they drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace in the Premier League, with their visitors seeing the better of the chances.

Neville believes that Mourinho was right to say United could make the top four before the game, but cited his former team's inconsistency as the reason they are not in the running for another Premier League title success.

"I didn't go to Old Trafford but I spoke to people who did. There's a lethargy, in terms of the fans going into the ground, watching the game, players on the pitch," he said on the Gary Neville podcast.

"I think Jose gave the right message before the game saying they will end up in the top four. I don't think it would have been acceptable at the start of the season, and certainly the start of last season, to say the top four is achievable, because he will have wanted to challenge for the title with the money that has been spent. That's where United need to be.

"But they're not near that level at this moment in time, and it typifies really what they are at the moment, which is inconsistent. You can see them go away to Chelsea and nearly win, go away to Watford and Young Boys, and sometimes you can watch them at home against Wolves or Crystal Palace or Valencia, and they're nowhere near.

"They're inconsistent, not just in games, but from half to half within games. It's not right obviously at this moment in time, the players are not performing anywhere near their level.

"You'd argue Jose at this moment in time will be scratching his head about which players to put out on the pitch.

"But he's made changes before and it hasn't really made any difference so it's just about battling and fighting away at it, because it is a struggle. I think that's the word to describe it."

Credit: Skysports.com

Your guide to a huge week ahead for United

A hugely influential week has begun for Manchester United, with games against Young Boys and Southampton to come over the next seven days. Our youth sides and women’s team are all in action, so here’s a guide to what’s in store for the Reds...

MONDAY
The first team will kick off a busy week by training in front of the media before the Champions League tie against Young Boys, who will complete their own preparations when they train on the Old Trafford pitch in the evening.

Jose Mourinho and a designated player will also speak at the pre-match press conferences from around 18:30 GMT.

Monday also marks the anniversary of Eric Cantona signing for the club. The striker joined the Reds from Leeds in 1992 and went on to make 171 appearances in five years at Old Trafford, winning four Premier League titles and two FA Cups.

TUESDAY
In the afternoon, Nicky Butt’s Under-19s will face Young Boys in the UEFA Youth League. The United youngsters prevailed when the sides last met in September thanks to goals from Mason Greenwood and Angel Gomes.

Then, in the evening, the big one at Old Trafford! If we beat Young Boys and Valencia fail to beat Juventus in Turin elsewhere in Group H, then our progress to the knockout stages will be secure.

WEDNESDAY
After our penultimate Champions League group game, the attention will quickly turn to the weekend’s Premier League match against Southampton.

The Reds have a good recent record at St Mary’s and haven’t lost there since August 2003. Last season, Jose Mourinho's men won 1-0 on the south coast thanks to Romelu Lukaku’s first-half strike.

THURSDAY
We will say a big happy birthday to a United legend, as Ryan Giggs turns 45! Our record appearance maker is of course the current Wales manager, but he might enjoy a day off to celebrate.

FRIDAY
Jose will be back in front of the cameras again when he speaks to the media ahead of the trip to Southampton, and he will hopefully give an update on the latest team news. You can follow it live on ManUtd.com and in the club's Official App, or watch it live on MUTV.

SATURDAY
The Under-18s begin another rammed weekend when they travel to Merseyside to face Everton. The game at Finch Farm kicks off at 11:00 GMT and can be watched live on MUTV.

After that, the first team is back in Premier League action at 17:30 GMT in the first of seven league games in December.

It’s also James Wilson’s 23rd birthday. The United forward is currently on loan at Aberdeen and won’t have much time to celebrate, as he will preparing to face Celtic in the Scottish League Cup final the following day.

SUNDAY
United Women are in action at 14:00 GMT against Lewes Women at the Dripping Pan. A win for Casey Stoney's Reds could secure top spot in the table - they currently trail Tottenham Ladies by two points, but have a game in hand.

Finally, we will also wish Matteo Darmian a happy birthday. The full-back will turn 29 this weekend and will hopefully enjoy it reflecting on United’s victory the previous day.

Mourinho looking like yesterday's man

Jose Mourinho is looking increasingly out of touch with the modern game after the Manchester United manager's latest damning assessment of his players, according to the Sunday Supplement panel.

A lacklustre United were fortunate to draw 0-0 with Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on Saturday as they fell 14 points behind leaders Manchester City.

The result and nature of the performance came after Mourinho had claimed United lacked "character", with modern players acting like "spoilt kids".

The Portuguese was also damning in his post-match analysis after dropping another two points against Palace, questioning the "heart" of his players.

United's struggles were discussed on the Sunday Supplement, and the Daily Star's chief sports writer Jeremy Cross believes Mourinho has become a "tired, old guy".

"That dressing room is in a bit of a state," he said. "It all seems very torn, and the one person to blame for that is the manager. He creates an atmosphere that is reflective of the way he behaves.

"He makes the point in midweek that young players nowadays are mollycoddled, which is a fair point but then he names four of his own players, which seemed a bizarre and dangerous thing to do.

