Manchester United are set to get their EFL campaign underway this evening when they take on Football League Two side Grimsby Town.
Having lost their opening Premier League match to Arsenal before drawing with Fulham, Man United will no doubt be raring to clinch their first win of the new season.
Given that they’re playing a far inferior opposition tonight, victory should be well within their reach.
Still, manager Ruben Amorim will need to make certain tactical decisions if his team is to clinch the result they expect.
They must pace themselves
Last weekend, United got the game against Fulham off to a bright start, displaying high attacking intensity in the opening minutes. However, they could not keep this up for long.
Once their momentum petered out, Fulham largely took control for the remainder of the first half. From the moment that United relinquished control, they appeared doomed to see out the half without finding the back of the net.
While fans may welcome such high attacking intensity out of the gate, Amorim will need to convince his players to pace themselves to ensure that they do not run out of steam.
After all, United came close to scoring on numerous occasions, with Matheus Cunha hitting the woodwork, yet a goal did not transpire.
Having exerted themselves in the opening minutes, United gradually lost momentum as time passed by, meaning that they became increasingly unlikely to find a breakthrough despite being the stronger team.
In that sense, United must pace themselves if they hope to see out tonight’s match.
Test the goalkeeper more
While United certainly bounced back in the second half against Fulham, reviving their attacking momentum for a brief period and finally scoring a goal, they could have gotten more out of the match if they had simply tested the keeper more.
Amorim’s side only took 10 shots throughout the encounter, with Fulham registering 13 attempts on goal. These shot totals make little sense given that United did display more attacking momentum throughout the match, particularly if the match’s attack momentum chart is examined. (Sofascore)
While United were unable to find the back of the net during the Arsenal clash despite taking 22 shots, it’s important to note that Arsenal have a much more solid defence, as last season’s Premier League standings proved.
In contrast, Fulham are a much weaker side defensively, so it is expected that by taking enough shots, United would find a way through.
Given the significantly lower stature of Grimsby Town, United have no excuse – they must ramp up their attacking efforts and take a barrage of shots if they hope to score a decisive victory.
So long as United employ these two tactical decisions, victory tonight should be all but guaranteed.
Featured image Matt McNulty via Getty Images
Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
Mathew Cohen
A faithful Manchester United supporter, Mathew has worked as a football writer and analyst for SB Nation, FanSided, and now The Peoples Person. Mathew’s heroes include David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sir Alex Ferguson, all of whom played their part in creating some special childhood memories.
