Manchester United held by Valencia in drab Champions League draw as Jose Mourinho's struggles go on

As Alexis Sanchez’s name was called out over Old Trafford’s Tannoy system, signalling that he would be substituted, there were faint cheers from some of his own supporters and understandably so. The Chilean’s performance, busy but ineffective and ultimately frustrating, had been Manchester United’s display in microcosm.

Jose Mourinho’s side laboured on Tuesday night but could not manage more than this goalless Champions League draw with Valencia, offering precious few moments of quality and even fewer reasons to believe they are any closer to solving their many, manifest problems.

This was a flat and often grim performance, one that exposed Mourinho’s claim that the recent struggles are down to his players simply not caring enough. At full time, it was hard to criticise his team’s effort but equally difficult to compliment any other aspect of their play. United were all perspiration but no inspiration. Willing but unable.

David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville watched from the stands and television cameras picked out their pained expressions on more than one occasion over the course of the 90 minutes, but it was another Class of ‘92 graduate – Paul Scholes, sat in the comfort of the BT Sport studio - who delivered the evening’s most damning judgement on this current, troubled United.

Mourinho was an “embarrassment”, Scholes said in the build-up to kick-off, for his persistent criticism of his players. The manager’s mouth was “out of control”, he added, and he was “surprised” that Mourinho had survived Saturday’s woeful defeat to West Ham.

“Freedom of speech,” was Mourinho’s diplomatic response, an attempt to not seem upset, though Scholes’ comments must have hurt. As, surely, did the chants of ‘attack, attack, attack’ heard in the second half and the jeers at the final whistle. When the crowd’s complaints were put to Mourinho though, his answer was the same. “Freedom of speech.”

Mourinho, in fairness, has come to speak freely about where he believes United’s problems lie. This time, he blamed his defenders’ lack of technical ability and a squad-wide lack of intensity. There was at least, for the first time during this four-game winless run, no criticism of his team’s attitude.

“I think some [players] care more than others,” he had claimed a day earlier, and those players began as if determined to disprove him. Despite arriving late due to traffic in central Manchester and the kick-off being pushed back by five minutes, United made a purposeful start, showing the energy and endeavour that was sorely missed on Saturday.

Yet for all their efforts, there was a damning lack of quality. Marcus Rashford, recalled to the starting line-up and United’s brightest spark throughout, registered their only shot on target of the opening 45 minutes, firing straight at Neto, Valencia’s goalkeeper, from range.

United’s attacking strategy – or lack thereof – could be neatly summed up by Eric Bailly’s attempt at a half-volley from 45 yards out midway through the first half. It was executed as well as you may expect from a centre-half with two career goals to his name.

Valencia were not much better. Their only consistent threat was Goncalo Guedes, who glanced wide of David de Gea’s left-hand post early on in the second half, having shot straight into the United ‘keeper’s arms in the first.

An agitated Old Trafford soon began to echo Paul Pogba with their calls to “attack, attack, attack” and Pogba himself responded, first seeing a half-volley blocked by Exequiel Garay, then having a free-kick pushed over the crossbar by Neto.

Michy Batshuayi, on loan from Chelsea, should have punished United’s lack of imagination shortly after when Cristiano Piccini’s cross was neatly knocked into his path by Rodrigo, but from six yards out, the Belgian lifted his attempt over.

Mourinho needed to change things and Sanchez was eventually sacrificed to the audible relief of some supporters. On yet another underwhelming night in his Old Trafford career, the Chilean could not even leave the pitch in a satisfactory manner, walking so slowly he needed to be urged off by the crowd.

In the closing stages, there would still be time for one flash of promise from Rashford, who bounced a free-kick at an impossibly tight on the top of the crossbar. It was as close as United had come all night and yet not nearly close enough.

If the performance at the London Stadium was one of a dysfunctional, disillusioned set of players who could be accused of not caring, this almost seemed worse because they were quite obviously trying. Perhaps the problems run deeper. Perhaps, as Scholes suggested, they point not to the players, but their manager.