"One of the players he named was Anthony Martial, who has basically kept him in a job the last four or five weeks.

"Another player he mentioned was Luke Shaw, who revealed not long ago he nearly lost his leg and has done really well to get back in the England squad."

United dropped to seventh in the Premier League after failing to score in a top-flight home meeting with Crystal Palace for the first time since October 1970.

A first home clean sheet of the season wasn't enough to lift the mood, with the players booed off at the full-time whistle by a section of supporters.

With the club now faced with an uphill task to qualify for next season's Champions League, Mourinho called out his players saying they had not attached enough importance on the game, and said there was not enough desire shown.

"If they're cosseted, over-protected, over-sensitive players, him saying there's no heart and no desire, what's that going to do to them? That's not going to help them," argued the Mail On Sunday's chief sports writer Oliver Holt.

"If they're not robust individuals, then he's just making the situation worse. I found it a damning analysis of the modern player, and of players within his own squad.

"He comes across as somebody who distrusts young players. One of the many great things about Ferguson was his ability to adapt from generation to generation, to get the best out of younger players.

"He loved bringing youth through, but Mourinho speaks like someone who distrusts these players. He's at a club with a magnificent record of bringing through young players.

"He talks of young players with disdain, and it is a really interesting window into the problems that there are at Manchester United.

"In style on the pitch and attitude off it, Mourinho looks more and more like yesterday's man."

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Mourinho does not expect Alexis Sanchez to leave Manchester United in January

Jose Mourinho does not believe Alexis Sanchez wants to leave Manchester United in January.

Sanchez has struggled to find his best form since joining United from Arsenal last January. He has started just five of United's 12 Premier League matches this season, scoring once, and was dropped for the Manchester derby.

Mourinho admits Sanchez is underperforming but feels he still has the desire to turn his United career around.

When asked if he expected Sanchez to leave, Mourinho replied: "I don't think so because he has never told me that he wants to leave. He never told me that he's not happy to stay.

"He is playing like the team. He is improving, like the team is improving, when he plays he is giving us his personality.

"His desire is to play and to produce for the team and [he is] trying to adapt to the way we play and vice versa.

"Can he do better? We all can do better. I can do better, he can do better, all the players can do better."

One of the United players who can "do better" in Mourinho's mind appears to be out-of-favour centre-back Eric Bailly.

Bailly started United's first two Premier League games of the season, against Leicester and Brighton, but he gave away a penalty in the 3-2 defeat to the Seagulls and was subsequently dropped.

His only league start since came against Newcastle on October 6 when he was hauled after just 19 minutes with United already 2-0 down.

Mourinho has settled on Victor Lindelof and Chris Smalling as his preferred partnership in central defence, despite United conceding 21 goals in 12 Premier League matches - only four teams have conceded more.

"I think Smalling and Lindelof are playing much better than the beginning of the season," Mourinho said.

"I decided to give Victor the opportunity of his evolution, evolution with some mistakes yes because he is young, especially young in the Premier League. We decided to give him this continuity which I think it is clear it has improved him.

"Bailly has physical qualities, he is very fast [but] he is not very tall. We thought that Chris Smalling would give some balance in relation to the qualities. Chris is very good in the air. He is tall and dominant in the air.

"Victor, in the building up, is better than Chris. We have found the balance. I repeat, they are not perfect but nobody is perfect. That couple is performing quite well."

Mourinho has already decided that Bailly will be left out of the match-day squad entirely for the visit of Crystal Palace to Old Trafford on Saturday but hinted he will play against Young Boys in the Champions League on Tuesday.

"We have Phil, [Marcos] Rojo and Eric and I try to make them motivated," Mourinho said. "To make them motivated - I cannot select the same all the time.

"If I put Phil Jones on the bench five matches in a row and never Rojo or Eric. I'm trying again depending on the matches and situation.

"Marcos is injured a lot of the time so he is a little bit behind but between Phil and Eric, we are working like this. When we decide to make a rotation, when we need to make it we will make it and they are there to play.

"I can tell you because he already knows, tomorrow Eric is not playing and not even on the bench. But don't be surprised that next Tuesday he plays."

Credit: Skysports.com

Manchester United fined just over £7,000 for pitch invasion during Juventus game

Manchester United have been fined just over £7,000 by UEFA after three fans entered the field of play during last month's clash with Juventus.

United lost their home game with Juventus 1-0 but the game was further overshadowed by separate pitch invasions.

The first occurred shortly after play got underway in the Group H encounter when a fan ran across the pitch before being restrained by stewards close to the players.

Two more supporters invaded the pitch after the match and sought to get pictures with former United forward Cristiano Ronaldo, with one of them succeeding despite being restrained by stewards.

UEFA fined United €8,000 (£7,100) on Friday for breaching Article 16 of their Disciplinary Regulations relating to field invasions.

UEFA also handed out punishments to both Benfica and Ajax after disorder during their Champions League game on November 7, and to CSKA Moscow and Roma who also met on the same day.

AEK Athens were also fined after crowd disturbances during last month's visit of Bayern Munich.

