MANCHESTER (England) -- Manchester United is not getting it done at the moment and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is finding it difficult.
Three days following the thrilling late Champions League win against Villarreal there was another chaotic finish at Old Trafford. However, this time there was no Cristiano Ronaldo heroism and Everton won a 1-1 draw at the Premier League's final game.
- ESPN+ guide: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, FA Cup, more (U.S.)
Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. Only)
- Do you not have ESPN? Get instant access
Solskjaer might even consider himself lucky to have escaped with a point, after defender Yerry mina's late goal was ruled out by Stuart Attwell as offside. Tom Davies will probably regret it when he watches the replay.
Ronaldo, who was left on the bench with Jadon Sancho and Paul Pogba, walked off at full-time, murmuring under his breath, shaking his head, and jogging to the end of the pitch. It's always risky to let Ronaldo go, and it didn’t pay off. Solskjaer said that he didn't regret his decision and stated: "The right decision was for me."
United has won two of their six home games, ending a four-match streak of one win, one draw, and two losses. After the international break Solskjaer's challenge is not over. He has four league matches against Liverpool, Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.
United have not kept a Premier League clean at Old Trafford since March, thanks to Andros Townsend's equaliser against Everton just before the break. This streak of nine games is their worst in 50 years. However, they still managed to score four more points than last season's second-place finish. Football is a very strange game.
Solskjaer stated, "You are sitting here a bit disappointed. We just need to stay focused and make the most of our international break. Bring energy back, a clear mind and a positive mindset. We were dominant today, but we couldn't achieve the second goal.
"We had 75% possession but were hit by one break that cost us. We did not have the cutting edge needed to score a second goal. We conceded one, and that is too many. It was a counter-attack they launched at us today. We were good enough organized -- we could have handled it better."
Cristiano Ronaldo was brought off the bench at 57 minutes when Manchester United led but couldn't find a winning goal. Everton had equalised. OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images
United is in an era where there seems to be danger at every corner. Everton arrived without Dominic Calvert-Lewin or Richarlison, but Old Trafford was still waiting for Rafa Benitez to cross the halfway line. Raphael Varane stopped Salomon Rondon's shot and Aaron Wan–Bissaka blocked Abdoulaye Doucoure's shot. David de Gea was in peak form against Villarreal and was again needed here, diving low on his right to stop Demarai Gray at 20 yards.
Martial scored his goal in the Premier League just before the half-time. It was a great move that showed just how Solskjaer and his galaxy of attacking stars can be so well. Mason Greenwood made a quick pass forward and Fernandes took the ball with a first touch that looked like cement hitting brick walls. Martial scored with a first-time goal. It was as good as United's goal this season, and all the while Ronaldo Pogba, Sancho and Sancho watched from the bench.
These players are able to turn it on whenever the mood strikes. However, the danger is always there, even when they attack. Villarreal nearly scored from the United corner, while Everton was able to score a goal. Townsend won the ball after being swept around from one end of the field to the other. He celebrated by jumping and twisting to imitate Ronaldo's "Siiiuuuuuuuuu!" Celebration. Gray bullied Fred twice off the ball during the build-up, and the Brazilian was only able to last five minutes before being taken out for Pogba.
Solskjaer stated that while we had enough players behind it, "we made a few bad decisions which cost us," he said. "Those 10 seconds, the counter-attack, were not enough time to deal with the danger.
There will be more calls for a defensive midfielder. The problems don't stop at scoring goals. Everton had shipped 10 goals in their previous four league trips away Goodison Park. Jordan Pickford was routine, with the exception of Edinson Cavani's goalkeeper save in the first half.
United has scored only three goals in four consecutive home games against West Ham United (Aston Villa, Villarreal, and Everton). Both ends of the pitch have problems.
