Man Utd: Old failure but new form

Man Utd's 0-1 loss to Arsenal in the opening round of the Premier League on the evening of August 17 at Old Trafford was probably within the predictions of many people. Because, in the previous 6 matches, the Red Devils could not defeat this opponent (only counting in 90 minutes), including 4 defeats.

However, clearly, Man Utd's performance has brought more expectations than criticism. Let's listen to Gary Neville, who often criticized Man Utd under coach Ruben Amorim, talking about his former team: "It's a late change but I think there is a convincing reason.

Last season, I remember no one believed Chelsea could make it into the top four but after watching them play Man City in the opening round, I believe they can do something.”

Coach Ruben Amorim believes that with the performance against Arsenal, Man Utd can beat any opponent: "We have proven that we can beat any team in the Premier League, especially a strong team like Arsenal. We were clearly the better team. Despite the defeat, I am proud of the players' efforts."

Indeed, Man Utd have reason to be optimistic after the defeat against Arsenal. They only lost from a controversial set-piece situation. Otherwise, the Red Devils had a much brighter game than their opponents. In particular, the pressing style that coach Amorim had hoped for was implemented well.

There are statistics that show this, Arsenal only passed the ball 75% accurately. The last time fans saw the Gunners pass the ball so accurately was when they played Man City (a team that has perfected the system) a year ago. Besides, Arsenal only had 4 attacks with 10 passes or more. That shows that Man Utd did not give the Gunners much space to develop their play.

The Athletic still considers Man Utd wise to bring in the attacking trio Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko. In addition to their influence in attack, this trio is very willing to press right from the opponent's field, making it really difficult for Arsenal.

In attack, two players Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo promise to bring many differences in the role of "drill" thanks to their speed and boldness. There were many situations where the two new players of the Red Devils held the ball, rushed straight into Arsenal's penalty area, creating certain storms.

According to statistics from the Premier League organizing committee, Cunha led the opening round of the Premier League in terms of average distance per dribble with 18.2m. Mbeumo was one of the players who had the most shots in the opening round with 5.

In total, in this match, Man Utd made 22 shots (7 on target), far surpassing Arsenal (9 shots, 3 on target).

Of course, Man Utd still have a lot to improve on to be ready to rise. They lack sharpness in attack, something Sesko could bring in the future if he gets into the rhythm well. They do not have a central midfielder capable of carrying the midfield when Casemiro is on the other side of his career.

Another important thing is that Man Utd need to quickly stabilize their position in goal when Altay Bayindir is too immature, and Andre Onana is very prone to making mistakes. That will be the problem that coach Amorim needs to solve in the near future.

However, Man Utd have shown good fighting spirit. It is a complete contrast to the dismal performance of last season. A seed of belief has been sown. Man Utd need to maintain that spirit if they are to rise after a disastrous season.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/man-utd-that-bai-cu-nhung-hinh-hai-moi-20250820184549871.htm