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Lukaku isolated again as Manchester United fail to break down Crystal Palace

On the fringes and without a goal once again, Romelu Lukaku's struggles continued against Crystal Palace. What's the solution for Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho?

It's lonely up top for Manchester United.

Romelu Lukaku cut an isolated figure in their disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Crystal Palace and getting the best from the Belgian striker is becoming a frustrating problem for boss Jose Mourinho.

After being dropped for four Premier League games before the international break, Lukaku was reinstated against struggling Palace - but still his goal drought goes on.

It's now been 11 matches since he scored for United and he's been stuck on four goals since opening the scoring at Watford on September 15.

Lukaku had one effort correctly ruled out for offside and a header well saved on Saturday but he spent the majority of the game on the fringes, barely involved.

In total, he managed just 20 touches of the ball in 90 minutes.

To put that into context, the next fewest touches recorded by a Manchester United outfield starter who played the whole game was 51, by Anthony Martial.

Even substitute Marcus Rashford, who only played for 30 minutes, had more touches than Lukaku.

Lukaku was the only United player not to regain possession for his team even once, losing it nine times. He made just 13 passes, completing just eight of them. He attempted three crosses - but none of them found a red shirt. They're alarming numbers.

Lukaku's best moment of the game came with just four minutes on the clock, when he knocked down a Paul Pogba long ball into the path of Jesse Lingard, who fired off a blocked shot.

It was a moment which hinted the returning Lukaku was ready to deliver an impact. It never materialised.

For Mourinho it is becoming a real issue. He has become so concerned by Lukaku's struggles that he travelled to Belgium during the international break and spoke to the striker's national team boss Roberto Martinez about what's going wrong. The search for a solution goes on.

The manager bemoaned his team's failure to take their big chances against Crystal Palace and United are in desperate need of a cutting edge.

For the fourth time this season they failed to score at Old Trafford and, while Lukaku isn't the only one who deserves to take the blame, the £75m striker - who played every minute in those matches - must bear the burden.

In response, he may, somewhat justifiably, point to the service he's been receiving. It's been badly lacking in quantity and quality.

Among 90-minute appearances by the Big Six's lead strikers this season in the Premier League, Lukaku accounts for four of the six performances with the fewest touches.

His isolation is a recurring problem and United's creators behind him must do better.

Against Palace, over half of the United players who made it onto the field failed to find Lukaku with a pass, including key attackers Lingard, Anthony Martial, Alexis Sanchez and Marouane Fellaini.

"He's playing up front on his own and he doesn't get a lot of service," Paul Merson told Soccer Saturday after the match. "He probably went to Manchester United thinking 'I'll get bundles of goals here, I'll get six, seven, eight, nine chances a game'.

"But he's working off [service] like he's playing for a bottom-half team. If he's got two chances in a game he's done well - that's not right."

With United miles behind the title race, losing touch in the battle for the top four and facing crunch Champions League group games, the problem of Lukaku is something Mourinho and the 25-year-old must find a way to fix fast.

Credit: Skysports.com

Smalling eager to make amends

Chris Smalling was frustrated Manchester United blew a golden chance to kickstart the Reds' efforts to achieve Jose Mourinho’s target of reaching the Premier League top four by the New Year.

Starting with the Crystal Palace match, United had eight games before the turn of the year to make up ground on rivals in the coveted Champions League berths, with five of those matches on home turf against Arsenal, Fulham, Huddersfield and Bournemouth.

Unfortunately, Saturday's stalemate with Roy Hodgson's side has caused an early setback on the Reds' target of pushing for the upper echelons of the Premier League.

“We knew in the period we had coming up, there were so many home games that three points had to be a must. A point or no points? It might as well have been a loss,” said Smalling. “Given this run, we can’t afford any more slip-ups at home like this.”

Smalling believes an early opening goal for United would have meant a completely different game against the Londoners, however, as the game progressed, the Reds gave the visitors an opportunity to take something away from the game and lacked a crucial cutting edge when it came to finding the target.

“We were just lacking that first goal and then that unlocks people and it makes them become a bit more open,“ he said. ”It is just frustrating.

“They had good chance in the first half and then, in the second, we were pushing for the goal and they had another good chance for [Andros] Townsend, but really it shouldn’t have got to that stage because we should have got a goal before then.

“We need to keep working hard as a team, keep creating those chances and finishing them and making sure that the games that we are dominating, we win.”

United had produced one of their trademark comebacks in Turin against Juventus in the Champions League just before the Manchester derby to add to the many late revivals. But, on this occasion, there was no show-stopping finale and Smalling said United should not be reliant on last gasp drama.

“I thought, in the last 10 minutes, there was the added intensity we maybe needed a bit earlier in the game but we can’t always leave it to the last minute and we needed to get that goal earlier,” said Smalling.

“It will be good to get out in front of this crowd again [on Tuesday against Young Boys in the Champions League] and show a better performance.”

Jose: We lost two points againsy Palace

Jose Mourinho rued what was a missed opportunity for his Manchester United side to close the gap on the top four after a goalless draw against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.

