Ruben Amorim's side continue to sink deeper into crisis with cracks in the 3-4-2-1 system. After 31 Premier League games under the Portuguese, the Red Devils have won just eight, an alarming number.
Bruno Fernandes was once again the focus of criticism. In the first goal, he forgot the task of marking the opposing player, just like the ball made a mistake against Fulham at Craven Cottage last month. Although injuries to some key players have opened up opportunities for Bruno to return to his "number 10" position, Amorim is still determined to pull him down to play in the center of midfield. As a result, M.U's familiar problems continued to recur and the midfield became a burden.
Kobbie Mainoo, when sent into the second half, brought some vitality. However, even this young talent was stuck between two lackluster roles in a rigid 3-4-3 formation.
The most worrying thing is the lack of desire. Every time Haaland or Doku hold the ball, fear overwhelms Man United's defense. Yoro and Shaw have lost on the one hand. Roy Keane especially criticized Shaw in the opening goal, when the English star gave up too easily. Keane suggested it was just a simple technical move by Doku but Shaw was unable to resist.
Another problem was Benjamin Sesko being too hungry for the ball. The Slovene striker has 21 touches, more than Haaland, but the number of touches in the opponent's penalty area is 0. While Haaland has been on the road with nine appearances in Man United's box, Sesko has been left behind, waiting helplessly for passes to never come.
Leipzig's £74 million signing ended the match with an xG of just 0.03. He tried to move, tried to pull the ball away, but when the back line lacked creativity, Sesko also became a lackluster shadow in attack. Will Sesko regret moving to Man United instead of receiving Arsenal's attention before?
United's board have prepared the spirit that Ruben Amorim will need time. However, no one expected things to be so bad. Since Ruben Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag in November 2024, Man United has been the team with the worst form among the teams staying in the Premier League.
31 points after 31 matches with a goal difference of 13. In M.U's eight small victories under Amorim, there have been three against relegated opponents. This statistic from Opta is even more shocking as Man United currently have an 11% chance of being relegated, higher than the chance of entering the Top 5 (7.3%).
The Derby at the Etihad was not just a simple defeat. It is like a mirror reflecting the chaos of Man United at the moment. After nearly a year, Amorim has yet to find a solution. Excuses about the time of adaptation are gradually becoming empty. With statistics showing the "Red Devils" are sliding along with their worst scenario in 3 decades, the gloomy prospect at Old Trafford is clearly visible.
It is too early for Man United's board to make a final decision on Amorim's reign at Old Trafford, but patience will not last forever. This week, when M.U did not have a European Cup schedule and welcomed Chelsea at home at the weekend, this was another big challenge for Amorim.
Not only stopping at Chelsea, the upcoming schedule forces M.U to earn 6 points against Brentford and Sunderland if they want to enter the FIFA Days in October with an optimistic spirit. If he does not quickly find a winning formula, Amorim will soon be fired. In the context of The Red Devils starting a turbulent season, every mistake gambler could have to pay the price with the hot seat he is sitting in.
In the worst case scenario, if Amorim is sacked, who will replace him? Potential names such as Michael Carrick, Gareth Southgate, Nuno Santo and Xavi are all on the bench. Notably, there are two former players who are also on the books, Ole Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho. However, their chances of returning to Man United are very low.
In addition, experienced Premier League players such as Mauricio Pochettino, Oliver Glasner and Kieran McKenna could also be considered for the hot seat.
