Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Man United majanga plus

Last chance saloon: United manager Moyes looks on before the match in GreeceHelpless: Olympiacos' Michael Olaitan skips past Nemanja Vidic as the Serbian looks on
Olympiacos. Not Bayern Munich or Barcelona. Olympiacos. Not master coach Pep Guardiola. Michel. Not Lionel Messi. Alejandro Dominguez.


And not down to 10 men either. Unlike Arsenal and Manchester City last week, Manchester United had their full complement on the field. It just didn’t look like it.
  

They contrived to lose, not to giants, but to one of the also-rans of the competition. Olympiacos are not potential winners. 


Chances are they will be removed in the quarter-finals by the first good team they play, if they manage to survive the return leg at Old Trafford. The odds must favour them now.

There are some contenders, obviously. Yet United looked so ordinary, so lifeless, so devoid of ambition and desire against the Greek champions that there may well soon be a tipping point.

‘Can they score? They always score.’ Those were the words that summed up the old United. Here they did not even manage a shot on target, let alone a goal.

Until now, the performances in Europe have been the saving grace for Moyes. Emphatic against Bayer Leverkusen, gutsy in Donetsk.

No chance: De Gea sees the ball fly past him in the 37th minute to put the hosts 1-0 upOutstretched: David De Gea is well beaten by Campbell's shot in the 55th minute to deflate UnitedClueless: United players look frustrated as Dominguez runs away in celebration at the first goalArrival: Joel Campbell slides on his knees in celebration of his goal just after half-timeNowhere to be seen: United were outplayed in every area in Greece on Tuesday nightDown: United's performance was ordinary in the heated atmosphere of the Karaiskakis StadiumFlat out: Robin van Persie lies on the floor after missing United's best chance of the game late onCelebration: Alejandro Dominguez (centre) wheels away after scoring the opener in GreeceHome comforts: Olympiacos became the first home side so far to win their first-leg in the last 16Elated: The win means Olympiacos should be favourites to win the tie going into the second-legGolazo: Campbell wheels away with his team-mates as Olympiacos took an unprecedented 2-0 leadContribution: Olympiacos' Giannis Maniatis had the original shot for the first goalThe other end: Olympiacos' goalkeeper Roberto celebrates the opening goalNowhere near: United forward Van Persie (left) was starved of any service in GreeceStruggle: Olympiacos' Jose Holebas fights for the ball with RooneyDaily Mail
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