Manchester United’s wretched run of form continued as Erik ten Hag’s side fell to a narrow defeat against title-chasing Arsenal, Leandro Trossard’s first-half strike was enough to ensure that the Gunners take the title race to the final day. Despite the result, there was certainly a little more to cheer about in the team’s performance. Here are five things we learnt from a game that lacked in quality.
Five Things We Learnt As United Fall To Defeat Against Gunners
Full-time at Old Trafford.#MUFC || #MUNARS
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 12, 2024
Casemiro Lethargic
The Red Devils made a reasonable start against a superior opponent, keeping the midfield compact and restricting Mikel Arteta’s side in attacking areas. Trossard’s goal was the result of Casemiro being slow to get out and play offside, another costly mistake in the Brazilian’s wretched season providing evidence of what seems to be the 32-year-old’s terminal decline.
Amad Deserves His Chance
Instrumental on loan at Sunderland last season (14 goals and three assists in 42 appearances), the Ivorian has found opportunities hard to come by at Old Trafford this season, this being just his sixth appearance this season.
Read More: Forgotten Manchester United Star Suffers Injury Setback
On this evidence, Amad offers more dynamism and deserves more opportunities ahead of the much-maligned Antony, and can perhaps consider himself unlucky not to have earnt his team a penalty in the first half.
Amad’s game by numbers vs. Arsenal:
100% tackles won (2/2)
100% long passes completed
92% pass accuracy
23 passes completed
6 duels won
3/5 dribbles completed (most)
2 chance createdTop performance. 🇨🇮🇨🇮🇨🇮 pic.twitter.com/Fzyq0cToOz
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) May 12, 2024
Compact Midfield Is The Way Forward
Of many issues facing Manchester United this season, perhaps the most pressing one on a tactical level is just how porous the midfield has been, with opponents beating the half-hearted press and turning into wide-open swathes of space in the middle of the park. The Red Devils were much better in being compact and hard to break down in this game, with the industrious if technically limited Scott McTominay and the much-maligned Sofyan Amrabat providing much-needed energy.
Wasteful Garnacho
There is no doubt that the Argentine is a talented player, but his wastefulness is very reminiscent of Cristiano Ronaldo in the first embers of his career. Blessed with excellent dribbling skills and a willingness and desire to provoke situations, the winger needs to improve both his finishing and final ball to take his game to the next level.
Desire Goes A Long Way: The Most Important Of The Five Things We Learnt
Fundamentally losing to better teams happens, and Arsenal are a far superior side to Manchester United at this moment, but the team’s attitude was much better compared to recent defeats, particularly Monday night’s debacle at Selhurst Park.
Read More: It Almost Happened: 18-Year-Old Cristiano Ronaldo Joins Arsenal
The team is missing leadership, but today showed a willingness to show the basic desire and determination to be competitive that supporters will always respond to. If improvements are to happen next season, today’s level of application will be the foundation of it.
