Watford nearly handed the visitors an early lead when Allan Nyom shanked a clearance that nearly looped into the back of Heurelho Gomes’ net. Van Gaal remains hopeful the duo could return when United host PSV in the European fixture on Wednesday.
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The away side could have been out of sight before the half hour mark, but Schneiderlin first saw his dipping volley flash just over the crossbar and then came without inches of converting Jones’ flick on at the back post from a unsafe corner. “Our positional game was not so good and that was disappointing”.
Watford was poor in the first half but improved after the break, with United goalkeeper David De Gea saving well from Deeney, twice, and Almen Abdi.
Wayne Rooney, Anthony Martial and Marouane Fellaini have all returned to the training pitch for Manchester United.
“No, my players are not doing that, I am sure of that”.
Speaking before Saturday’s triumph at Vicarage Road, Scholes said: “That says everything about them and is typical of the way Manchester United have played this season”. His celebration showed a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, he was under enormous pressure going into the game, not only because of the criticism he had taken but also because he had to bear most of the burden in attack with Rooney and Martial being absent.
Ronaldo turns 31 in February, and had an off-key game against Barcelona on Saturday night as Real lost 4-0 at the Bernabeu to their great rivals. I think also the first half he played a very good game.
Deeney looked to have snatched a point for Watford with an 87th-minute penalty, only then to put United 2-1 up in injury-time when he bundled in Bastian Schweinsteiger’s cross. “Now we have two points more, which is why I was really happy and made an unbelievable sprint after the goal where nobody could follow me so I’m very happy about that!”
Can United win the league?
Such late drama used to be the norm for the 20-time English champions, but such has its scarcity been in recent times that even Louis van Gaal did not predict quite a finish.
The former Bayern Munich boss declared the Mexican, who played under him at AZ, had made a “very bad tackle” and United officials were unhappy the defender was named man of the match after the 2-1 win in which he scored.
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With five minutes remaining, Marcos Rojo needlessly upended Odion Igahlo to give away a penalty which Deeney duly dispatched with aplomb.
