{"id":129190,"date":"2025-09-08T16:42:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-08T16:42:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/129190\/"},"modified":"2025-09-08T16:42:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T16:42:09","slug":"three-unsettling-problems-have-emerged-for-manchester-united-solving-them-will-save-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/129190\/","title":{"rendered":"Three unsettling problems have emerged for Manchester United – solving them will save season"},"content":{"rendered":"

Manchester United return to Premier League action with a trip to Manchester City on Sunday\"RubenRuben Amorim(Image: PA)<\/p>\n

Manchester United paused for the September international break on the back of a much-needed first victory of the season.<\/p>\n

The dramatic 3-2 success against Burnley alleviated some of the pressure that had been building following a defeat to Arsenal, a draw at Fulham and a woeful cup exit at the hands of fourth-tier Grimsby Town.<\/p>\n

United are ninth in the league on four points – ahead of Manchester City as the two teams prepare to face off in the Manchester derby this week.<\/p>\n

And while Ruben Amorim will have been mightily relieved to see his side snatch three points against the Clarets late on, he will know that much more is required if United are to challenge for a place in the top six come the end of the season. Here are three issues Amorim must address in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n

Midfield muddle<\/p>\n

It feels like the United midfield has been in need of a sort-out for much of the past decade.<\/p>\n

Amorim has pushed Bruno Fernandes back into the middle since the arrival of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, but the skipper is not a natural for the number eight role in terms of defensive awareness and positioning.<\/p>\n

That has seen a return for veteran Casemiro alongside him, with the Brazil international’s nous and experience seeing him earn a spot in the side at the expense of the seemingly unfancied Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte.<\/p>\n

The latter was supposed to be the great solution in the middle, but you can’t say with any certainty that he, Mainoo and Casemiro will be at Old Trafford next season.<\/p>\n

A central midfielder will be the next transfer priority, but in the short term, Amorim has to find a combination that can provide the steel and athleticism needed.<\/p>\n

Goalkeeper clarity<\/p>\n

United have more senior goalkeeper options than they do central midfielders, with the arrival of Senne Lammens taking the tally to four.<\/p>\n

That might be reduced by one should Andre Onana depart for Trabzonspor on loan, with the 29-year-old reportedly weighing up an offer.<\/p>\n

Altay Bayindir has held the gloves in the Premier League thus far but failed to convince, while Tom Heaton, soon to be 40, seems destined to be third choice regardless in whichever combination of keepers remains.<\/p>\n

Lammens may well emerge as No. 1, but it would be a big ask to throw the 23-year-old in for a debut in the Manchester derby regardless of Bayindir’s shortcomings.<\/p>\n

\"SenneSenne Lammens secured his move to Manchester United on deadline day(Image: Manchester United\/Manchester United via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

But United need consistency and to pick a horse and back it. Lammens might just be the best bet.<\/p>\n

Be ruthless<\/p>\n

Amorim has been ruthless with his squad – he’s jettisoned Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho, among others, and Onana could follow the ‘bomb squad’ in departing the club this summer.<\/p>\n

Now the United boss will want his players to be ruthless in the final third. United have scored four goals in three games – and missed a penalty – but half that tally came through own goals and one via Bruno Fernandes’ last-gasp match-winning spot kick against Burnley. Mbuemo’s goal in the same game is the only open play strike United have netted in the league.<\/p>\n

While that paints a negative picture, the underlying numbers are positive. United could and should have been out of sight against Burnley after a dominant first half, while they spurned chances against both Fulham and Arsenal.<\/p>\n

Indeed, if the table was ranked by expected goals, United would be top with 6.78, while they have also taken more shots than any other side in the Premier League and had more touches in the opposition box with 42 and 99, respectively.<\/p>\n

This suggests United are attacking with intent and purpose but failing to convert chances. Amorim will hope Cunha’s injury is not too serious while believing Mbeumo can build on his goal at Burnley and that Benjamin Sesko can find his feet following his arrival.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Manchester United return to Premier League action with a trip to Manchester City on SundayRuben Amorim(Image: PA) Manchester…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":129191,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[440],"tags":[49,48,5692,561,82],"class_list":["post-129190","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-soccer","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-manchester-united-fc","tag-soccer","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129190","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129190"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129190\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129191"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129190"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=129190"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=129190"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}