THE performance, if not the result, is likely to keep Louis van Gaal in employment as Manchester United's manager. For now, at least.
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| It appears that Manchester United will hold back for now in sacking Louis van Gaal |
A seventh goal-less draw of the season means eight games without a win for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson's winter of discontent in 1989-90.
But the stalemate against Chelsea betrays what was actually United's best performance for several weeks.
And Van Gaal, as well as the United board, are likely to take the view that there was enough positive evidence at Old Trafford last night to suggest United can pull out of their alarming mid-season slump.
Significantly, the crowd warmed to their efforts. There were none of the jeers or boos that have greeted some of their previous home displays.
And had it not been for the woodwork twice, the brilliance by the two goalkeepers and a glaring misses by Nemanja Matic and Wayne Rooney, the fans would have been treated to a rare goal glut.
Rooney should have given United the victory they so desperately needed when he missed their best chance of the night four minutes from the end.
When Cameron Borthwick-Jackson's superb cross found him unmarked at the far post, the United captain looked certain to score but his volley flew high into the Stretford End. It marred his best game for quite a while.
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| Wayne Rooney missed a great chance to win the game for Manchester United |
Nemanja Matic had earlier let United off the hook when he was put clean through by Eden Hazard but sent his shot over the bar with only David de Gea to beat.
Juan Mata and Anthony Martial both hit the woodwork in the first half, while Thibaut Courtois produced a stunning stop from Rooney's pile driver.
For his part, De Gea made a superb save form John Terry's header in the first half and a double-stop in the second half from Pedro and Cesar Azpilicueta.
Who would have thought at the start of the season that by the time this fixture came round, Jose Mourinho would be gone, Chelsea would be battling relegation and Van Gaal would be on the brink following four defeats on the spin, for the first time since 1961?
Never before has a fixture that usually has such great significance on the title race come round with these two teams in such lowly positions in the table - United went into the game sixth and Chelsea 16th.
But despite the intense speculation over his future, Van Gaal was in a defiant mood before the game. In his programme notes, he wrote: "We can turn this situation around. This is Manchester United, a club which is known around the world for never being beaten and I have confidence in the players, the staff and myself that we can do this and begin to once again reward you all."
His team rallied to the cause with a performance that had everything their manager would have wanted but a goal.
If Mata was unlucky to strike the bar with a shot after three minutes, Martial - who gave Branislav Ivanovic a torrid night - went even closer with his shot beating Courtois but bouncing off the inside of a post and across the six-yard box.
Courtois clawed out a Rooney pile driver as United produced their best first-half performance of the season.
Chelsea had their moments as well, with De Gea making an instinctive finger-tip save from Terry's header and Ashley Young coming to United's rescue with a brilliantly timed sliding last-ditch challenge to stop Azpilicueta finishing off a quick Chelsea break.
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| De Gea did have to keep Chelsea at bay but Manchester United dominated |
They threatened early in the second half too with De Gea making a brilliant double save. He kept out Pedro's shot with his outstretched left hand before picking himself up to deny Azpilicueta's follow-up effort with his right.
Matic should have given Chelsea the lead midway through the second half when he was put clean through by Hazard but fired his shot over the bar.
Courtois was refusing to be outshone by De Gea and made an astonishing stop on the line when Ander Herrera looked to have turned in Martial's cross.
Try as they did, it was just not United's night in front of goal with Rooney putting the best chance over the bar late on as Chelsea clung on for a second successive draw under interim boss Guus Hiddink.
But this performance, coupled with the applause from the home fans for Van Gaal and his players, could prove a turning point in United's season, just as that fabled Mark Robins goal turned it round for Fergie in 1990.
One cheeky merchandise seller was offering scarves with Mourinho's picture on them before the game. He may have t keep them in storage for a while yet.
Man Utd (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Darmian (Borthwick-Jackson 70), Smalling, Blind (Jones 81), Young; Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger; Mata (Memphis 77), Herrera, Martial; Rooney. Booked: Schneiderlin, Smalling, Herrera, Schweinsteiger, Rooney. NEXT UP: Swansea (h) Sat PL.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry, Azpilicueta; Mikel, Matic; Willian (Ramires 70), Oscar (Loftus-Cheek 90), Pedro; Hazard. Booked: Mikel. NEXT UP: Crystal Palace (a) Sunday, PL.
Referee: M Atkinson (Yorks).
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