0 dribbles, 0 crosses, 0 duels won: Amorim should have known better, this decision led to a predictable disaster

For the first time in Premier League history, Manchester United lost a match at Old Trafford against an opponent who were down to 10 men. Another unwanted record broken by Ruben Amorim as the Red Devils lost to Everton on Monday despite the Toffees being a man down from the 13th minute. While his refusal to change shape in the first half was not well received, his substitution calls really did not help matters. Patrick Dorgu struggled, but the head coach turned to Diogo Dalot when needing a goal, an absolutely shocking call. He could have shuffled Noussair Mazraoui to the left while bringing Amad back to right wingback. Why does Amorim keep trusting Dalot? Naturally, Dalot produced a shocking display going forward, managing 0 successful crosses, and 0 dribbles. He was safe and conservative with his passing as expected (all stats taken from sofascore). This particular match was the perfect time to play Bruno Fernandes as one of the attacking midfielders, especially with Joshua Zirkzee struggling to impact the game. StatisticDiogo DalotKobbie Mainoo Goals00 Assists00 Expected assists (xA)0.040.11 Key passes11 Crosses (accurate)1 (0)2 (1) Accurate passes21/21 (100%)17/20 (85%) Passes in opposition half (acc.)18/19 (95%)13/16 (81%) Passes in own half (acc.)2/2 (100%)3/4 (75%) Touches2927 Unsuccessful touches—2 Dribbles (successful)0 (0)0 (0) Possession lost16 Total shots00 Shots on target00 Shots blocked00 Tackles (won)2 (1)0 (0) Interceptions00 Clearances20 Blocked shots00 Recoveries31 Ground duels (won)2 (2)1 (0) Aerial duels (won)2 (1)2 (0) Fouls—1 Dribbled past00 stats from sofascore But Amorim opted to push him even deeper, while throwing on Kobbie Mainoo. The Englishman has been desperate for minutes and has been threatening to leave the club since the summer. And on Monday’s evidence, he should leave on loan to restore his confidence. The Carrington graduate looked a man devoid of ideas with the ball. Shocking cameo from Mainoo Kobbie Mainoo completed 0 dribbles, and most importantly, lost all three duels (both ground and aerial combined). This was a chastening display and a reminder that United have not really changed under Amorim in one year, as he continues to struggle at the helm. The Red Devils remain 10th in the Premier League table, and based on the coach’s puzzling calls and displays from overhyped players, not too much of an improvement is expected this season. United will face Crystal Palace next, another huge game. Hopefully, Amorim can welcome back a few players ahead of that tie. Feature image Carl Recine via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25