It was a frustrating day for the Reds as chances for Chris Smalling and Anthony Martial went wide of the target, while Romelu Lukaku had efforts saved by Palace keeper Wayne Hennessey and saw a goal ruled out for offside.

Speaking to MUTV after the game, the manager praised how the team started, but criticised the way the Reds allowed the visitors to have a sniff of an opportunity of earning something from the fixture.

WE'VE LOST TWO POINTS TODAY

“I would say [it's] a very bad result. It's not a point, it's two points that we lost. The objective was, in these eight matches until the end of December to recover positions, to get points, to shorten distances, to get close to the top four and, in the end, we lose two points.”

WE LACKED INTENSITY

“We let them time to breathe because we were not intense. We played well, but we lost the ball, we gave them time to breathe and [allowed] the goalkeeper to take his time. We let it go and then it looks like we are waiting for things to happen and things did not happen.”

LINE-UP WAS ATTACKING

“You cannot play with nine attacking players, we have to play with a certain balance but, of course, we played with four players in attack and we were dynamic to arrive in dangerous positions. We started really well but, again, I think when you play to win matches, you don't stop until you win and we were playing well but we gave them periods of time, periods during the first and the second half. We gave them periods to rest, to breathe, to feel that they were a little bit under control and that gives life to the opponents that come here to fight for a point.”

INSTILLING BELIEF INTO THE PLAYERS

You can influence players, especially when they are open to it. When a player is open to it and a player realises he must give more and has to change his nature a little bit and is open, they change. There are many examples showing that coaches and managers can change a little bit in their players, not their DNA but their emotional qualities. I am what I am, every individual is different. There are people who will have a bad dinner, there are people who enjoy a nice dinner and there will be people that may party. I think that is the way it is.“

WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

”You cannot change players' natures dramatically. The solution is that I probably have to make certain choices based on heart and then I’ll probably blame myself because I’ll think heart is not enough and I’m missing some quality. We have a game in two days which is a good thing, there’s not a long time to be moaning because tomorrow is training.“

Lindelof injury update

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was asked to provide an update on Victor Lindelof's situation, after the defender was clearly hurt in the closing stages of the 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace.

The Sweden centre-back has returned from international duty with his country, when he was withdrawn at half-time during the Turkey game with 'flu-like symptoms, but then scored against Russia in midweek.

Back in a red shirt, he produced another polished performance against Palace and was one of the hosts' star men on a disappointing afternoon at Old Trafford.

During the end of the stalemate, he appeared to pull up with a hamstring injury but soldiered on immediately, winning the ball in stoppage time, and refusing to leave his team down to 10 men as all three substitutions had been made.

It was a mark of the bravery of the stopper, who continues to endear himself to the United faithful.

MUTV quizzed the boss about the situation, ahead of the Champions League tie with Young Boys on Tuesday night.

When asked if Lindelof is injured, Jose replied: “I believe so. I have to believe so. I always say that this is the period of the injuries.

”When they are not injured in the national team, they come to the clubs and they are injured in the clubs and he played against Russia three days ago or two days ago and, of course, we need him and he played and he was probably the best player of the team.

“He was a brave guy, probably punishing himself, who knows, for how long he will be out, but a fantastic example.”

The manager has already suggested Eric Bailly will start at Old Trafford in midweek and the Ivory Coast international is an obvious option if Lindelof is absent, although Phil Jones was among the substitutes against Palace.

Credit: Manutd.com

Premier League: Man. United 0 Crystal Palace 0

Manchester United suffered a disappointing 0-0 Old Trafford draw to drop our first home points since September,against Crystal Palace.

Jose Mourinho's side were looking to bounce back following the Manchester derby defeat to City but dropped further behind in a bid to make the top four by the New Year.

Pre-match suggestions were that Palace could be a fragile opponent with Roy Hodgson’s side having not won at all in their last seven matches, with only a draw in the middle of a dreadful sequence. However, after a bright opening by United, the visitors quickly started to look a confident bunch

Ex-Red Wilfried Zaha is the Eagles' main man and was heavily involved in building their confidence. He zipped a shot just wide in the 20th minute and was part of a rapid breakaway in the 25th minute that caught United cold. Only a miscued shot from Patrick van Aanholt saved the Reds from going behind.

Palace had clearly identified the lively Jesse Lingard as a danger and he was clattered twice by Luka Milivojevic and Mamadou Sakho before the half-hour with both the Palace players getting booked for their cynical work.

Lingard, though, was involved in United’s best response after 29 minutes when the Reds finally tested keeper Wayne Hennessey. The England player saw his side-foot effort stopped, he immediately chased the loose ball and set up Anthony Martial for a header. However, Hennessey was on the spot again.

There was an almighty scare for United two minutes before half-time when it looked in real time like Palace had taken a shock lead. Cheikhou Kouyate and Victor Lindelof both appeared to get a glance on Milivojevic’s free kick but, as the Palace player ran away celebrating, he was confronted by the referee’s assistant flagging for offside.

