The Red Devils have taken a huge step forward under the Portuguese despite losing their Premier League opener against Arsenal
“We prove today that we can win any game in the Premier League, especially against a great team like Arsenal,” Ruben Amorim told reporters after Manchester United's frustrating 1-0 defeat to the Gunners at Old Trafford. “We were the better team. It’s our feeling that we played better. In the end, we lose the game, but I’m really proud of the effort they put in.”
This was not Amorim's best impression of his delusional predecessor Erik ten Hag, who consistently claimed his disjointed team were making progress after every damaging setback. United were genuinely much-improved on Sunday, and completely outplayed a very strong Arsenal side that finished second in the table last season.
The statistics back up Amorim, as the hosts enjoyed 61 per cent of possession while racking up 22 shots compared to Arsenal's nine. It was also telling that the Player of the Match award went to Gunners goalkeeper David Raya, who was forced to make seven saves, including a superb fingertip reaction to deny United's new No.10 Matheus Cunha. United were dynamic, direct and disciplined, and had it not been for the inexplicable Altay Bayindir error that gifted Riccardo Calafiori an early goal, the final result would likely have been positive.
"You always feel in the game they can do something not just with the ball but without the ball. We need to win games but that was completely different to last season," Amorim added, which was also true.
There will be no repeat of last season's disastrous 15th-placed finish because United are finally a cohesive unit. The goals and wins will start flowing if they can keep up the same level of performance, and Champions League qualification must be the ultimate goal, regardless of whether part-owners INEOS sanction any further signings before the summer transfer window slams shut.
Getty Images SportFinally some firepower
United only scored 44 league goals across the whole of last season, with only seven of those accounted for by first-choice striking duo Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee. As such, Amorim prioritised revamping the attack this summer, and the combined £133 million ($180m) investment in Premier League proven duo Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo already looks like money well spent.
Cunha was Arsenal's chief tormentor, completing four of his six dribbles on the day, more than any other player on the pitch. In a standout sequence, the Brazilian raced past five Gunners defenders after picking up the ball in his own half and attempted an early strike to catch Raya off guard, but ultimately botched the execution as the Spanish 'keeper gathered with ease.
That was one of four shots Cunha got off, and he also won seven of his 14 ground duels in an all-action display dripping with passion. Mbeumo matched it, despite being more tightly marked on the right flank, using a mix of pace and intelligent movement to get in behind regularly.
Operating in a deeper role, Bruno Fernandes finally had some runners to look for, and once £74m ($100m) striker Benjamin Sesko is fully bedded in, United will have enough firepower to overwhelm any opponent. Mason Mount also offered plenty of energy and technical quality in an unfamiliar false nine role, and although he still looks like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole at Old Trafford, the former Chelsea man will at least give Amorim another useful option in the final third as the season progresses.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportBalance in midfield
“I hope you’ll hear less about Bruno this year, but a lot more about United. That’s my main objective because my name being spoken, let’s say vaguely alone, it doesn’t fill me with pride or anything," Fernandes told in the build-up to the Arsenal clash. “United being talked about, being positive, that’s the most important thing and that’s what I want for this season. If it happens that Bruno has to score fewer goals, provide less assists or do another type of provision of what is necessary for the games, I would be very happy.”
You could certainly sense that the United captain was enjoying his football again on Sunday. Fernandes was as influential as ever in the No.8 role, ranking top for clear chances created (five), while he also did his job defensively by covering 10.9 kilometres across his 96 minutes on the pitch. He still broke through the lines regularly, but true to his word, the Portuguese was content to let Cunha and Mbeumo provide the main goal threat.
Casemiro was equally impressive at the base of midfield, defying critics who continue to claim the Real Madrid legend's legs are gone at the ripe old age of 33. He recorded an 83% pass completion rate and won 75% of his duels, only giving up the ball three times. Fernandes and Casemiro won the midfield battle despite being outnumbered by Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, and Martin Zubimendi, with wing-backs Diogo Dalot and Patrick Dorgu pushing up high to help ensure Arsenal never built up any proper rhythm, which suggests that Amorim's 3-4-3 system is now functioning at optimum capacity.
Getty Images SportDe Ligt steps up
United also looked polished defensively. Arsenal rarely troubled the back three of Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Luke Shaw as former Sporting CP goal machine Viktor Gyokeres found himself marked out of the game on his Premier League debut for Mikel Arteta's side.
Shaw pocketed Bukayo Saka, too, showing he's back to full match fitness by racking up five recoveries and playing six passes into the final third. The England international is still a huge asset in attack and defence, and Amorim will be praying his injury woes are finally a thing of the past.
Meanwhile, teenage prospect Yoro continued to justify comparisons to Rio Ferdinand with an assured performance on the right side, but it was De Ligt who shone brightest. The former Bayern Munich centre-back's first season at Old Trafford was underwhelming, to say the least, but he rediscovered the form that initially put him on the map at Ajax to shut down the Gunners' attack.
De Ligt won eight duels while making 50 passes and six clearances, leading by example with his strength and flawless decision-making. This was easily the Dutchman's best game in the famous red shirt to date, and he's earned the right to keep starting ahead of Harry Maguire. With Maguire and Ayden Heaven on the bench, with Noussair Mazraoui and Lisandro Martinez set to return from injuries in the coming weeks, United are not short on depth at the back, which gives them the foundation for a successful season.
Getty Images SportGive Heaton a run in goal
Unfortunately, there is one thing missing that threatens to undermine all of Amorim's good work in the transfer market and on the training pitch: A dependable goalkeeper. Bayindir got the nod against Arsenal because Andre Onana is still getting back up to speed after a pre-season injury, and the Turkish shot-stopper completely blew his chance to stake a claim for the No.1 jersey.
It was far too easily for William Saliba to bully Bayindir in the build-up to Calafiori's goal, and the 'keeper's pathetic attempts to push Declan Rice's in-swinging corner away highlighted his lack of positional sense. 'I've said it many times for a goalkeeper. Come with violence, come and be aggressive," United legend Roy Keane raged in the studio. "That is your area. Take control of it. Arsenal are very good at it. But Man United? Weak and soft."
The same criticism has been levelled at Onana regularly over the past two seasons, which explains why United lodged a loan bid for Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez earlier this summer. It seems that the club have shelved plans to sign a new 'keeper since seeing that approach rejected, and Amorim replied with an angry "why?!" when asked if he could now consider playing 39-year-old Tom Heaton ahead of Bayindir, before suggesting VAR should have intervened to rule out Arsenal's goal.
Amorim's refusal to throw Bayindir under the bus was admirable, but privately, he will surely be having doubts. Even though Heaton has not played a competitive game for United since February 2023, the experienced former Burnley and England goalkeeper is potentially the safest pair of hands on the books right now. Giving Heaton a run of games makes sense if there is to be no more transfer movement, because he can't possibly be any than Onana or Bayindir, and if he exceeded expectations, Amorim would be worthy of praise for taking a calculated risk.