Manchester United's Struggles Persist Against Everton
Everton's recent visit to Old Trafford evoked memories of Ruben Amorim's infamous "the storm is coming" statement, despite his Manchester United side winning 4-0 during their last encounter. A year later, the match brought further caution from Amorim regarding his team's development, which proved to be insightful.
From United's perspective, the notable clash between Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane can be overlooked, aside from the fact that it left them facing 10 men for 77 minutes. What transpired during that time reinforced Amorim's pre-match assessment that his team is "far from perfection."
For 77 minutes, the United head coach observed his players struggle on the pitch. Young defenders Patrick Dorgu and Leny Yoro made unnecessary mistakes while under no pressure, allowing the home side to gain attacking momentum. Amad Diallo, filling in as a number 10 for the injured Matheus Cunha, failed to capitalize on opportunities. Meanwhile, Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes, typically reliable, squandered chances.
Joshua Zirkzee, making his first start of the season, and Kobbie Mainoo, who replaced Casemiro in the second half, did not seize their chances to earn more playing time amid World Cup aspirations. Goalkeeper Senne Lammens also made a questionable attempt to save Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's decisive first-half goal.
Though Zirkzee managed to force a full-length save from Jordan Pickford with a late header, it was not enough to change the outcome. As Amorim noted, what had been a five-match unbeaten streak could quickly turn into a three-game winless run, with a trip to Crystal Palace looming on Sunday.
Amorim expressed awareness of the current situation, stating, "I know which point we are in. I have that feeling during this run. We are not there, not even near the point we should be to fight for the best positions in the league. We have a lot to do, and we need to be perfect to win games. We were not perfect today."
A review of United's last three matches reveals a troubling trend. In matches against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham, they initially took the lead but ultimately needed late equalisers to salvage points after relinquishing their advantages. This time, knowing a win would propel them to fifth in the Premier League table, they faced the added pressure of playing at home against a 10-man side—and still lost.
This defeat marked the first time Manchester United has lost a Premier League match at Old Trafford after the opposition received a red card, having previously won 36 and drawn 10 of the last 46 such encounters. Amorim remarked, "Old Trafford was there saying 'we are all here to give a big step up,' and I felt that we were not ready. Again, during these five weeks, while everyone praises our evolution, I always say the same: we are not even near what we are supposed to be at this club."
The pressing question remains, one year after his first game—a 1-1 draw against relegated Ipswich—how far off is this United team? Currently, they find themselves with no European distractions, unlike Crystal Palace, who they will face in less than three days. The club invested £250 million over the summer to improve a squad that finished a disappointing 15th last season.
Now sitting 10th in the table, among a group of four clubs that includes Tottenham, Everton, and Liverpool, they are just three points away from the top four. As they approach a series of fixtures that present opportunities to accumulate points, the question arises: what direction is United heading?
Amorim expressed his frustration and disappointment after the match, stating, "They were the better team. We deserved to lose. Twenty minutes into the game, the opponent received a red card. We need to win this game, no matter what."
Amorim even agreed with David Moyes, noting that the Gueye-Keane incident reflected a desirable level of desire—something he hopes to see from his own team, albeit without the resulting red card. He commented, "Fighting is not a bad thing. Fighting doesn't mean that they don't like each other. It means you lose the ball and 'I will fight you because we will suffer a goal.' I hope my players, when they lose the ball, fight each other."
After a promising October, which included a manager of the month award, November has seen a regression for United. The uncertainty surrounding the identity of this Manchester United team appears to resonate with Amorim. He expressed concern about reverting to the negative mindset of last season, stating, "I feel afraid of returning to this feeling from last season. That is my biggest concern. We need to work together. We are going to work together. The players are trying, but we need to be better."