'A nice change to applaud the players off'

BBC News

11-03-2025

The records will show another defeat, and another three goals leaked, but it does not tell the whole story.It started as mission impossible, but at half-time, it was very much possible. We took a shock but deserved 1-0 lead over the champions-elect in their own back yard. It was a very spirited performance, albeit with the outcome remaining the same but that first-half display alone made the 12-hour round trip worth it. Then reality hit. But still, it was a performance we did not expect. It made a nice change to applaud the players off the field.There is a familiar pattern emerging. And I don't just mean the defeats. It is the fourth time this season, we have led at the half-time break and we have only come away with one point from those. In the home game against Ipswich, we led 1-0 and were pegged back for the point in the 95th minute. The 2-0 half-time lead against Leicester ended in a 2-3 defeat in the 98th minute. We held a 1-0 lead at Old Trafford until 81 minutes, only for Manchester United to shift up through the gears for the 3-1 win. And most recently the same outcome at Anfield.In total, that's 23 points dropped from winning positions. If only all games were 45 minutes long.We are yet to see that total 90-minute performance. We have snippets from games but we just cannot sustain it. Boss Ivan Juric admitted the team is young and need to keep concentration.He said afterwards: "Here is a moment that you have to be more focused, [have] more concentration. I think we can use what happened in the future for these young guys."It is a very harsh learning curve, but it is the same mistakes we keep making.Another tough game up next at St. Mary's against a Wolves side looking to pull away further from the relegation zone. If we can maintain that first 45-minute showing at Anfield, then there is no reason why we cannot get the result.Find more from Ray Hunt at the In that Number podcast, external