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Man Utd: One Red Devils star ‘dreaded going to work’ under Ten Hag in ‘deadly dull period’

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Man Utd: One Red Devils star ‘dreaded going to work’ under Ten Hag in ‘deadly dull period’

Former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys claims Marcus Rashford will have “dreaded going to work” during Erik ten Hag’s time at Man Utd.

The Red Devils are struggling to score goals this season with only six Premier League sides scoring fewer goals than Man Utd this season.

Man Utd are currently 13th in the Premier League table and allowed one of their most lethal attackers in Rashford leave the club in the January transfer window.

Rashford completed a loan move late in the window to Premier League rivals Aston Villa with the Villans reportedly having a chance to complete a summer move for £40m.

The move has done Rashford the world of good with the England international looking refreshed after two years of poor performances under Ten Hag at Man Utd.

Rashford scored twice as Aston Villa beat Preston North End 3-0 in their FA Cup quarter-final at the weekend and beIN Sports presenter Keys claims Rashford “must’ve dreaded going to work” under Ten Hag.

READ: Man Utd: Rashford, Garnacho and Greenwood among £231m sextet who could fund summer rebuild

Keys wrote in his blog: “Villa were terrific at Preston, who were sadly way out of their depth. What a season it would be for Marcus Rashford if he ends up with FA Cup and CL [Champions League] medals. What are the chances I wonder?

“I got battered when I called Rashford out a few seasons back, but I wasn’t wrong. I don’t know the truth behind his fall from grace at OT [Old Trafford], but it can’t have helped having to work for ten Hag. Like everyone else, Rashford must’ve dreaded going to work during that deadly dull period, although he could and should have done better.”

MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365…
👉 Two Manchester United transfer decisions exposed by ruthless Nottingham Forest after inexplicable £90m calls
👉 Ferdinand slams three Man Utd stars in Forest defeat: ‘You know the threat is pace’
👉 ‘I could have done what he did!’ – 73-year-old O’Neill makes brutal claim about one Man Utd star

Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit doesn’t think Rashford should return to Man Utd in the summer after showing better form since leaving.

Petit told pokerfirma.com: “Rashford is having a good time at Aston Villa. Step by step, he has to return to his best level. And for the last two, three years, I think he disappeared from the radar, so the most important thing for him is to get back to his best level by paying regular football.

“He made the move in January and was back in the England squad. It looks like he made the right decision for his own career in terms of leaving United. Should he go back to Manchester United in the summer? I don’t think so.

“Rashford needs to concentrate on getting his fitness and his game back. That’s his number one priority between now and the summer. He shouldn’t be thinking about where he will be playing next season, he should be thinking, ‘I’ve been given a chance to rehabilitate myself, playing under a top manager at a top club, playing Champions League football,’ I need to use this opportunity to get my passion back and show the world I’m a top player.

“At Manchester United, he disappeared for a couple of years. The most important thing for him is to come back to the right level. And then after that, maybe he can think about something else, but put those thoughts on ice right now.”

Man Utd: Six summer transfers to raise £231m with Greenwood, Garnacho in dream deals for INEOS

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Man Utd: Six summer transfers to raise £231m with Greenwood, Garnacho in dream deals for INEOS

Manchester United need to sell to buy this summer, so they are fortunate that these six players could raise £231m to fund Ruben Amorim’s squad rebuild…

The 2024/25 campaign has been disastrous for Man Utd, who must win the Europa League to earn a spot in Europe next season as they languish in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has mapped out his plan for Man Utd to win the Premier League in 2028, the club’s 150th year. But this goal is currently a pipedream at best, with Amorim‘s side miles from being a Champions League contender, never mind a challenger for the title.

A huge overhaul is required to restore order at Man Utd and build a squad suited to Amorim’s preferred style, but Ratcliffe inherited a club in a poor financial state and it’s been widely reported that they must balance the books with sales before signings can be pursued, which was also the case in January, with the Premier League giants already second in our net spend standings.

Thankfully for Man Utd, despite their current on-field woes, these six players – potentially worth a combined £231m – could contribute to a dream window for Ratcliffe and Amorim…

Antony (£40m)
A few months ago, Man Utd would have had rivals in fits of laughter had they demanded £40m for Antony, but this suddenly represents a reasonable fee for one of the most in-form wingers in Europe.

The Brazil international was a victim of his £86m price tag after the Red Devils had their pants pulled down by Ajax, but he failed to live up to even half of this fee in his two-and-a-half years at Old Trafford.

