‘The impossible dream’ fades for Manchester United and Jose Mourinho as Old Trafford expects more vs Valencia

The visiting supporters stayed positive even as their team failed to score again, but there was an air of disillusion from the home crowd on an anti-climactic Champions League night
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Ben Hayward3 October 2018

There is a banner opposite where Jose Mourinho stands at Old Trafford. “The impossible dream,” it reads. “Sir Alex, 26 years. Made possible…” Beside it, images of all Ferguson’s trophies. For the Portuguese, it is a reminder of the standards expected at Manchester United.

A little further along, there is another. “European capital of trophies,” it says. It has been over 10 years since this club claimed their last European Cup, and Tuesday’s evidence suggests that the wait for another Champions League crown will go on for some time yet.

United and Valencia are two of Europe’s great sides, but their meeting on Tuesday will soon be forgotten. There were no goals, there was little excitement and ultimately, the top priority for both of these club was not to win the match, but to avoid losing it. Or so it seemed, anyway.

Mourinho and Valencia counterpart Marcelino Garcia Toral did make attacking changes late on, but with the two teams defending deep and in numbers, this contest was never likely to be a classic and it lacked a spark of imagination and brilliance needed to win a fixture at this level.

For much of the night, Valencia looked like the home team, controlling the possession in midfield and probing down the left through Goncalo Guedes. But even when the Portuguese had the beating of Antonio Valencia, he turned back inside to use his favoured right foot and saw the chance lost. That happened several times.

Photo: Getty Images
Getty Images

Marcus Rashford saw a late free-kick graze the bar from a tight angle and Old Trafford urged their team forward in the final few minutes. This was the type of game won so often late on during Ferguson’s tenure, yet there is a passiveness about Mourinho’s side now and aside from a few bright moments, these were two sides that never really looked like scoring.

Valencia have only netted five times in La Liga this season and are yet to convert in the Champions League, but a point at Old Trafford is a positive result for the Spanish side in this competition. The same cannot be said for United, however, even though they are second in Group H behind Juventus.

Mourinho’s men contained their visitors and limited their rivals to half-chances, but that may also be down to Valencia’s poor form in front of goal this season. Meanwhile, much of Valencia’s success in the past has arrived through intense, counter-attacking football. In a league featuring both Barcelona and Real Madrid and all their riches, it is often the only way to compete.

Photo: Getty Images
Getty Images

But the supporters at Old Trafford expect more. These fans have seen special sides, trophies galore and fantastic football over the years. “Glory, Glory Man United,” blared out at half-time, but there was nothing glorious about what they saw on the pitch.

Alexis Sanchez struggled again and there were loud cheers when he was replaced by Anthony Martial. And at full-time, there were boos from a crowd of over 70,000 here, although many had left by that point.

The supporters did not turn against Mourinho, but they will not have been happy with what they saw. The Portuguese had been extremely successful in the past, but when the trophies are not arriving, what is left? This was not a turning point after recent results and it feels like this team is in limbo, waiting for something.

Everyone in the stadium had been waiting for a goal and it ultimately never arrived. The difference at full-time was that Valencia’s travelling fans were singing, though. United’s, of course, were not.

Photo: AFP/Getty Images
AFP/Getty Images

Up in the stands, the reminder of their remarkable recent past lives on and some of their former heroes, such as David Beckham and Gary Neville, were in attendance on Tuesday.

It was a very different Old Trafford when they graced this famous arena. And in the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, those memories are ever fading for the fans as Mourinho stares into the space where magic used to happen. This place needs a lift.

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