Angel on the way but United need a miracle

Sunderland 1 Manchester United 1

These days, it’s more akin to sitting through the mind-numbing mediocrity that is your average England performance.

From their suspect defence, to the plethora of crab-like passes across midfield. Add in an ineffectual Wayne Rooney’s increasingly desperate attempts to drop so deep, he’s in danger of drowning, as the skipper of this if not sinking then badly listing ship attempts to dredge a performance from his two ailing teams.

At present, parallels between the Three Lions and the three-time European champions are hard to ignore. With a single point to show from their two opening games, Louis van Gaal’s assertion his side need a miracle to win the title this season appears wildly optimistic.

Much-needed help in the form of an Angel di Maria — from Real Madrid for £60m — appears to be on its way. But on this evidence they need divine intervention in order to improve on last season’s under-whelming seventh-placed finish.

Not that van Gaal was giving much away about the South American’s imminent arrival.

“I can’t say about transfers at the moment,” he said. “When a transfer has been finished, then we can say something, but now you have to wait and see. The club has to announce it. When we are thinking it’s the right time to announce it, then we’ll come to you and say we’ve bought this player or that player, but at the moment we can’t say anything.”

Showing his sense of humour hasn’t been diminished by his testing introduction to life at Old Trafford, he added: “People have asked me if I like Di Maria. Well, I like Messi also. There are a lot of players in the world I like, but they can’t always come here.”

Events in England’s north-east this past week highlighted how far they have fallen behind their noisy neighbours. Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City strolled to a 2-0 victory at St James’ Park on the opening weekend.

In contrast, Van Gaal’s side were grateful for a share of the spoils in a part of the world where, since 1997, they’d previously taken 30 points from a possible 36.

The fear-factor for Sunderland has diminished, somewhat.

“We were the best team for long spells,” Gus Poyet, the head coach insisted. “But it’s not a wasted opportunity, it’s still a point against Manchester United. I think they will finish in the top four. It’s a different set up without doubt and it’s strange to see them playing three at the back, but give Louis van Gaal time and he will get things right.”

United opened the scoring against the run of play, moments after Connor Wickham shot tamely at David de Gea after being put through by Will Buckley, the winger impressing on his debut after his £2m arrival from Brighton.

Wickham’s wastefulness proved costly when, in the 16th minute, Antonio Valencia easily beat Patrick van Aanholt to deliver a low cross from the right which was met by Juan Mata to apply a simple close- range finish at the far post, despite the attentions of Seb Larsson.

Parity was soon restored as the visitors’ defensive frailties were brutally exposed. Larsson delivered a routine near-post corner, and Jack Rodwell, recently signed from City, was given the freedom of the six-yard box to head past De Gea, after being allowed a free run by his marker Valencia, United’s cause not helped by Robin van Persie missing an opportunity to head clear before Rodwell’s telling contact.

Van Persie, one of three United changes, lasted just over an hour on his return before being substituted.

That came shortly after his most eye-catching contribution, when it took a fine saving tackle from Santiago Vergini to halt the Dutchman’s purposeful run inside the area. The ball broke to Ashley Young, who was rightly cautioned for his attempts to earn a penalty with what has sadly become a trademark dive, under challenge from Wes Brown.

Refusing to condemn the notoriously easy-to-floor England midfielder, Van Gaal said: “Some referees would have given a penalty there, others wouldn’t.”

Poyet, inexplicably, expressed sympathy with Young, though he didn’t go so far as to concede United should have been awarded a penalty.

Larsson should have done better when put through by Steven Fletcher after the break, but delayed enough for his shot to be blocked. With Rooney increasingly peripheral, the visitors created only half-chances in a far from frenzied search for victory.

Substitute Michael Keane headed Mata’s corner straight at Vito Mannone, and the Sunderland keeper had to be alert to sprint from his area to clear at Young’s feet, as both sides became increasingly happy to take a point — a return Van Gaal admits is not good enough at this stage.

“So much is down to confidence,” he added. “In pre-season, it was much better than it is now. We’re working hard to improve and if we win the next match, then that confidence will start to come back. The players are disappointed because we thought we would win today and yet we have one point and it’s not good enough for Manchester United.”

SUNDERLAND (4-1-4-1): Mannone 7; Vergini 8, O’Shea 7, Brown 7, Van Aanholt 6; Cattermole 7; Buckley 7 (Bridcutt 79, 5), Larsson 8, Rodwell 7 (Gomez 64, 6), Wickham 6; Fletcher 6 (Altidore76, 6).

MAN UTD (3-4-1-2): De Gea 6; Jones 5, Smalling 4 (Keane 43, 6), Blackett 6; Valencia 5, Fletcher 6 (Januzaj 63, 6), Cleveley 4, Young 5; Mata 5; Van Persie 5 (Welbeck 63, 5) Rooney 4.

Referee: Martin Atkinson 7.