MAN UNITED 0, SOUTHAMPTON 0
The reaction of Manchester United’s fans summed up another frustrating performance as they were held at home by Southampton.
There were boos and jeers at both half and full time as United slipped from second to third place and 14 points behind Manchester City who can tomorrow extend their lead to 17 if they win at Crystal Palace.
This was United’s third successive draw after being held by Leicester and Burnley as they have hit a worrying dip in form.
Whereas not long ago they were well clear in second spot, suddenly a top-four place is under threat.
Manager Jose Mourinho again blamed a match official, this time Craig Pawson for failing to give his side a handball against Saints’ captain Maya Yoshida.
He pointed to them also being denied spot kicks against Manchester City and Leicester.
Of Pawson, he said: “He is a very good referee, one of the most promising in England and also Europe, but one very bad decision punished us.
“From the touchline it looked very clear, but from 50m distance I gave the referee the benefit of the doubt.
“I know my players and when somebody like (Juan) Mata is hysterical, I knew it was a penalty. I watched it at half time and it was a penalty like Rashford’s was against Leicester and (Ander) Herrera against Manchester City.”
Mourinho thought his side did enough to win, despite “all the difficulties”.
He was referring to the loss of Romelu Lukaku in the opening minutes with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marouane Fellaini also injured.
Mourinho was unable to give an update about Lukaku who left the field on a stretcher following a clash of heads.
United’s manager made three changes from the side that kicked off against Burnley on Boxing Day.
Ibrahimovic, Rashford and Marcos Rojo lost their places as two-goal Burnley hero Jesse Lingard, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Victor Lindelof elevated to the starting line up.
Saints, without a clean sheet in their last 11 league games, dropped keeper Fraser Forster as Alex McCarthy took his place.
United ought to have taken a fourth minute lead when Lukaku saw a free header from seven yards clear the bar. It followed a fine cross from Mata.
Saints had a great chance but James Ward-Prowse was denied by a super save from David De Gea.
Lukaku’s afternoon ended in the eighth minute following a clash of heads with Wesley Hoedt.
After a six-minute stoppage, Lukaku left the field on a stretcher to be replaced by Rashford.
Saints continued to carve out chances as Ward-Prowse forced another save from De Gea while Hoedt headed wide when well placed.
McCarthy pulled off an important save with his left leg to keep out a shot from Juan Mata following a lay off from Rashford.
United had a strong penalty shout rejected in the 33rd minute as Saints’ captain Yoshida looked to have handled as Lingard ran on to Paul Pogba’s pass.
Lingard had a great chance to break the deadlock shortly before half time, but glanced a header narrowly wide from Mkhitaryan’s cross.
And it was a measure of their indifferent display that United left the field at the break to a chorus of jeers.
Saints went close again five minutes after the restart following a break. Ward-Prowse crossed from the right and Shane Long looked set to score. De Gea flung ut a leg and managed to deflect the ball over the crossbar.
United made a second change mid half when the disappointing Mkhitaryan was replaced by Martial.
Martial made an immediate impact winning a free kick on the edge of the box, from which Ashley Young’s kick was deflected off the wall for a corner, flying narrowly wide.
United thought they had finally made the breakthrough in the 81st minute, but Pogba’s effort was ruled out for a clear offside after Nemanja Matic’s effort fell at his feet at the far post from little more than one yard out.
Television replays showed Matic’s shot would have gone in had Pogba not applied the final touch.