It was a very close call and could have gone either way.

United felt the same pain that Palace had suffered when also having a goal disallowed in front of the Stretford End after 57 minutes.

Ashley Young, vocally encouraged by the crowd, delivered a stinging shot that Hennessey could only parry into open space. Romelu Lukaku reacted to follow up and tap home, but the Belgian striker was judged to be marginally offside.

Once again, it was an extremely tight and dubious judgment and United could feel as aggrieved as their visitors had done that the scoreline remained at 0-0.

Manager Mourinho had seen enough and played his first two cards from the bench. The Reds boss brought on Marouane Fellaini and Marcus Rashford for Lingard and Juan Mata to add height, power and pace to United’s game plan.

The manager brought on his final sub in the 68th minute with another attacking move, throwing Alexis Sanchez into the mix and taking Paul Pogba off.

United were let off the hook in the 74th minute by Andros Townsend. The former England winger somehow muscled, tricked and fortuitously forced his way through United’s defensive ranks into a one-versus-one with David De Gea. The Reds keeper didn’t need to intervene as Townsend screwed his golden chance wide.

Lukaku almost provided the breakthrough goal with seven minutes of normal time to go. His header came close to creeping home but goalkeeper Hennessey lunged to his left to touch the ball around for a corner.

When the fourth official put up four added minutes at the end of the 90, Old Trafford braced itself for a potential typical United late, late show but sadly the Reds couldn't muster up a winning finale.

United: De Gea, Darmian, Smalling, Lindelof, Young (C), Matic, Pogba (Alexis 68), Mata (Rashford 59) Lingard (Fellaini 59), Martial, Lukaku

Subs not used: Grant, Jones, Valencia, Fred.

Bookings: Young

Crystal Palace: Hennessey, Van Aanholt, Milivojevic (C), Tomkins, Meyer, Kouyate, Townsend (Schlupp 87), Zaha (Ayew 90), Sakho, McArthur, Wan-Bissaka

Subs not used: Guaita, Ward, Kelly, Puncheon, Sorloth.

Bookings: Milivojevic, Sakho

Referee: Lee Mason

Attendance: 74,516

United teams up with adidas and EA Sports for new digital shirt

Manchester United has teamed up with adidas Football and Electronic Arts to reveal the stunningly unique Manchester United EA Sports Jersey – a digital shirt, that will be granted in EA SPORTS FIFA 19 to players who are fans of the club, along with obtaining them through FIFA ULTIMATE TEAM (FUT) packs and weekly objectives.

The shirt features a bold, radical leopard print design. Although the shirt will not be worn by the team on the pitch, a special limited edition physical version, designed in collaboration with EA SPORTS™, will be available for fans to buy in retail outlets including the Megastore at Old Trafford and adidas stores, as well as online at United Direct and adidas.com.

Credit: Manutd.com

Who has been United's best penalty taker?

We probably all have our own opinion on which Manchester United player we would most like to see stepping up to take a crucial penalty.

Who was the coolest in those circumstances? Which Red was the most reliable? Who would you put your house on not failing from 12 yards out?

There have been some heroes from the spot in the past, not to mention those who kept their heads in shoot-outs (yes, Moscow in 2008 leaps to mind). But, thanks to @OptaJoe, we have statistical proof as to our best penalty takers in the Premier League.

ERIC CANTONA - 14 out of 16 (87.5%)
'King Eric' only ever missed twice in the league, against Blackburn Rovers and former club Leeds United and, on both occasions, he went on to score later in the match. His secret was apparently to watch a keeper's knees and, once they moved in one direction, he would place the ball in the other. The two FA Cup final goals against Chelsea in 1994 were evidence of this technique, even if they do not count here, and it would be difficult to find a cooler character when the chance came to score from 12 yards out. The one past Liverpool in his first game back after suspension was pretty special.

CRISTIANO RONALDO - 11 out of 13 (84.6%)
Yes, he may have had his effort saved in the aforementioned Champions League shoot-out triumph over Chelsea but he was usually reliable from these dead-ball situations. In intense circumstances, with the Reds on the brink of the title, he kept his nerve against Manchester City in 2007 and Wigan Athletic a year later. The Portuguese star did fail from the spot in the first leg of the 2007/08 Champions League semi-final against Barcelona but he only missed twice in the league in his time in England - both in late December (against Wigan in 2006 and West Ham a year later).

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY - 18 out of 22 (81.8%)
Ruud was one of those strikers who seemed to greedily view penalties as a simple opportunity to get his goal tally up. The ruthless Netherlands international failed on four occasions - once in the last minute of the infamous 0-0 draw with Arsenal, hitting the underside of the bar, as the Gunners then went the whole league season unbeaten. Quite how cathartic it was for him to then beat Jens Lehmann a year later, in 2004, to help end the Londoners' proud run, was evident from the primal scream he unleashed near the corner flag afterwards. When it came to scoring goals, few could compare with the Dutch hitman.

