Dismal Manchester United were booed off at Old Trafford on Friday night after being held to a grim 0-0 draw by struggling Southampton, and Jose Mourinho later revealed a double injury blow.
Top scorer Romelu Lukaku had to be carried off on a stretcher just minutes into Friday’s tepid stalemate and Mourinho reckons his 14-goal marksman will miss at least two matches.
And the United chief has also confirmed that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be out for another month after just returning from injury.
Jose Mourinho was visibly frustrated after his side dropped two points against Southampton
The gloomy injury bulletin added to the mood of unease at Old Trafford, as United were held to a third successive Premier League draw.
They have now dropped to third in the table behind Chelsea, and will trail runaway leaders Manchester City by 17 points if Pep Guardiola’s champions-elect win at Crystal Palace this afternoon.
A succession of TV pundits were scathing about the performance, including former United star Paul Scholes.
‘United look a tired team, they look like they have played 50 or 60 games this season already and we are half way through,’ said Scholes.
‘They need to liven up, this team, because top four isn’t even guaranteed from this moment. They have got to concentrate and they have got to liven up and really find some energy from somewhere – and the manager needs to listen.
‘The players are definitely underperforming and maybe the manager is as well. The underperforming is carrying on, carrying on, carrying on and the manager has to take responsibility for that.
‘I know the crowd were quiet but you have to give them something. They gave them absolutely nothing, it was dead out there today.’
The United boss was angry that referee Craig Pawson did not award his side a penalty
Mourinho continued to criticise the referee’s decision in his post-match interview
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Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown was even more critical of Mourinho and said: ‘He seems to have lost the players today. Mourinho is there posturing, he’s an angry man. His players are melting on the pitch. It’s sad to see.
‘There are good players in this Man United team and he’s not helping them as much as he might be.’
Mourinho himself blamed the draw on bad luck with injuries and the failure of referee Craig Pawson to award a penalty when Maya Yoshida handled in the box.
‘We played enough to win, with all the difficulties,’ he said.
‘We started the game and we lost our striker and we lost one of only two changes I had on the bench in terms of changing attacking areas.
‘I had to bring on Marcus Rashford to play 90 minutes when he clearly needs rest.
‘And this is of the most promising young referees, not just in England but in Europe too, but had a very bad decision that punished us.
‘I know my players so when I see people like Juan Mata almost hysterical I understood immediately there was no doubt and at half-time I watched it and it was a penalty like Rashford against Leicester was a penalty, like Ander Herrera against City was a penalty.
Manchester United received further bad news at Romelu Lukaku was taken off early on
He added: ‘I repeat that the three referees for these three matches – Michael Oliver against City, Jon Moss against Leiceter and Craig tonight – they were good referees and good performances. But they have made decisions for us that have punished us.’
Lukaku received treatment on the pitch for six minutes after being clattered by Saints’ defender Wesley Hoedt.
He looked as though he had been knocked out cold and was given a standing ovation as he was carried off with an oxygen mask on.
Mourinho said: ‘When you see a player leave the pitch like he did, it is usually two games at least.’
United are now without a win in four games with three Premier League stalemates coming hot on the heels of an embarrassing League Cup exit at Bristol City.