Watford dealt Manchester United a third successive defeat in eight days with a deserved 3-1 Premier League football win that left Jose Mourinho raging at a rare run of failure.
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Troy Deeney’s stoppage-time penalty rubbed salted into United’s wounds, but it was United left-back Luke Shaw’s failure to stop Watford’s second that most frustrated Mourinho.
United lost the derby to Manchester City last weekend and were then beaten by Feyenoord in their midweek Europa League clash.
Jose Mourinho says Manchester United’s humiliation at Watford underlines how much work needs to be done to transform his spluttering side into title contenders. We can not control the referee, we can not control the lucky moments.
Zuniga powered in with seven minutes to go, 53 seconds after coming on, before Deeney then scored a penalty kick in injury time after Marouane Fellaini fouled Zuniga in the box.
Speaking after the defeat, Mourinho claimed Young brought confidence to the game.
“Arsenal aren’t pressing the ball at the moment and United aren’t pressing the ball at the moment, so because of that identity I think they have a chance to be in the top four”.
“The only thing we can control is our individual and collective mistakes”. Only Odion Ighalo’s miss spared United from an early setback. We had one with miscommunication between David de Gea and Chris Smalling.
Perhaps the most lacklustre of them all, United skipper Wayne Rooney was again underwhelming in midfield and endured a mountain of criticism on social media. “It was an action for a free-kick against Watford and obviously not a goal”. The Uruguay defender’s challenge on Martial on the right flank, tripping the winger, was deemed permissible by referee Michael Oliver.
Paul Pogba cracked a dipping shot against the bar moments later, but United fell behind in the 34th minute when Daryl Janmaat cut the ball back for Capoue to sweep home his fourth goal of the campaign.
But as the goal was scored in the 34th minute, Martial remained on the turf, awaiting treatment.
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The France worldwide was unable to continue after the incident and was replaced by Ashley Young in the 38th minute. We have to lift our heads up and go forward. Both players received treatment but they continued.
