Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United faced yet another setback on Sunday, suffering their 15th defeat in the Premier League this season, cementing their position as one of the league’s most troubled teams. Their dismal loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers exposed clear shortcomings in the squad and made fans question whether Amorim was the right leader. That loss was more than a defeat, though, as it highlighted a string of troubling stats that have come to characterize United’s painful, penultimate 2023 season.
Under Amorim’s stewardship, United has been a disastrous failure, shipping just two goals less than the league-worst Tottenham Hotspur since he took over. This is striking, too, considering Tottenham are not exactly known as a bastion of defensive security. Their goal difference is the fifth worst in the league during his tenure. This performance couldn’t be a greater juxtaposition to what we should expect from a club of United’s caliber.
The reality today couldn’t be more different than the track record of Amorim’s immediate predecessor at Sporting CP. He’s accrued the most defeats ever in his first 22 Premier League matches. In truth, he has already equaled the amount of losses that he suffered in his previous 114 league matches with Sporting. It puts into doubt just how beneficial his methods are, and if he’ll be able to wrangle this ship around at Old Trafford.
Defensive Woes
Just Amorim’s team alone has exposed tremendous vulnerabilities. This is the leakiest incarnation of Manchester United since Sir Alex Ferguson exited the club over a decade ago. In fact, this season, they have allowed over 1.5 goals per game. This statistic is worse than even Ralf Rangnick’s difficult interim spell in 2022. The failure to establish a defensive stoutness has put a lot of onus on an offense that’s proved inconsistent at best and impotent more often.
United has truly alarming defensive problems. They have lost all of the last six league matches that Bruno Fernandes has failed to start. This heavy dependence on Fernandes highlights a lack of depth in the squad. It further questions whether the team has the right organizational structure to be successful. Amorim has made a recent rotation in the lineup to address these issues. That decision just compounded the issues on the field.
The loss to Wolves was another low point for Manchester United. They’ve lost their eighth Premier League home game of the season, their most since the 1962/63 campaign. This trend erodes fans’ trust that the brand is sticking to its promises. It too heaps additional pressure on Amorim as he continues to search for answers to the team’s longstanding faults.
Scoring Struggles
The offensive struggles have been just as alarming for Manchester United under Amorim. In nine of his 22 Premier League contests, the club’s attack failed to score at all. This should merit deep concern about their attacking depth. It’s been a real struggle for Rasmus Hojlund to make an impact since he joined the club. So successful has been the attack. Remarkably, the team scored just one goal over their last 28 matches.
After the disappointing performance against Wolves, Amorim stated, “If you don’t score goals, you don’t win games.” This is emblematic of the new, cold world his team now occupies as they struggle with offensive and defensive failures on both ends. The heat is turned up as fans and media both focus on his skill to guide the franchise and ailing operation toward a positive place.
Amorim has had a baptism of fire in the Premier League. He has presided over 11 defeats in his 22 games in charge. Combined with the club’s league-worst record and a club-record low points total for the season potentially on the horizon, the need for change has become acute. With a shocking streak of losses this contest season, change is definitely needed to return to past successes.
A Season of Discontent
As this tumultuous season nears its conclusion, Manchester United appears set to finish with a record-low points total in the Premier League. The unfortunate statistics under Amorim’s tenure only add to a time for reflection and possible reshaping at the club.
This streak of mounting losses have punctured the spirits of players and fans alike. They have further loaded huge expectations on the coaching staff and management. As they prepare for the final matches of the season, questions persist about what changes will be made to salvage what remains of this campaign and how they will approach the next season.
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