Rangnick blames lack of sharpness for United wastage

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo after a missed chance during the Premier League match at Old Trafford, Manchester. Picture: Nick Potts/PA Wire 

Premier League: Manchester United 0 Watford 0

If Manchester United fail in their quest for a top four place and Champions League qualification they will only have themselves to blame.

They will look back at their profligacy in this goalless stalemate - as well as countless other games this season - with utter frustration.

Ralph Rangnick didn't duck the issue when he said that missing chances is not a matter of bad luck it is down to a lack of "sharpness and efficiency" in front of goal.

United had 22 shots in 90 minutes of near total domination but the only time they found the net was when Cristiano Ronaldo's effort was ruled out for a marginal offside.

They have managed only 44 goals in 27 Premier League matches this season, 26 fewer than Liverpool and 20 less than Manchester City, the two teams they must strive to topple if they are to regain their pre-eminence in the domestic game.

None of their players has yet reached double figures for goals in League matches alone - Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes each have nine - and the scoring among the other players is sporadic.

Edinson Cavani has been injured for much of the season, Marcus Rashford has suffered an alarming dip in form, Jadon Sancho is still finding his feet in English football, youngster Anthony Elanga is full of potential but can't yet be relied upon as a regular scorer, while Mason Greenwood remains under a club suspension as he faces charges of assault on his girlfriend.

It all underlines Rangnick's recent comment that the signing of a new centre forward this summer is a priority - Erling Braut Haaland would be perfect but the prolific Borussia Dortmund striker is unlikely to want to join a club that cannot offer him Champions League football.

And that is far from certain for United who despite this draw retained a precarious grip on fourth place with West Ham, Arsenal, Wolves and Tottenham all breathing down their necks - the two north London clubs having three and two games in hand respectively.

If Ronaldo's fifth-minute effort had gone in and not hit the post it might have been a different story against a well-organised and defensively disciplined Watford team.

But the miss set the tone for a frustrating afternoon for Ronaldo and his team-mates. After yet another chance had gone begging in the second half he leaned against a goal post in front of a disbelieving Stretford End and looked to the heavens in despair - or possibly for assistance.

He may be United's top scorer with 15 goals in all competitions this season but has only managed one in his last 10 appearances and, at 37, seems to have lost that vital sharpness in the penalty area that made him a global superstar.

His Portuguese compatriot Fernandes was also a culprit spurning a trio of first-half chances while Elanga spoiled another lively performance with a glaring miss after a fine move had opened up Watford's defence.

“We did everything apart from score," said a frustrated Rangnick. "It’s hard to take that result. In the end, if you miss that many chances it is difficult to win the game. We were in full control for almost the whole game, we didn’t allow them hardly any counter-attacks.

“We need to be sharper in front of goal, you can hardly create more chances than we did today. In the end it is a very frustrating afternoon. Had anyone told me that we would create that many clear chances I would have said ‘yes, that is enough for us to score one of two goals at least’. But we didn’t."

MAN UTD (4-2-3-1): De Gea 6; Wan-Bissaka 6, Lindelof 6, Varane 6, Telles 6 (Shaw 73, 5); Matic 6 (Rashford 73, 5), Fred 6 (Sancho 62, 5); Elanga 7, Fernandes 5, Pogba 6; Ronaldo 5.

Unused subs: Henderson, Jones, Maguire, Mata, Lingard, Dalot.

WATFORD (4-3-3): Foster 8; Ngakia 6 (Kabasele 62, 6), Cathcart 7, Samir 7, Kamara 6; Sissoko 7, Louza 6, Cleverley 7 (Kucka 80, 5); Sarr 5, King 5 (Sema 62, 5), Dennis 5.

Unused subs: Bachmann, Troost-Ekong, Pedro, Masina, Hernandez, Kayembe.

Referee: Kevin Friend