The upcoming clash between Liverpool and Manchester United feels monumental (even at this early stage of the season).
Arne Slot’s Reds have been on a bit of a wobble while Ruben Amorim’s entire managerial reign feels like something out of the Truman Show (with United fans being the unsuspecting victims of cruel experimentation). I have noticed some surprising defiance in the Man United fan community, with many believing that this will be the perfect time to face a ‘wounded’ Reds outfit. I just wanted to take a moment to confront this delusion and put a few things into perspective.
Historical Lows
We all know the stats. Ruben Amorim has a record low winning percentage as United manager, finishing in an unfathomable 17th place last season. Amorim entrenched himself further into Man United notoriety earlier this season, presiding over United’s first ever cup elimination at the hands of a 4th tier side (they went down to Grimsby on penalties in the League cup). But the xG merchants continue to power the Amorim propaganda machine, pointing to their dominant home win over Sunderland as proof that United is on the mend (Sesko scoring in back-to-back games has some United fans thinking that he is Van Nistelrooy reincarnate). But in my research, I came upon a stat that boggled my mind.
Over the last eight months, United have won six league matches, all of which coming against sides that were either newly promoted, getting relegated or were down to ten men! Here are the six wins.
7th Feb- beat Leicester (relegated) 2-1
26th Feb- beat Ipswich (relegated) 3-2
25th May- beat Villa (down to ten men) 2-0
30th Aug- barely beat Burnley (newly promoted) 3-2
20th Sep- beat Chelsea (down to ten men) 2-1
4th Oct- beat newly promoted Sunderland 2-0
The last time they won a Premier League fixture against a side not fitting those specific criteria was a 1-0 win away at Fulham on the 26th of January! That’s insane. They have become a flat-track bully that can barely get to 30 on a billiard table (excuse my cricketing metaphor). Until this United side can beat a mid-table team away from home; I’m not going to buy into any of this pro-Amorim rhetoric.
Ratcliffe’s backing?
Yet, despite all this irrefutable evidence, you had Sir Jim Ratcliffe coming out and saying that Amorim has three full years to get his act together. Now, who am I to judge the billionaire man behind Team Sky’s former cycling dominance? But simply put, that is not the way that football works. Ratcliffe and his cohorts didn’t waste a second in axing the tea-ladies or members of the so-called ‘bomb squad’. Why does Amorim get so much leeway? What vision is there that we are not privy to? Playing Fernandes at the base of the pivot while freezing Kobbie Mainoo out of the squad- genius.
To be fair, there are reports that all the bigwigs held a seven-hour board meeting this week, with players such as Fernandes asked for their input into the ongoing United situation. Does that mean that United are secretly preparing for life after Amorim? Or was this just a regular state of the union address? Or did that meeting have something to do with the whispers of a possible UAE-backed takeover bid? Perhaps Ratcliffe and co have come to the stark realization that there is something fundamentally wrong with the club. I have said it before and I will say it again, United would make prime Leo Messi look like Adnan Januzai right now. Seeing Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire starting for a Champions League-chasing side- in 2025- is uncognisable.
Massacre incoming
So, how is this United side- who haven’t beaten solid mid-table opposition in eight months- going to go to the home of the champions and stick it to the old enemy? They aren’t. This Liverpool side are enduring some of their own teething problems, adapting to life after going crazy with the Platinum Card in the summer. But their dynamic setup is essentially a nightmare scenario for a United side wedded to Amorim’s intractable 3-4-3 formation. The midfield trio of Gravenberch, Szoboszlai and McAllister will expose the midfield deficiencies that have plagued United for years. Bruno is going to be chasing shadows if Amorim insists on playing him in that deeper lying midfield position on Sunday, while Sesko is going to look as isolated as Tom Hanks in Castaway. Cue a heavy defeat and more unnecessary navel-gazing (fire him already).