DENIS IRWIN - 7 out of 9 (77.8%)
The personification of reliability, the full-back never let anybody down and was largely nerveless in such situations. His 80th-minute effort against Southampton in 1994/95 ensured the Reds took the title race with Blackburn Rovers to the final day and he twice found the net against Liverpool (in 1998 and 1999), with Brad Friedel in goal on both occasions. The Republic of Ireland international was also on the mark at Champions League level from the spot and, like former colleague Steve Bruce (who scored two out of two in the Premier League but most of his penalties came before the new division was formed), he was a dead-eyed defender.

ROBIN VAN PERSIE - 6 out of 8 (75%)
Another Dutch striker who loved hitting the back of the net, the astute signing from Arsenal slammed in most of his penalties at United. One that sticks in the memory came against his former club at the Emirates Stadium, when he had already helped Sir Alex Ferguson's team clinch a 20th title. He missed a dinked attempt in a dramatic win at Southampton, earning a clip around the ear from MUTV pundit Paddy Crerand afterwards (!) but still grabbed a hat-trick in the 3-2 win. Van Persie's other failed effort came in a 1-0 defeat to West Brom in 2015 but who can forget his ice-cool winner past Liverpool's Pepe Reina at Anfield in September 2012?

WAYNE ROONEY - 20 out of 28 (71.4%)
Our former skipper is the man who has scored more penalties than anybody else in a United shirt in Premier League history. He found the net on 20 occasions but the fact he also missed eight times means his success-rate is below those already mentioned. That said, the DC United star scored probably the most important spot-kick in that time when smashing home at Blackburn Rovers' Ewood Park to seal the title on 14 May, 2011. He also scored twice from the spot in a single Premier League match for United - against Portsmouth (2009) and Chelsea (2012). When it came to taking responsibility, the striker was always willing to step forward.

Honorable mentions should go to some of those who took four penalties or fewer for the Reds in the division. Louis Saha has the best 100 per cent record, having converted all four of his attempts, while Bruce could certainly lay claim to being unlucky not to be in the conversation because of the change to the Premier League. Andy Cole, despite notching 121 goals in total for the club, famously never scored a penalty.

Statistics, courtesy of @OptaJoe, correct as of 16 November 2018.

Drogba: Mourinho would win Premier League with Manchester City

Jose Mourinho would have won the Premier League title "two or three times" if he was manager of Manchester City, according to Didier Drogba.

Mourinho won the title three times over the course of two separate spells at Chelsea but has failed to replicate that success since joining Manchester United in 2016.

The Portuguese recently admitted United are in a battle to reach the top four after losing 3-1 to rivals City, who won the title with a record points total under Pep Guardiola last season.

However, Drogba believes Mourinho is still the right manager for United and insists his former boss is facing criticism because of the high standards he set earlier his career.

"I think if you put him at Manchester City, he would have won the league twice, maybe two or three times," said Drogba, who announced his retirement from football on Wednesday.

"You get criticism because you set a standard of winning, winning and winning and now you're not winning or having the same results.

"He is still there. You have to look at all the managers who were at Manchester United the last few years.

"Being manager after Sir Alex Ferguson is not easy and the finances that they had then are not the same as what they have now.

"People only pay attention to the best and he's one of the best and that's why he gets all of this.

"I think he's taking the challenge, because it's a big challenge and if people criticise you then how can you enjoy it? It's tough. After all, he's human.

"He's trying to change his approach and that's what the best managers do and when things are not working you try to change it."

Credit: Skysports.com

Why didn't United sign N'Golo Kante?

Keith Andrews questioned why Manchester United did not sign N'Golo Kante to partner Paul Pogba in the summer of 2016.

Kante signed for Chelsea from then-champions Leicester for £32m, while United signed Henrikh Mkhitaryan alongside Pogba when Jose Mourinho arrived at the club.

The France midfielder is closing in on a new deal at Chelsea, even with two-and-a-half years still to run on his current deal, and speaking on The Debate, Andrews cannot believe United did not do all they could to sign him in 2016.

"He is the best in the business at winning the ball back and keeping things simple. In terms of the contract, no-brainer," said Andrews.

"You've only got to look at the way France celebrated in the World Cup final, lifting him up, that's what he means to them. He's been that good

"And how cheap was he each time… £5.5m to Leicester and even £32m to Chelsea. How Manchester United didn't go and get him to partner Pogba in midfield, I have no idea."

Having won the World Cup alongside Pogba with France in the summer tournament in Russia, Craig Bellamy said Kante's qualities allowed the Manchester United man to perform better.

"Give him whatever he wants. He's been a star. He just wants to play football. As a defensive midfielder, what he did at the World Cup with Pogba; I'm not too convinced he had a great World Cup, but he looked a lot better than he has done for Manchester United for one reason only; because of Kante.

"I believe I could play central midfield if I've got him next to me, that's how good he is. He is the work of two or three men. As a Chelsea player, you would want him in your team all day long. I'm just in awe of him, as a person as well."

Kante, who was PFA Player of the Year in 2016/17 when Chelsea won the title, has been moved to a more advanced position at Stamford Bridge under Maurizio Sarri, with Jorginho preferred in central midfield.