It’s unclear whether it was “physicality” (as Amorim suggested) or just the sheer pressure of playing for Man Utd that dragged Antony down, but the 25-year-old has followed Scott McTominay and Co. in revelling in the freedom of life away from Old Trafford; loan club Real Betis are benefiting from his newfound confidence with his tally of eight goal involvements in 12 matches.

United’s reported £40m asking price probably exceeds Real Betis’ budget, but they are ‘confident’ of receiving this fee as elite clubs will surely come sniffing if he can maintain his extraordinary form until the summer.

READ: Mediawatch – Rashford ‘swipe’, Gyokeres ‘agreement’ and a 13-goal striker for £100m-plus?

Casemiro (£25m)
Antony trumps the colossal Casemiro error, but £60m (plus £10m in add-ons) and a four-year contract for a 31-year-old on £350,000 a week was a similarly nonsensical call made by the previous regime at Man Utd.

Unsurprisingly, this has backfired on Man Utd, who have limited options to get Casemiro out of the door, as his severe decline – sped up by his reduced mobility – adds to their desperation.

Casemiro is no longer equipped to cope with the rigours of Premier League life. Man Utd would likely allow him to leave on a free so he’s off the wage bill, but a report from talkSPORT in January claimed Saudi dealmakers reckon they could land the veteran midfielder ‘for as little as €30m (£25m)’. At that price, INEOS would bite their hands off and skip to cash their cheque at the bank.

Alejando Garnacho (£67m)
Bruno Fernandes has spared Man Utd blushes on several occasions this season, while Garnacho is another rare bright spark in an otherwise dire choice of attacking options for Amorim.

Garnacho has produced in moments this season, but he’s generally been erratic with shooting/crossing opportunites, and he’s fallen significantly below expectations in a disappointing solo and team campaign.

It will also concern Garnacho that he does not look a good fit for Amorim’s system, as he’s struggled as a No.10 and does not have the necessary discipline to work at wing-back. He remains one of United’s most talented players, but he does not align with the head coach’s formation, and a pure profit sale would be the best solution after Napoli’s latest £67m offer.

MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365…
👉 Man Utd ‘red flags’ for every player signed in the last three seasons
👉 Man Utd ‘identify five successors’ for Fernandes after Amorim reveals talks over Real Madrid move
👉 Man Utd transfer now ‘a matter of time’ as Red Devils ‘take a giant step’ to replacing starter

Mason Greenwood (£31m)
There is one rather large elephant in the room, but Man Utd left money on the table when they sold Greenwood to Marseille for around £26m last summer.

The 23-year-old made the most of his reprieve during his Getafe loan and has kicked on under Roberto De Zerbi, grabbing 16 goals and three assists in 29 appearances this term.

Despite this, Greenwood appears in hot water at Marseille and “isn’t coming back” after dropping to the bench before the international break. Man Utd could make their money this summer, with £31m potentially heading their way if he gets his reported move to PSG.

READ: Manchester United hope for £65m embarrassment as future of ten most valuable loanees assessed

Andre Onana (£28m)
At the start of this campaign, Onana was among barely a handful of Man Utd stars secure at Old Trafford, but the eighth-best Premier League goalkeeper in 2024/25 has exited this list as his form has fallen off a cliff this season.

Onana’s countless mistakes have raised alarm bells and Amorim will be debating whether the signing of a new goalkeeper needs to be higher on United’s agenda for the summer.

The Red Devils are already linked with a potential replacement for Onana (valued at £28m on transfermarkt), as a ‘favour’ from a European giant could ensure they recoup a decent portion of the £43m paid via a summer sale.

Marcus Rashford (£40m)
After Amorim’s new comments, the door for a possible summer comeback for Rashford remains shut, despite his return to form under Unai Emery.

While Aston Villa was not initially Rashford’s preferred January move, this is proving to be the right one. This is largely because Emery is brilliant at what he does and is relishing the task of kickstarting the England international’s career. 

This fresh start arguably should have come a couple of years sooner, but it’s better late than never and his improved form has significantly bolstered Man Utd’s chances of cashing in for £40m this summer. 

Amorim is a huge fan of “unbelievable” PL midfielder with 15 G/A, wants United to mount £60m summer bid – report

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Amorim is a huge fan of “unbelievable” PL midfielder with 15 G/A, wants United to mount £60m summer bid – report

Manchester United need attacking midfielders, especially given Mason Mount’s injury problems and the uncertain futures of both Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho.

