Manchester United remain stuck in a rut after a stuttering goalless draw with Valencia that extends their winless run and keeps the pressure on Jose Mourinho.
Background shenanigans, disjointed displays and poor results have put Old Trafford in the eye of a storm, but Tuesday's Champions League tie offered the chance to divert some of the mounting focus.
Yet United's worst start to a league campaign in 29 years would be compounded by a disappointing 0-0 draw against a Valencia side with just one LaLiga win to their name this season, leading Mourinho's men to be booed at the final whistle.
This was the fourth straight match in all competitions that the Portuguese's side had failed to win, meaning scrutiny will only intensify ahead of Saturday's Premier League visit of Newcastle.
David Beckham and Gary Neville were among a number of United greats in the stands on a night that had started with their former team-mate Paul Scholes castigating "embarrassing" manager Mourinho.
The sense of farce was added to by United's inexplicable underestimation of Manchester's rush-hour traffic, leading to their late arrival and forcing kick-off to be delayed by five minutes.
When things belatedly got under way, Mourinho's side struggled to stamp their authority on their first Champions League home match since Sevilla inflicted a shock defeat in March.
Valencia attempted to replicate their countrymen's heroics at Old Trafford, where the home faithful began chants of "attack, attack, attack" early in the second half and would then cheer the substitution of Alexis Sanchez.
Valencia goalkeeper Neto denied Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku as United pushed late on, with Marcus Rashford hitting the bar as the players showed the hunger Mourinho called for.
Mourinho plumped for four alterations after Saturday's shock 3-1 loss at West Ham and the change initially seemed to work as United attacked with purpose and cohesion after a rare pre-match huddle.
But that promise soon faded. David De Gea held onto a fizzing Goncalo Guedes strike as Valencia grew into proceedings with sharp, quick passing.
United held firm and reduced the Spanish side to hopeful attempts but were creating little themselves.
Rashford was United's best player in a frustrating first half. The 20-year-old hit a low shot wide after bursting between bodies and challenges in the 15th minute, then had an attempt from distance and saw a header blocked.
Guedes appeared the visitors' biggest threat yet was still being allowed space, bending just wide of De Gea's goal four minutes into the second half.
"Attack, attack, attack" was soon the demand from pockets of agitated United fans, with Pogba and Rashford seeing efforts blocked in their attempt to answer those calls.
Manager Mourinho's men were playing with renewed intensity and Pogba saw a free-kick tipped over by Neto. However, the midfielder's next notable moment would be a slip that allowed Cristiano Piccini to get in a cross that Michy Batshuayi rifled over.
Guedes was close to meeting a pass and racing through on United's goal as Valencia continued to threaten, but Lukaku was also now proving a nuisance.
The Belgian striker raced onto a pass, cut inside and forced a save out of Neto, who blocked an attempt from the same player at the near post minutes later.
There were a few cheers when out-of-sorts Sanchez was replaced by Anthony Martial, but the visitors continued to knock on the door as the Stretford End's calls for United to attack increased.
Rashford clipped the crossbar with a free-kick and Lukaku headed over from a corner, with Marouane Fellaini also trying his luck before the match ended with jeers from the home fans.
Scholes slams Mourinho
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has labelled Mourinho an embarrassment - and is surprised the Portuguese was not sacked following Saturday's defeat at West Ham.
Scholes won some 11 Premier League titles as well as the Champions League twice under Sir Alex Ferguson, including the Treble in 1999.
The 43-year-old former England international has been a stern critic of Mourinho, who in turn has hit back at the one-time United stalwart.
On Tuesday night, Scholes used his pundit role during BT Sport's build-up for the Valencia match to launch another tirade at the under-fire United manager.
"I am sat here actually surprised he survived after Saturday, the performance was that bad," Scholes said on BT Sport.
"He's coming out in press conferences and constantly having a go at players, he is having a go at people above him because he's not getting what he wants.
"I think his mouth is probably out of control and I think he is embarrassing the club."
"I'm surprised that he survived after Saturday"
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 2, 2018
"I think he's embarrassing the club."
Paul Scholes is pulling no punches tonight 💥 pic.twitter.com/0vmOYhDqCk
Manchester United v Valencia Opta facts
- Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has gone four consecutive home games in all competitions without a win for the first time in his managerial career.
- Manchester United are winless in their last four games in all competitions at Old Trafford; their longest such run since December 2015 (under Louis Van Gaal).
- This was just Valencia’s second draw in their last 18 group games in the Champions League (W8 D8), with the previous one coming back in November 2012 against Bayern Munich (1-1).
- Manchester United have faced Valencia on more occasions without losing than any other Champions League opponent (P7 W2 D5 L0).
- Three of Manchester United’s last four games against Spanish opponents in the Champions League have finished 0-0 (previously against Real Sociedad in November 2013 and Sevilla in February 2018).