But Steve Sidwell, also speaking on The Debate, says Kante is still a manager's dream.

"With him, everyone in that dressing room will say: fair play. Because everyone loves him. He is a manager's dream, not just for what he does on the pitch, but for what he does off it. He is low maintenance," said the former Chelsea midfielder.

"What does that mean? As a manager or a coach, you will always wonder or worry at the weekend what your players are up to. With him, you know he is going to be in bed at half nine, his boots are going to be polished next to his bed, and if it's snowing the next morning he's going to be running into work."

Credit: Skysports.com

Reds can shake up the standings

After the latest international break, focus is very much switched back on the Premier League as Manchester United return to action against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.

The table may not make pleasant reading for Reds fans at the moment, with the team sitting in eighth place, but the standings could look different come the end of the weekend with the opportunity presenting itself for Jose Mourinho’s men to make ground up on our rivals.

Of course, it would be foolish not to concentrate on our own matters and Palace will be determined to make life difficult when heading north on Saturday. But if United can secure a welcome victory against an Eagles side with only two points from their last seven league games, there is the potential for the picture to look considerably brighter.

Ander Herrera has already spoken about how he appreciates the chance to shake up the standings and a glance at the next set of fixtures underlines how important this can be in starting a push towards the top four.
Watford, currently above United on goal difference, take on second-placed Liverpool at Vicarage Road at the same time the Reds are entertaining Palace. The teatime kick-off is an intriguing London derby between Tottenham and Chelsea at Wembley. Spurs are fourth, seven points in front of us, with Maurizio Sarri’s Blues one place and one point better off.

On Sunday, Bournemouth face Arsenal in another match that will prove beneficial for Jose’s men, providing we can win our game. We may have beaten the Cherries earlier this month but they lie in sixth spot and are likely to be a tough test for the in-form Gunners, who are a place above them on 24 points.

Therefore, points are going to be dropped by the sides filling the top seven slots, regardless of what happens in terms of the scorelines, and let’s hope United can begin a run of positive results that sets thing up nicely for a hectic spell of games in December.

The final month of the year begins for the Reds with a trip to Southampton, before a day of derbies in the top flight as Chelsea face Fulham, Arsenal take on Tottenham and Liverpool meet Everton. Once again, points will be shared elsewhere and there is every incentive for Jose’s side to kick on and move up the table.

Fellaini is working hard to be fighting fit for United

Marouane Fellaini admits he used the international break to work towards full fitness, ahead of Manchester United's festive schedule.

The midfielder opted not to be involved in Belgium's UEFA Nations League matches against Iceland and Switzerland, in order to work at the Aon Training Complex ahead of our Premier League clash against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

“Yeah, I took it off myself,“ Fellaini told MUTV's Stewart Gardner in an exclusive interview this week. "I worked and did some good recoveries so I’m looking forward to the weekend. I’m working hard to get fit.“

After three away games, United will now play three of the next four matches across all competitions at Old Trafford - Saturday's clash with Palace, as well as encounters with London clubs Arsenal and Fulham in the early part of December.

Marouane, who celebrates his 31st birthday today, believes it is important to put a winning run together as this stage of the campaign.

“I think it’s good to win games now,” Felli told us. “I think we have a lot of games at Old Trafford coming up so it’s good to take points there and see after that. We’ll take it game by game to get the points we need.”

Fellaini has scored three goals in eight previous appearances against the Eagles, and made his United debut against the South London outfit five years ago.

Our no.27 reflected on the good memories he has of facing Palace during his time at Old Trafford, where he scored twice in a 4-0 win over Roy Hodgson's side in last season's corresponding fixture.

“Good memories,” he said, when recalling that victory in September 2017. “We controlled the game and did well. We created lots of chances and won 4-0. The confidence was high. Okay, now it’s going to be completely different as every game is difficult and games are harder. I hope we win 4-0 but it will be tough.”

In addition, Marouane also made his United debut in this fixture back in September 2013, replacing Anderson in the 62nd minute as the Reds ran out 2-0 winners.

“Yeah, we won 2-0,” Fellaini explained. “I played 30 minutes and it was a good memory. It’s five years ago. It goes fast.”

Felli was also involved in United’s FA Cup final victory over Crystal Palace back in 2016, where he played the full 120 minutes at Wembley Stadium.

Pellegrini's agent shuts down Manchester United links

Roma star Lorenzo Pellegrini is not considering a move to Manchester United and is "only thinking about Roma", his agent says.

The 22-year-old Italy international midfielder has a £27m release clause in his contract and has reportedly attracted interest from United boss Jose Mourinho following a fruitful start to the season.

However, agent Giampiero Pocetta dismissed speculation that Pellegrini is set to join the Red Devils, despite reports they were ready to make a move for him as soon as January.

"I'm sorry that rumours have spread about financial aspects relating to him and his team-mates, that for Lorenzo have never been important," Pocetta told Corriere dello Sport. "He doesn't live for meetings, especially financial ones.

