Coming off a 3-1 loss to Brentford, Manchester United seem unable to build a winning streak.
While the team did well to defeat Chelsea 2-1 the previous weekend, Man United yet again failed to build any winning momentum when they took a trip to London to face Brentford, a struggling side that they probably should have capitalised on.
Despite going into the match in 17th place on the Premier League table, Brentford easily disposed of United, leapfrogging them in the standings as a result.
But this wasn’t even the most embarrassing aspect of the defeat.
Sadly, the biggest humiliation came at the expense of United manager Ruben Amorim.
Amorim’s disastrous record
As a result of this loss, Amorim has now lost 17 of his 33 Premier League matches, meaning that United have officially lost the majority of their league games under Amorim’s management.
With just nine victories during Amorim’s tenure, the Portuguese manager has given United their worst win percentage in the league since before the Second World War. (Stats via GOAL)
Sure, Amorim just happens to be the latest in a long line of managers who have struggled to find success at United, but his management decisions, along with the aforementioned statistics, prove why he should be shown the exit door at Old Trafford.
Refusal to adapt or change
It seems that no matter how bad the results get, Amorim refuses to change up his playing style or formation, seemingly expecting them to suddenly come good over time.
Harry Maguire has refused to lay any blame on Amorim, claiming that the players have let the manager down and that a competent performer can excel in any formation.
This makes little sense, given that most players are known to specialise in one or two positions ahead of others. For example, Amad Diallo may play as a wing-back in Amorim’s system, but he is first and foremost a winger. While Noussair Mazraoui typically plays in the back three, he is naturally a full-back. Just because some players can adapt doesn’t and shouldn’t mean that they will play as well in their new positions as they do in their typical roles.
But even if Maguire was correct, surely it would make more sense to use a formation that suits the majority of players in the team, especially since they’ll find it quicker and easier to gel?
While wing-backs are a crucial component of the 3-4-3 lineup, United do not actually have any natural wing-backs at their disposal. And this is just one example of how Amorim’s system doesn’t work.
There’s then the case of using three centre-backs instead of two, which leaves the midfield short-handed.
Although Amorim may think that this increases United’s defensive coverage, it clearly hasn’t worked, given that the team has conceded 11 goals in just six matches, making for a -4 goal difference.
Clearly, Amorim is not built for life at United. The club would do well to dismiss him as soon as possible, before the results get even worse.
Featured image Michael Steele 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.