Both Carrington graduates could be sold to raise money while Christian Eriksen does not have the legs to operate there anymore which is why the club have not offered him a contract extension.

Club captain Bruno Fernandes has excelled as a central midfielder and he might remain there which is why Ruben Amorim wants another creative outlet up top.

Amad, upon his return from injury, could be forced to play as a wingback and as per Teamtalk, Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze is on the club’s radar.

Amorim wants Eze

Amorim is reportedly a huge fan of the Englishman and feels he would be the perfect fit as he seeks an attacking midfielder with an eye for a pass and a great record in front of goal.

The England international has six goals and nine assists from 29 starts this season while last term, he managed 11 goals and six assists.

The Eagles obviously don’t want to lose their talisman and have slapped a £60 million price tag on the 26-year-old’s head to deter suitors. Apart from the Red Devils, Tottenham Hotspur are also eyeing the former QPR ace.

“Manchester United are considering a move for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, TEAMtalk understands, but it will take a big fee to land him and they face competition.

Can United afford him?

“Sources state that Amorim is an admirer of Eze and believes he would fit into the team well, playing as one of the no. 10s in his side.

“It will take a starting bid of £60m for Palace to consider selling Eze this summer, but there is a belief that the England international is ready to take the next step in his career.

“Man Utd will face competition for Eze, however, with Tottenham long-term admirers of the 26-year-old.”

United’s ability to land Eze will depend on the transfer budget with Amorim needing a striker first and foremost. If there is enough money to spare, a move could materialise as the “unbelievable” Palace star certainly fits United’s requirement.

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Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25

Leny Yoro says United have a phenomenal talent on their hands, thinks he can become one of the best – report

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Leny Yoro says United have a phenomenal talent on their hands, thinks he can become one of the best – report

Manchester United centre-back Leny Yoro has lavished praise on teammate Chido Obi.

There’s plenty of excitement surrounding Obi’s potential at Carrington. Recently, United’s U18 coach Adam Lawrence said that the forward is a nightmare to play against.

The 17-year-old first made headlines in England in Arsenal colours. However, last summer, United convinced the highly-rated striker that a move to Manchester was best for his development.

He has enjoyed a prolific campaign at youth level, having scored 12 goals for United. With his exploits, Obi has also grabbed the attention of head coach Ruben Amorim.

Amorim handed him his senior debut in February, and so far Obi has featured four times under the Portuguese. In particular, his cameo against Fulham in the FA Cup excited many supporters.

It seems he has also shown glimpses of his immense potential in training, earning plaudits from Yoro.

In an interview with ViaPlay (via Sport Witness), the Frenchman stated that he believes that the Denmark U18 international could be one of the best in the world in the future. 

Yoro said: “Chido is talented. He can become one of the world’s best strikers in my opinion, if he continues his development. He scores a lot of goals and is a good boy, so I also hope that he will become one of the best.”

Despite the hype, Amorim appears to be taking a more measured approach concerning Obi’s role in his setup.

The Dane has not been included in United’s squad to face Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, as he was sent back to the U18 squad for their FA Youth Cup semi-final against Aston Villa.

However, considering Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund’s struggles in front of the net, expect Obi to be handed plenty more opportunities during the business end of the season.

Meanwhile, Yoro, who himself is regarded as a generational defensive talent, is available for selection after fully recovering from a foot injury over the international break.

Featured image Justin Setterfield via Getty Images

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Vishal has covered football for over five years. Currently a writer at The Peoples Person. Big fan of ball-playing center-backs!

60% duels lost, 4x dribbled past, 12x possession lost: normally reliable United star was a big reason for defeat against Forest

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60% duels lost, 4x dribbled past, 12x possession lost: normally reliable United star was a big reason for defeat against Forest

Manchester United returned to Premier League action with a 0-1 defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Tuesday.

The home side did the double over the Red Devils for the first time with former Carrington graduate Anthony Elanga scoring the winner.

The visitors created a lot of chances, had three times as many shots as Forest with Diogo Dalot hitting the post while Harry Maguire’s effort was scrambled off the line but it was not to be on the night.

The lack of cutting-edge up top was to blame while Ruben Amorim’s decision to switch things up by overlooking in-form stars made zero sense.

