Here’s one word to sum up the match between Manchester United and Rangers. Mehhhh!
The contest was as bland as 90 minutes of football can get. It lacked any spark of creativity, leaving fans yearning for something – anything – to ignite the game.
The only glimmer of drama came late on when Bruno Fernandes delivered a decisive goal to respond to Rangers’ Dessers’ 88th-minute equalizer.
That strike secured the all-important three points for United, but it did little to mask an otherwise uninspiring performance.
Ruben Amorim’s bold admission could carry more weight than it first appeared.
While this might seem like just another high in Manchester United’s wavy journey this season, the performance itself ranks among their all-time lows for the campaign.
Once again, Amad Diallo’s impact appeared muted, likely due to the position he was tasked with playing.
If the Southampton match taught us anything, it’s that your most box-threatening player needs to be deployed higher up the pitch with greater freedom to influence the game. But once again the Ivorian was deployed to play RWB.
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Victory Masks Deeper Issues as Manchester United’s Problems Loom Larger
Despite the 2-1 victory at Old Trafford, the match hinted at troubling times ahead for the Red Devils.
They frequently struggled to create ideas for moving the ball into dangerous positions, while their defence remained alarmingly porous.
Aerial threats, in particular, continue to cause significant problems for Manchester United.
This season, one of Manchester United’s most glaring issues has been their inability to deal with aerial threats.
This weakness was evident in two of Brighton’s three goals in their 3-1 loss to the seagulls last time out, and it reared its ugly head again against Rangers.
A lack of physicality in defence cost United dearly, as Dessers, with just a slight nudge, managed to unsettle Harry Maguire and capitalize on a vertical cross.
His 88th-minute strike punished United, showcasing once again how crucial points slip away when defensive frailties go unaddressed.
A closer look at the Premier League numbers paints a worrying picture for Manchester United.
They rank among the bottom five teams for the percentage of aerial duels lost, with a concerning 52% loss rate.
When compared to the top six teams, who boast far stronger figures in this area, the contrast is damning.
This glaring weakness hasn’t just plagued their league campaign – it has spilt over into other competitions as well, exposing a recurring flaw in their defensive setup.
It’s easier to overlook defensive flaws when the attack is firing on all cylinders – Chelsea this season is a prime example. However, for Manchester United, it’s a compounding issue on both ends of the pitch.
Looking at their attacking numbers this season, the struggles are glaring.
In 22 games, United have managed just 678 passes into the final third – the lowest among all top-six clubs.
Their progressive passes? Only 805, again the lowest in that group. And progressive carries? A dismal 379. Predictably, that’s also the worst among the top six.
It’s as though they’re completely devoid of ideas going forward, and the match against Rangers was no different. Only 8% of United’s completed passes in the game were progressive.
Instead, it was a dull display of horizontal passing – right to left, left to right – with no real intent to penetrate.
As I mentioned earlier, it was one of the blandest 90 minutes of football I’ve witnessed in a long time.
Thankfully for Manchester United, when vision and technique failed among the midfield and wide players, one man stood out – Lisandro Martínez.
While his assist to Bruno Fernandes may steal the spotlight, it was just the icing on the cake of what had been a stellar performance.
Martínez consistently impressed throughout the match, shining as the lone bright spot in an otherwise uninspiring team display.
What’s troubling, however, is Amorim labelling the win as a “good victory,” despite Manchester United’s glaring underperformance.
Perhaps he’s holding back his honesty after the noise his previous comments generated, choosing instead to keep things diplomatic.
For the sake of United and their fans, let’s hope the real work is happening behind the scenes.