Half time has come and gone, two subs have come and gone, and still Louis Van Gaal hasn’t done what he should’ve done in the first place.

His 4-2-3-1 was an indication that United were going to try to be solid today. They’ve been solid all season playing that way. Two players at the base of the midfield gives them a solid platform on which to build their attacks - both Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin are technically very good as well as defensively solid - but it also gives them double protection for the back four.

Today, however, playing Carrick alongside Schweinsteiger meant United had no bite. When Arsenal had the ball, United couldn’t chase and close it down, leaving Arsenal’s passers - Ozil, Cazorla, Ramsey - with tons of space to find the pace of Walcott and Sanchez, who punished Van Gaal’s side.

The Dutch manager then made two subs at half time, but instead of bringing on Morgan Schneiderlin to shore up the midfield and give United a platform on which to build their attacks, he made attacking subs, and United still don’t look like they have a firm foothold in the game.

Arsenal are still lethal on the counter and they still look like scoring every time United give the ball away. Surely it’s time for Schneiderlin to come on and close the door on Arsenal. Otherwise this game is going to get even worse for United.

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