Can Manchester United finish in the top four of the Premier League this season? They finished on eighth last season.
Manchester United in the Top 4?
Earlier in the last season the football pundits and fans thought that Man Utd will make the top four. They would be in the Champions League for sure. But they ended up coming eighth.
Last season was full of inconsistent form and injuries for the Red Devils. Under Erik ten Hag, it was a hard watch sometimes. But the squad was somewhat rebuilding at the time. With the big signings of Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro and Manuel Ugarte, the team could be great watch.
Since the arrival of Ruben Amorim, it has been a not so good season so far. Except some big results against big teams like Man City and Liverpool, the season has been a disaster under Amorim.
They’ve scored the most goals under the Portuguese than under Ten Hag. Ten Hag was sacked midst of a bad run of games. The number of chances created has actually decreased under Ruben.
They’re having fewer touches in the box, playing fewer through balls and trying fewer pullbacks as well. The had 1.64 xG or expected goals per game with Ten Hag this season. The numbers after the Portuguese international’s takeover got down to 1.16 xG.
Although the schedule has been tough with games against Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool. The club knew that this was going to take time, when they hired him. That’s possibly the reason he was open to come to Old Trafford.
Some reports suggested last summer; other big clubs were afraid of Amorim’s tactics. One of the reasons being his refusal to compromise on his system. He literally said that he was not going to be practical. This coach wasn’t going to just come in at mid-season and build a system that immediately with the talent at his disposal.
He is going to rebuild on his own system. He’s going to look for players who don’t fit in and make space for the ones that fit in. He thinks that the long-term goals are important than the short-term struggles.
If he manages to rebuild this squad, that could bring back the glory days of the club after almost a decade of mediocrity.
Manchester United Under Amorim
Amorim is fond of playing with back-three in his system. He has got good results with that formation at Sporting Lisbon.
Since his arrival, Utd have played a 3-4-3 in every single game. Before that they played a 4-2-3-1 in every single match this season.
Utd have six defeats in eleven Premier League games since Ruben replaced Ten Hag. The current manager said,” It’s unacceptable to lose so many games. For any PL club, imagine Man Utd.”
When Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge, they dominated the English football for over a decade. But since his retirement in 2013, the side hasn’t been the same.
Since then, there have been many high-profile managers at the Old Trafford. Unfortunately, they all eventually failed to bring the club back to glory.
The New Manager’s Take
The appointment of the former Sporting CP manager was seen as a progress to the team’s future. He managed to successfully win the first trophy in over a decade for the Lisbon Club.
He transformed his former side very well. They were playing for the record books, as they defeated Man City 4-1 in the Champions League.
The Utd boss stated that there will be hard times during his attempt to revive the club. So far the United hierarchy and fans have showed their support. But if results aren’t seen sooner, it would be a difficult time for the head coach to manage.
Author’s Opinion
So far, the Red Devils haven’t been able to show what they’re capable of under the new management. Some will praise the manager for not changing from his system to rebuild the squad. While some may question his method. It will be exciting to watch how Amorim’s team manages to perform in the remaining portion of the season.
For more sports updates, make sure to follow us on:

Pingback: Mid-Season Transfer Window Analysis