Spot-kicks must improve

was his second of the season - he also missed in the November win over Arsenal - and the team's fifth penalty miss of the campaign overall.

The other players who've spurned spot-kick opportunities are Javier Hernandez at home to Wigan, Nani against Galatasaray in the Champions League and Robin van Persie at Southampton, where he scored a hat-trick in open play.

So far, all of this season's penalty failures have come in victories for the Reds but Sir Alex will insist his side don't take that statistic for granted going forward.

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