Sunday cover: Same Old Trafford story for Manchester United

The National’s Sport cover for the Sunday, January 24 issue, featuring Southampton’s Charlie Austin as he scored the goal to down Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Richard Jolly writes of, after another dour United performance, Louis van Gaal’s culpability in his club’s often listless displays:

“Some managers sign specialist goalscorers. Others sell them.

“Louis van Gaal is the man who dispensed with Javier Hernandez and who argued he did not want competition for places in attack. He has spent £285 million (Dh1.5 billion) without buying an out-and-out finisher, perhaps rationalising that his side create them too few chances to flourish.

“How damning that he was condemned to defeat by Southampton’s striking substitute, Charlie Austin, a newcomer flourishing at Old Trafford.

“What a start for Austin, delivering a winner seven minutes and 43 seconds into his debut. What a reward for Koeman, Van Gaal’s protege turned enemy, who signed Austin for a cut-price fee of £4m, and saw the newcomer secure Saints’ second successive win at Old Trafford.

“This provided a microcosm of the problems under Van Gaal.

“Devoid of ideas, invention or incision, lacking ambition or attacking football, failing to excite or entertain, United are barren and boring. They mustered one shot on target. That, from Daley Blind, was tame and saved easily by Fraser Forster.

“They were booed off after the final whistle.”

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