Manchester United reporter notebook: Has Old Trafford lost its fear factor?

Old Trafford used to be one of the toughest places to play at in the Premier League but Manchester United seem to have lost that fear factor.

Teams used to be beaten before they came here and Arsenal had not won on United's own turf since 2006, so may have feared the worst.

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While it is difficult to say it has gone completely, you can't really make the argument teams don't want to play their game of football here.

That is the problem - teams are coming here and saying 'right, we are taking Manchester United on and we are going to play them at their own game'.

I don't think anyone is coming to Old Trafford and being scared any longer.

Ole's unwanted record

Setting records used to be something Manchester United did to emphasise their dominance and leave rival fans gnashing their teeth.

Now Ole Gunnar Solskjaer joins his fellow post-Sir Alex Ferguson management colleagues in reaching a landmark that will only further frustrate his own supporters - United's worst start to a season since 1989.

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Yes, this is a time for introspection and soul-searching but, among all the material written and said in the aftermath of a rain-drenched Old Trafford draw, few will mention the fact the Manchester United hardcore on the Stretford End still rose to applaud Solskjaer as he made his way down the tunnel at the final whistle.

By then it was only the hardy few who remained in their seats but it's also fair to say the anthem 'Ole's at the wheel' sang gustily by the entire stadium, as was the practice during his startling opening salvo in charge, now seems a distant memory.

Rashford feeling the pace?

The United boss opted for pace and youth to put Arsenal on the back foot, picking the speediest line-up available to him, and while the temptation to include Marcus Rashford from the start is totally understandable, the striker lacked the explosion of pace he's usually able to draw upon.

Injuries have not been kind to Solskjaer, perhaps the legacy of the brutal pre-season regime or simply bad luck, but one cannot help but thinking in the current climate a Rashford rest rather than further minutes in the Europa League on Thursday would benefit everyone ahead of Sunday's tricky looking trip to Newcastle, which is live on Sky Sports Premier League.

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Lack of killer instinct

When the United analysts look back on Monday night's stalemate the question will be asked again, 'Where was the second goal that would have put the game to bed?'.

Solskjaer's side have managed just nine goals from their opening seven games in the Premier League and you have to go back to the opening win over Chelsea for the only time they have managed more than one goal from a game.

The 20-minute spell after half-time proved their undoing as the unforgiving rain only served to accentuate the feeling of a club under siege. Manchester United allowed Arsenal to gain control of the game, suffered a cruel equaliser and almost went behind in a mad minute from which they emerged to play their most determined football.

Tuanzebe and McTominay deliver

The visitors' goal was particularly harsh on Axel Tuanzebe, captain for the night against Rochdale, then handed a left-back role which he's never sampled before at any stage of his career, but he performed admirably and with distinction until his 59th-minute error.

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Tuanzebe looks like a leader in the making, something United seem to be crying out for on the pitch. It was fitting that another of their youngsters, who is showing character and an appetite for the battle, Scott McTominay, produced a thunderbolt that was met with elation and a huddle amongst the players which, while odd, seemed to hint at a collective desire to come up with solutions together.

Target practice needed on frustrating night

Manchester United need some positive headlines but the balance book records are not enough on their own. This was a night when Solskjaer and his team played second fiddle to a VAR decision, when key players drifted in and out of the game, passes, crosses and set-pieces failed find their target and Aaron Wan-Bissaka added his name to the casualty list.

Solskjaer himself was more animated than of late, beseeching Andreas Pereira to patrol the touchline in an attempt to stretch Arsenal, encouraging Paul Pogba to orchestrate United's attempts to find that second goal and demanding more movement from Jesse Lingard and Rashford.

Europa League opportunity and looking ahead

Thursday's game against Alkmaar, like the Europa League itself, must be something of an annoyance to a manager and team looking for some momentum and consistency amid growing injury problems.

The match itself will provide another opportunity for some of the younger players and squad members to get some football. On the coaching side of things, Englishman Martyn Pert has been brought in days after the departure of goalkeeping expert Emilio Alvarez. A coach and sports scientist, Pert has worked in many posts around the planet and may have been brought in to provide a fresh perspective on the challenges United face as well as a new voice.

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But for now, it is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who stands at the centre of the storm, as he did on the touchline on Monday night in the driving rain.

It's one game that looms largest in his mind, the next visitors to Old Trafford are the oldest of enemies. Liverpool are already 12 points better off after seven games and will be relishing their next trip down the East Lancs Road on October 20, live on Sky Sports Premier League.

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