United fresh out of luck and goals

THE stunning incompetence shown by linesman John Flynn understandably dominated post-match proceedings at Old Trafford while detracting from an undeniably crucial point — Manchester United have stopped scoring goals.

The early-season demolitions of Arsenal and, to a lesser extent, Chelsea now seem a long and distant memory on the back of a run that has seen United fail to score more than one goal in a league game since beating Norwich on the first day of October.

Wayne Rooney’s last league goal was on September 9 and, while the six league games since that Norwich victory have brought three wins, two draws and one defeat — an average, if not disastrous, sequence — the fact that the opposition in that run has included Everton, Swansea and Sunderland suggests that a team of United’s quality and ambition should be doing better.