Indecisive from Mazraoui

While the head coach will likely point to his team’s deficiencies in attack, his bizarre decision to play Noussair Mazraoui as the left-sided centre-back instead of Leny Yoro ultimately cost the 20-time English league champions the game.

The Moroccan, who was the last man standing for many of Forest’s counter-attacks, kept backing off and allowed Elanga a free run at goal.

He was indecisive many of the times and he lacked the pace Yoro has and the Frenchman was a revelation on the left before his injury. In fact, Yoro should how it was done with a brilliant last-ditch tackle to stop the pacey Swede.

And after a brilliant last few weeks, the former Bayern Munich man looked a liability as he allowed Forest attackers to dribble past him four times.

His mistake led to the goal

The 27-year-old won only 40 percent of his duels, winning only seven out of 15 ground duels and one of five aerial battles. He also lost possession a mammoth 12 times.

The ex-Ajax ace gave away two fouls and completed only 50 percent of his long-ball attempts. He made three clearances, and completed two interceptions.

On the ball, the Morocco international ended the game with a 89 percent passing accuracy and had one key pass and completed one out of three dribbles (all stats via sofascore).

Hopefully, Amorim will not unnecessarily change things in the games to come and allow Mazraoui to play as the right-sided centre-back, a position in which he is far more comfortable.

Feature image Michael Regan via Getty Images

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Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25

“He’s trying too much”: Amorim does not hold back as he explains why United star endured horror show vs. Forest

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“He’s trying too much”: Amorim does not hold back as he explains why United star endured horror show vs. Forest

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has suggested that Alejandro Garnacho may have been “trying too much” in an effort to make an impact against Nottingham Forest, which ultimately led to his struggles.

United were beaten 1-0 by Forest at the City Ground on Tuesday night

Anthony Elanga’s solo effort in the fifth minute was enough to give Forest all three points and boost their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.

United dominated possession and created some chances but ultimately, couldn’t find the equaliser.

After the final whistle, Amorim spoke to reporters in his post-match press conference and gave his verdict on the result and United’s performance.

Asked whether United deserved more from the game, Amorim replied, “I think that is clear. We created some chances but we could have created more with the possession that we had. We reached the final third a lot of times but we need to be better because it’s really important to score goals and we have a lack of goals.”

“We started the game by suffering a goal and we put Nottingham Forest in the place they wanted to be: defending with a lot of men and then they have really fast players to make transitions – even that we controlled quite well, especially in the second half.”

“We pushed forward but then again, in the final third we were not good enough.”

On whether Elanga’s goal could have been stopped, Amorim answered, “That is clear. When we have a corner, if you have men to block transitions, you have the whole pitch and you can make a foul…so yeah, if you look at the game and you’re the coach, then you have to do better.”

On the late flurry of chances United had, Amorim explained, “Harry Maguire, when he’s attacking set-pieces, is maybe the best player on our team. So inside the box [late into the game], you’re not a defender, you’re a striker.”

So that was the idea…to put one man in the box who’s really good, to score a goal.”

Asked about Garnacho, who endured a difficult game, Amorim said, “He’s making everything. He’s trying and sometimes you have one day when you’re doing the right things but in the final third, we were not that good. That can happen.”

The United head coach added, “That can happen during the game [Garnacho doing too much to try and get back into good form]. The most important thing for me is when he needs to run back, he’s running back. Of course we want a player who gets into one vs. one situations. Sometimes he’s trying too much to make a movement but I think he wants to help the team and he’s doing his best.”

“Sometimes he doesn’t make the best choice but you can point to any player today.”

Asked whether it’s a concern that Maguire appeared to be more of a threat compared to United’s strikers, Amorim remarked, “No [it’s not a concern]. It depends on the characteristics. Again, Forest were playing with [a defensive] line of six and then it’s also a matter of size and the way you have the ability to have a ball. So I don’t see it that way.”

“That can happen with any team with the best strikers in the world, the defenders sometimes are the best to attack the ball inside the box and Harry was really good at that.”

On Elanga and whether it hurts seeing him performing for another team, Amorim told reporters, “We are talking about a lot of front players for Manchester United that are doing right but they had the chance here.”

“At Manchester United you don’t have the time. I will not have the time. We have to get it right fast.”

“You are not talking about players that didn’t play for Manchester United, they were here playing for Manchester United. In here the pressure is too big sometimes and sometimes you don’t get time and you should have time for these kids to develop.”

“But for that you need a strong base to support all these kids and if you don’t have strong base we are not going to help our kids. They had their chances and sometimes football is like that and the pressure of playing for Manchester United is really big.”

