Striker Crisis! …
Mirror: Sir Alex Ferguson has spent £60million over the summer strengthening Manchester United’s at tack, but yesterday, the reigning Premiership champions couldn’t buy a goal for all the money in the world.
The sight of Wayne Rooney failing to appear after suffering a hairline fracture and John O’Shea playing as an emergency striker for the final half-hour at Old Trafford summed up depth of the striker crisis United are now facing.
With Rooney injured, new signing Carlos Tevez not match fit and Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer making slow progress after undergoing surgery in the summer, United are without a recognised striker just one game into the new campaign.
It is difficult to imagine a worse opening to the defence of their title. On the eve of the new campaign Fergie stressed the need for a winning start, to avoid the danger of having to play catch-up, a point reinforced by the opening weekend victories achieved by title rivals Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal.
With Rooney certain to be missing United’s trip to Portsmouth on Wednesday, and for at least four weeks beyond, Tevez will be thrust into the starting line-up at Fratton Park, with Fergie hoping to have saved him until next weekend’s Manchester derby against City.
A 0-0 draw on the opening day of the season against a opponents as limited as Reading does not constitute a full-blown crisis at United, but Fergie knows his side cannot afford any more early slip-ups.
United won 11 of their opening 13 Premiership games last season to open up a significant advantage over closest pursuers Chelsea, one which Jose Mourinho’s side were unable to close. But already, this season’s title race looks like being a much closer affair.
It was telling that, for all United’s summer dealings, they were unable to name a striker among their five substitutes.
The lack of a predatory forward to poke the ball over the line was perfectly illustrated by the fact United managed to create 21 chances against Steve Coppell’s side, but were unable to convert one of them.
Reading’s man-marking strategy nullified United’s attacking instincts and ensured Fergie’s men endured a frustrating afternoon.
But sometimes effective defence is just as commendable as inspired attack.
And in Marcus Hahnemann, United came up against an inspired goalkeeper who looked as if he would still be stopping shots if both sides were still out there today.
Despite Reading’s success in ultimately preventing United from scoring, the champions managed to create a multitude of chances which were denied by their own poor finishing and Hahnemann’s heroics.
Ryan Giggs came closest to scoring for United in the first-half. Cristiano Ronaldo picked out the Welshman in the 24th minute with an exquisite delivery, but the United skipper’s first-time volley cannoned off the near post.
But there was worse to come for United when Rooney shot just over the bar in the 36th minute. Any agony at that missed chance was nothing compared to the pain felt by Rooney and United as Michael Duberry trod on his left foot in the aftermath of the shot.
Rooney hobbled and winced, briefly came off the pitch and managed to last until halftime. But it was no surprise that he failed to appear after the break, and with his departure went United’s chances of victory.
Even when Reading were reduced to 10 men when Dave Kitson, who had only been on the pitch for 37 seconds, was shown a straight red card for an appalling challenge on Patrice Evra, United were unable to make the breakthrough.
Ronaldo, Giggs, Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes all went close late on, but were denied by Hahnemann and his resolute defence.
Only a win at Pompey in midweek will render this shock result as little more than a bad day at the office for United.
