On Thursday night, Manchester United celebrated reaching the Europa League final, but on Sunday, they had to return to the horror of their home campaign.
Although Ruben Amorim has led the team to success on the continent, it’s easy to say that the Premier League has been a complete bust, as they have now lost 17 games following a 2-0 loss to West Ham.
Actually, their season was summed up by that defeat. They eventually failed to score after Leny Yoro was injured and mistakes resulted in goals.
As soon as the Red Devils look to have made one stride ahead, they take two back.
The league table presents a fascinating image of just how poor Amorim’s side have been in 2024/25, with the two Europa League finalists, United and Spurs, languishing in 16th and 17th place respectively.
So, where did it all go wrong on this occasion? To be sure, Manuel Ugarte’s performance did not improve the situation.
Manuel Ugarte’s performance in numbers vs West Ham
Given how poorly West Ham has been playing this season, this game was a unique chance for the Old Trafford team to win a league game.
That hope was dashed, though, when Tomas Soucek scored the goal 26 minutes into the match. Mohammed Kudus made a good job on the left to shoot the ball across the field, and the large Czech midfielder pushed Harry Amas aside to score from close range.
In the second, they made a startling concession. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, a former United defender, ejected Ugarte from possession in the center of the field.
Kudus then sprinted forward, and his low cross reached Jarrod Bowen at the back stick, who got a tap-in, after his pass veered back into Wan-Bissaka’s path.
It was a terrible moment for Ugarte, whose second-place finish was called “shocking” by Alex Turk of the Express, while Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News gave the game a 4/10 rating, saying it “symbolised this United side: can cope in Europe but not in domestic competition.”
In Ugarte’s opinion, the figures weren’t particularly compelling either. Although the Uruguayan made one tackle, one interception, and one foul, he did complete 86% of his throws, which is a good total. He did absolutely nothing to protect the backline.
Nevertheless, Kobbie Mainoo, who came before him, didn’t offer him much assistance.
Kobbie Mainoo’s performance in numbers
Mainoo was having an incredible breakthrough season at Old Trafford a year ago. Prior to being included in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the European Championships, he was among the first players on the team sheet and would go on to score in the FA Cup final.
A year later, things have not been as easy for the 20-year-old, who has been in and out of the team toward the conclusion of the season. He played 90 minutes on Sunday but only made nine appearances in last Thursday night’s second leg victory.
His performance this past weekend showed why he has had trouble starting. The young England international, who is fielded as a no. 10 rather than a deeper lying midfielder, hasn’t played his best game under Amorim and hasn’t fit in with the style he’s been used in.
It’s easy to conclude that Mainoo was largely anonymous during the game, even though he didn’t commit a particularly noteworthy mistake like Ugarte. According to the previously cited Luckhurst, who gave him a 4/10 player rating, “he never got in the game apart from one inviting cross that Hojlund was on his heels for.”
Along with losing possession of the ball 10 times out of his fifty-two touches, Mainoo lost six of his nine contested duels during the match.
You would think that the academy graduate would have a spark given his advanced role, but he didn’t, failing to make an on-target attempt at goal or produce a crucial pass.
Even though United’s regular season is over, these games are important for the team’s players who are vying for a spot in the starting lineup for the Europa regular final.
| Mainoo vs West Ham | |
|---|---|
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Touches | 52 |
| Accurate passes | 34/39 (87%) |
| Shots on target | 0 |
| Shots off target | 1 |
| Successful dribbles | 0/1 |
| Accurate crosses | 0/1 |
| Ground duels won | 3/6 |
| Aerial duels won | 0/3 |
| Possession lost | 10x |
| Interceptions | 0 |
| Tackles | 2 |
| Stats via Sofascore. | |
Mainoo certainly failed his audition on Sunday and should be dropped as a result. Amad and Alejandro Garnacho suit these roles a lot more.
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