United are back in action on Sunday when they host cross-town rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford.

Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!

100% long balls, 100% tackles, 3/4 ground duels won: monstrous United star didn’t deserve frustrating loss vs. Forest

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100% long balls, 100% tackles, 3/4 ground duels won: monstrous United star didn’t deserve frustrating loss vs. Forest

Former Manchester United forward Anthony Elanga returned to haunt his former side, netting an early goal for Nottingham Forest in their 1-0 victory on Tuesday evening.

United made their way to the City Ground hoping to build on their recent positive results. The visitors started well as they dominated possession, but it was Forest who took the lead after just five minutes of action.

Elanga picked up the ball from outside Forest’s penalty area and ran all the way up the pitch and shrugged off Alejandro Garnacho before putting the ball past Andre Onana and into the back of the net.

The Carrington academy graduate looked like he was going to celebrate but he quickly stopped himself, presumably as a mark of respect for his former side.

United continued to dominate possession and had a few chances to equalise but they couldn’t hit the target.

The result has left the Red Devils in 13th place in the Premier League table with eight games left to play.

There were a number of United players who weren’t quite up to the level against Forest but one who gave a good account of themselves was Yoro.

Yoro was named in the starting XI after a short injury spell before the March international break. He initially played on the right side of the three-man defence but in the second-half, was shifted to the left. He barely put a foot wrong in both positions.

Yoro made several amazing contributions, with the standout moment being a superb tackle on Elanga to prevent the Swede from breaking through on goal.

During the 88 minutes he was on the pitch before being replaced by Maguire, Yoro made two clearances and blocked half as many shots.

He put in three tackles, winning the ball all three times.

Lenny Yoro’s game by numbers vs. Forest:

100% tackles won
91% pass accuracy
78 passes attempted
71 passes completed
3 tackles attempted
3 tackles won
2 clearances
1 block
1 last man tackle

One brilliant tackle on Anthony Elanga. pic.twitter.com/FLNUqR7To8

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) April 1, 2025

The Frenchman won three of the four ground duels he contested and came out on top in one of three aerial challenges he vied for.

The teenager touched the ball on 87 occasions. One thing that stuck out about Yoro’s game was how confident he was in possession. The defender successfully delivered 72 of the 79 passes he attempted (91% pass accuracy).

Yoro also managed to connect with the one long ball he pinged.

(Additional stats obtained from Sofascore)

It was a monstrous performance from Yoro, who seems to be growing in stature at United. Unluckily for him, he was on the losing side.

Featured image Michael Steele via Getty Images

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Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!

6 key passes, 4 crosses, 2 shots on target: Man United’s metronome on song again despite defeat to Forest

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6 key passes, 4 crosses, 2 shots on target: Man United’s metronome on song again despite defeat to Forest

Bruno Fernandes was Manchester United’s metronome once again as they fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest.

The Portuguese has been a shining light in a difficult period for the Red Devils but once again showed his class as Ruben Amorim’s side turned in a very respectable performance despite the result.

No player on the pitch had more touches than his 111 – nobody else even made three figures as Fernandes kept the ball moving.

As always he made a lot of passes, completing 61 of his attempted 77 to arrive at a passing accuracy of 79%.

Only three United players had a lower passing accuracy but he showed his high risk high reward approach with his six key passes, more than any of his team-mates and only one fewer than the entire opposition side.

And despite not being a wide man he found his man with four of his attempted nine crosses as the Red Devils accumulated 23 shots on goal.

Fernandes took two of those and tested Matz Sels in the home goal with both, something his team-mates struggled to do.

The 30-year-old also proved a thorn in the side of the Forest defence, winning seven of his 17 attempted duels, all of which were on the ground.

And in a characteristically busy performance the United captain made three tackles, bested only by Noussair Mazraoui’s six.

Fernandes could hardly have done more to drag his side over the line, but ultimately they were unable to find the back of the net despite their dominance.

They face Manchester City on Sunday, and despite injury to their talismanic striker Erling Haaland it promises to be a difficult encounter.

Even though he wasn’t on target today, Fernandes remains comfortably his side’s biggest goal threat with eight goals and ten assists in the Premier League this season.

Stats taken from sofascore.

Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.

Seething Amorim blames all-too-familiar problem for United’s frustrating loss to Forest

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Seething Amorim blames all-too-familiar problem for United’s frustrating loss to Forest

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has attributed his team’s defeat to Nottingham Forest to a lack of sharpness and clinical finishing in front of goal.

