After only the first two rounds of the Premier League 2024-2025, the dreams of a good new start under Erik ten Hag have quickly broken down.Man United suffered their first defeat of the season away to Brighton.For The Red Devils fans, this was a somewhat unlucky match where M.U collapsed in the 90+5 minute and had their goal denied due to Joshua Zirkzee's offside error.
However, that excuse cannot hide the fact that the "Red Devils" are still having similar problems with last season.Opta Analyst described that while the attack was at a standstill, the defense also had disappointing days when the positions did not have the necessary communication.As usual, Casemiro is still the weakest link, always slower and out of position in most of the disputed situations on the pitch.
M.U's first goal was a mistake in the defensive system.Then, in the second goal, Casemiro did not mark the opposing player in the long posture to return to the central area.The Brazilian midfielder's lack of concentration caused the away team to lose to Brighton" - Gary Neville commented.
Not only was he the factor in the goal conceded, Casemiro's decline in form also caused Kobbie Mainoo to lose his physical strength, having to fill the void that his senior could not take on.Last season, M.U's midfield was often broken by opponents when the gap between midfield and defense was quite large.
This is also the reason why Ten Hag's team often conceded goals from patting situations. According to Opta Analyst, the necessary solution to overcome the gap in the midfield of the Old Trafford team at the moment is none other than Manuel Ugarte.
According to statistics, Ugarte has an average of 4.6 tackles/90 minutes, with 2.7 successful completions - the highest among players who have played at least 900 minutes. In addition, the Uruguayan midfielder also had a striker who won the ball 8.4 times and successfully intercepted 1.9 times per 90 minutes. Before playing for Paris Saint-Germain, Ugarte's best season at Sporting Lisbon recorded 57 wins, an average of 4.64 times/90 minutes. The 23-year-old midfielder also has an average of more than 8 recoveries/90 minutes (the highest in the Portuguese national championship).
In addition to adding steel to the midfield, Manuel Ugarte often tends to make quick counter-attacking passes right after winning the ball. This not only compensates for the weaknesses in the current M.U midfield, it also suits Erik ten Hag's playing style. In addition, having a midfielder like Ugarte also helps Man United limit shots from the edge of the penalty area, which is a "dead shot" that causes the defense to lose a record number of goals.
With his inherent qualities, Manuel Ugarte promises to be the perfect partner for Kobbie Mainoo in midfield. Not only that, the Uruguayan midfielder is also the maximum support solution for Casemiro who has passed away. Despite his declining form, his experience and class still help the 32-year-old midfielder play well when participating in many matches on the field.
According to The Athletic, Manuel Ugarte is currently on his own training and is not part of Luis Enrique's plans at PSG. The Spaniard has prioritized using midfielders with a technical orientation to impose more playing style and ball control.
However, PSG and Man United have not yet found a common voice in this deal. The French team hopes to make a profit from selling Ugarte and will only agree to release him if they receive at least 59 million Euros. Meanwhile, the Old Trafford team is still persistent with this deal and is only willing to negotiate 50 million Euros.
