Manchester United are on the cusp of the European places, but a key detail continues to cost them precious points.
United’s latest Premier League outing against Aston Villa was a hard-fought battle in which they narrowly lost.
In recent weeks, United have attacked with vim and vigour, but with key figures such as Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire once again missing from the back line, it is their defensive frailties that continue to be a problem.
A meek Manuel Ugarte came into the starting lineup following a suspension to Casemiro and an alleged injury to Kobbie Mainoo. The Uruguayan did no favours to cement his United career.
In the last nine games with Ugarte starting, United have lost eight and drawn one – grim reading.
Omar Berrada and the United hierarchy expect players to prove themselves within one or two years. If not, they may be offloaded. Just look at Rasmus Hojlund. Could Ugarte be next?
Lack of aggression and concentration a recurring theme
The mercurial Morgan Rogers was fantastic for the Villains on Sunday afternoon, and at present, he is leading the race to start in an attacking midfield role for England at the World Cup.
United, however, did not cover themselves in glory defensively – specifically Diogo Dalot and Leny Yoro, who were quite frankly feeble in their work, ambling towards the ball instead of adopting an aggressive approach.
The Reds are near the top of the rankings for most goals conceded in transition, with 11 conceded. While this may translate into an end-to-end display, there remains an immaturity to their game that will not please Ruben Amorim.
United legend Roy Keane was critical of the players at full-time, saying: “Out of possession, they’re one of the worst teams in the league. With the ball they’re good, but if you want to be a top footballer, it’s about what you do out of possession.”
Although United have improved, Amorim is still yet to solve their inconsistencies. They remain a Jekyll-and-Hyde team, and that volatility often leads to dropped points. Against Bournemouth, the Reds should have been out of sight at half-time, only to emerge sluggishly after the break and be caught cold by a quick-fire Cherries double. The same pattern was repeated against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur.
Positives for United to build on
For the first time since taking charge, Amorim has shown a clear willingness to loosen his grip on the rigid 3-4-2-1 formation that had come to define both his early spell at Old Trafford and much of his managerial identity, offering a glimpse of tactical flexibility that many Manchester United supporters had long been eager to see.
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That shift first surfaced in Monday’s chaotic 4-4 draw with Bournemouth, where a hybrid back four was introduced, and it carried through to Villa Park, where United followed it with another encouraging performance.
Despite falling to a narrow 2-1 defeat against an in-form Aston Villa side, the visitors left with a familiar sense of frustration, having once again looked worthy of more than the result suggested.
Given the circumstances surrounding key absences, United will head into their upcoming fixtures buoyed by belief. It remains to be seen whether United will be able to cope without their talisman, Bruno Fernandes.
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