LONDON: By scoring 12 goals in two matches over four days, Manchester United’s players are showing they have the firepower to challenge Manchester City for the English Premier League title.

The problem is, they don’t have the defence to go with it.

United conceded a goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time to draw Everton 3-3 at home on Saturday for a result that highlighted the vibrancy of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team going forward but the vulnerability of it at the back.

Helped by the record-tying 9-0 win over Southampton on Tuesday, United have the most goals in the league with 49 — six more than the next best, Liverpool.

But with 30 goals conceded, United have the worst defence in the top 10. City, on the other hand, have conceded only 13 with a two-point lead over United and two games in hand.

“The last kick of the ball makes us go home really disappointed,” Solskjaer said. “We have lost two points on a long thump up field, which we should have defended. We need to stop conceding easy goals.”

The results of United’s last three games at Old Trafford underline the team’s inconsistency that is likely to undermine a title challenge: Before the 9-0 win over Southampton came a 2-1 loss to last-placed Sheffield United.

While United maintained their scoring form, Southampton continued leaking goals as they went down 3-2 at Newcastle United who ended the match with nine men.

West Ham United missed the chance to above Liverpool into the top four as they drew 0-0 at third-from-bottom Fulham — the game’s biggest talking point being a harsh stoppage-time sending off for West Ham’s Tomas Soucek.

Burnley drew 1-1 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.

United led Everton 2-0 at halftime thanks to Edinson Cavani’s header and a nonchalant strike by Bruno Fernandes, who floated a long-range shot over goalkeeper Robin Olsen and into the corner after producing a dummy to create some space outside the area.

Two goals in seven minutes from Abdoulaye Doucoure and James Rodriguez early in the second-half brought Everton level.

Scott McTominay’s header restored the Red Devils’ lead 20 minutes from time, but they could not hold on as Dominic Calvert-Lewin slotted home after a hopeful free-kick into the box with virtually the last kick of the game.

A point aids sixth-placed Everton’s bid for Champions League qualification as they close to within three points of fourth-placed Liverpool.

Southampton conceded twice in the opening 25 minutes at Newcastle with Joe Willock scoring on his Newcastle debut and Saints defender Jan Bednarek deflecting in Miguel Almiron’s shot.

Takumi Minamino, making his debut after a loan move from Liverpool, fired home for Southampton before Almiron grabbed his second on the stroke of halftime.

James Ward-Prowse curled in a magnificent free kick and Newcastle then had Jeff Hendrick sent off and Fabian Schar carried off on a stretcher to leave the hosts with nine men.

But they hung on to move Newcastle 10 points above Fulham whose survival hopes are fading.

VAR was making all the wrong headlines again as West Ham’s Soucek was sent off for an accidental elbow on Aleksandar Mitrovic at Craven Cottage, much to the disbelief of the Czech Republic midfielder.

“I’m a bit embarrassed for Mike Dean the level of referee he is — to make that decision, West Ham manager David Moyes said. “It was obvious to everyone it was accidental.”

Fulham remain without a win since November 30 and the draw didn’t help the team move closer to leaving the relegation zone.

That’s because Burnley, the team above Fulham, drew with Brighton to maintain the eight-point gap.

Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s equaliser made amends for an earlier mistake when he let Lewis Dunk’s header squeeze past him on the line for Brighton’s opener.

A six-game unbeaten run has allowed Brighton to open up a 10-point gap on the bottom three.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2021