Manchester United 0-0 Valencia: Mourinho’s Woes Continue
Manchester United failed to ease the pressure on manager Jose Mourinho with a goalless draw against Valencia in the Champions League at Old Trafford.
United, enduring their worst start to a league campaign for 29 years, started brightly, thanks mainly to the energy of recalled widemen Marcus Rashford and Alexis Sanchez.
However, as the Spanish side grew into the contest, the hosts became more ponderous and disjointed.
Indeed, Valencia had the better chances either side of half-time until United rediscovered the impetus and energised not only themselves but also the home crowd.
Rashford clipped the top of the bar with a free-kick, but the visitors hung on for a share of the points that their performance merited.
United are second in Group H on four points, two behind leaders Juventus, who defeated Swiss side Young Boys 3-0 and will travel to Old Trafford on 23 October with Cristiano Ronaldo restored to their ranks.
Player Ratings
Man Utd: De Gea (6), Valencia (6), Smalling (6), Bailly (6), Shaw (7), Fellaini (5), Matic (6), Pogba (6), Rashford (7), Lukaku (5), Alexis (5)
Subs: Martial (6)
Valencia: Neto (7), Piccini (6), Garay (7), Gabriel (6), Gaya (6), Coquelin (6), Kondogbia (6), Parejo (6), Guedes (5), Rodrigo (6), Batshuayi (7)
Subs: Cheryshev (6), Gamerio (6)
Man of the match: Marcus Rashford
Mourinho’s misery – the stats
- Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has gone four consecutive home games in all competitions without a win for the first time in his managerial career.
- Manchester United are winless in their past four games in all competitions at Old Trafford – their longest such run since December 2015 (under Louis van Gaal).
- This was just Valencia’s second draw in their past 18 group games in the Champions League (W8 D8), with the previous one coming back in November 2012 against Bayern Munich (1-1).
- Manchester United have faced Valencia on more occasions without losing than any other Champions League opponent (P7 W2 D5).
- Three of Manchester United’s past four games against Spanish opponents in the Champions League have finished 0-0 (previously against Real Sociedad in November 2013 and Sevilla in February 2018).
What’s next?
United welcome Newcastle United to Old Trafford at 17:30 BST on Saturday in their final game before the international break. Their next Champions League fixture is at home to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus on 23 October.
Valencia meet Barcelona in La Liga on Sunday and travel to Swiss side Young Boys for their next Champions League assignment.