"He's getting what he deserves on the pitch, and the rumours about the transfer market have never distracted him nor disturbed him."

United directors reportedly met Pocetta in London on Saturday and made a sizeable offer, which Italian media report to include a doubling of his salary which currently stands at around £34,000-per-week.

However, regardless of the importance of the offer, Pocetta is adamant Pellegrini will carry on playing for his hometown club in the near future.

"Pellegrini is only thinking about improving with, and for, Roma," he insisted.

"These issues don't count for now, it's normal that Pellegrini is liked. Lorenzo is happy though, he's already chosen Roma once.

"Then, when it's time, we'll sit down with Monchi [Roma sporting director] again."

Pellegrini has a contract with Roma running until June 2022, originally signed when the Serie A giants exercised a £9m buy-back option from Sassuolo following a one-year stint.

His release clause can be activated anytime in the month of June - and Roma are desperate to make sure the midfielder stays put in the capital.

Credit: Skysports.com

Manchester United braced for January interest in Anthony Martial from Chelsea and Juventus

Manchester United are braced for January interest from Juventus and Chelsea in Anthony Martial, as talks over a new contract remain deadlocked, Sky Sports News understands.

United recently activated a year-long extension clause in Martial's current deal that ties him down until 2020, after the France forward rejected their latest offer of new terms.

Sky Sports News understands that an agreement remains very far from being reached, despite another round of discussions.

And Chelsea are keen on the player - if they can sell one of their own players in the upcoming transfer window - as well as Italian giants Juventus.

United want Martial to commit to a new long-term contract and talks have been ongoing since the summer transfer window - when manager Jose Mourinho was prepared to sell him.

The United hierarchy have remained determined to keep Martial, believing he still has a lot to offer and fearing he could fulfil his potential elsewhere, having made him the world's most expensive teenager in a deal from Monaco in 2015 that could rise to £58m.

Martial, now 22, has scored six goals in the last seven games in all competitions, having initially struggled to establish himself in the United first team.

Credit: Skysports.com

The Story of United's 100 Premier League penalties

Manchester United's penalty prowess reached a landmark figure in the recent derby, when Anthony Martial slotted home our 100th successful spot-kick in the Premier League.

We have had many experts from 12 yards over the years since Steve Bruce netted the first one in September 1992 and, obviously, there have been numerous dramatic moments. Some of these are genuinely unforgettable and nothing compares to the tension as the whistle blows and the taker prepares to take on the keeper.

To acknowledge the milestone effort from Martial, we've pulled together some penalty facts and figures, courtesy of our friends, @OptaJoe.

MOST GOALS

Wayne Rooney has netted the most Premier League penalties for United - 20 in total. That's two more than the deadly Dutchman, Ruud van Nistelrooy.

100 PER CENT RECORD

French forward Louis Saha takes this accolade after successfully converting all four of his league spot-kicks for the Reds. He did, however, fail to score one in the Champions League, in the last minute of a defeat at Celtic.

FIRST PENALTY

Steve Bruce beat Neville Southall to double United's lead at Everton in the first season of the Premier League. The central defender was extremely reliable but the majority of his goals came in the old Division One, with Eric Cantona replacing him on spot-kick duty following the Frenchman's arrival in December 1992.

10TH PENALTY

Denis Irwin was under intense pressure when placing the ball on the spot against Southampton towards the end of the 1994/95 season. The Reds had trailed to Simon Charlton's early opener but, following Andy Cole's equaliser, this was the chance to take the title race into the final day of the campaign. With 10 minutes left, Irwin fired past Dave Beasant to earn the necessary victory.

50TH PENALTY

Saha made no mistake against Chelsea in September 2007, as Sir Alex Ferguson's team secured a 2-0 triumph. Jon Obi Mikel was sent off as the Blues lost in Avram Grant's opening match in charge, with the first goal netted in open play by Carlos Tevez.

75TH PENALTY

A crazy 4-3 win at Reading in 2012 included a penalty by striker Rooney. A record-equalling seven goals were scored in the first half of the Premier League game, with the England international nudging the Reds into a brief 2-1 lead by placing the ball past Adam Federici.

100TH PENALTY

Jose Mourinho's men trailed Manchester City 2-0 in the derby when Ederson brought down substitute Romelu Lukaku. Up stepped Martial to make it two out of two for him from the spot (his other one came against Everton), with regular taker Paul Pogba on the sidelines due to injury. Unfortunately, the Blues added a third goal, through Ilkay Gundogan, to wrap up the three points.

DOUBLE FIGURES

There have been 10 different nationalities of penalty scorer for United in the Premier League: English, French, Dutch, Spanish, Bulgarian, Mexican, Irish, Portuguese, Swedish and Welsh. Had Dwight Yorke (Trinidad & Tobago), Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) or Alexis Sanchez (Chile) been successful with their spot-kicks, their countries would have been added to the list.

MERSEY BEAT

The two teams we have scored the most penalties in the division against are Everton and Liverpool, with eight apiece. Tottenham Hotspur have been on the receiving end seven times.