Ex-United forward Anthony Elanga scored an early goal to secure Forest all three points at the City Ground.

Elanga needed only five minutes to break the deadlock as he embarked on a run from the edge of his side’s penalty area before firing the ball into the back of the United, well past the reach of Andre Onana.

United had the lion’s share of possession and created some decent chances but they couldn’t get the much-needed equaliser.

Harry Maguire had the best late chances for the Red Devils, heading wide with the goal at his mercy, then forcing Murillo to clear off the line with the final kick of the game.

It was another frustrating outing for United, who remain in 13th position in the Premier League table with eight games left to play.

After the final whistle, Amorim spoke to TNT Sports [via BBC Live Reporting] and gave his verdict on the results and his team’s performance.

The Portuguese coach was particularly seething with the players’ lack of cutting edge in promising attacking positions.

Amorim told TNT, “We controlled the game, but we already knew this team can score goals out of nothing. When they scored we changed the game a little bit from what they want.”

“We tried with good opportunities, but in the last third, the last pass, the last assist wasn’t there. Then if we don’t have that we cannot score goals.”

“This season is like that. We had a lot of shots on goal, we pushed the opponent to the last third, but in the last third we had a lack of quality. We need to win games and we deserved more in this game, that is clear. But it is our fault and we need to be better in the last third. We should have won this game, not even drawn, but in the end we have lost three points.”

He continued, “We know the characters of the team and one goal can put them in one situation they love. We have to score two goals to win a match and that is frustrating as it was the beginning of the game. We helped them to win three points.”

Amorim however acknowledged that United are improving and this was evident despite the defeat.

“I see it in the game. I don’t lie to myself, everyone can say whatever they want to say, but we need to win games. We go to the next game.”

“We have Europa League and we have the next game in the Premier League and that is the focus.”

Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!

Amorim’s strange tactical switch involving overlooking in-form players hardly made any sense as Forest capitalised

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Amorim’s strange tactical switch involving overlooking in-form players hardly made any sense as Forest capitalised

Manchester United returned to Premier League action after the international break, looking to win consecutive games in the league for the first time this season.

It was also a chance to exact revenge on Nottingham Forest for the defeat at Old Trafford under Ruben Amorim last year. But unfortunately, despite dominating possession and creating three times more chances, the Red Devils fell to a narrow 0-1 defeat at the City Ground.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s team have shown their proclivity for playing on the break while sitting deep and being hard to break down. And that was exactly what transpired on Tuesday.

Former Carrington graduate Anthony Elanga was the match-winner as he raced from one end of the pitch to another to score past a hapless Andre Onana with Noussair Mazraoui backing off all the time.

Amorim’s changes did not work

The visitors had 24 shots with six on target and hit the post from a Diogo Dalot header while Harry Maguire last-gasp shot was cleared off the line with practically the last kick of the game.

It was woeful finishing up top and a lack of cutting-edge upfront which cost the 20-time English league champions again, their story of the season. Otherwise, the link-up play between players and the way the team kept the ball at times was quote encouraging.

Alejandro Garnacho was initially deployed on the right and switched to his favoured left side in the second half but he was dismal on the night, with his woeful finishing and decision-making on display.

And Amorim’s decision to play Joshua Zirkzee as a No 9 and switch Bruno Fernandes as the No 10 after his recent heroics from central midfield seemed strange and the ploy did not work.

Lack of cutting-edge up front

Both Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte looked slow in the middle of the park and Amorim made the change when it was too late as he dropped his skipper into the midfield alongside the Brazilian.

Rasmus Hojlund, fresh off a goal both for club and country last month, should have started and looked bright off the bench while Zirkzee is a far better fit as one of the attacking midfielders instead of playing up top on his own.

Breaking down a team which sits with a low-block has been United’s bane for a long time and given Amorim’s options in attack, it never looked like happening against Forest.

INEOS must bring in attacking firepower in the summer and even if it means moving on big-name players, so be it. This was United’s 13th loss in the Premier League, one fewer than their record of 14 defeats which they accumulated last season.

Tow huge games coming up for United — the Manchester derby up next followed by the all-important Europa League quarter-final clash against Olympique Lyon. The team needs to take heart from a decent display and improve further. Heads cannot afford to drop at this stage of the season.

Feature image Michael Steele via Getty Images

Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25

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