MU can dream of competing for the title

01/11/2025 07:53:00 soccer

MU has not only won 3 consecutive matches for the first time under coach Ruben Amorim but actually has won 4 out of the last 5 Premier League games.

The victims of the "Red Devils" include the current English champions Liverpool, the reigning FIFA Club World Cup winners Chelsea, as well as the current second-placed Premier League team Sunderland and their recent nemesis Brighton.

Turning point

"Everything in football can change within just one week," said coach Ruben Amorim, hoping to reduce external expectations and calm the players’ enthusiasm. Even without deeply analyzing technical factors, what his team has shown is truly valuable.

All these teams are very strong based on achievements or rankings from last season and currently. Only squads that have reached true stability can achieve this. This is the most important point in the Red Devils’ winning streak.

They have a solid football structure that is rare, despite relying on players not highly rated in terms of quality and struggling in a chaotic context of nearly 11 months of mostly negative results, criticism, injuries, and locker room instability.

It is not easy to work with a group of players at the bottom of a systemic crisis in both confidence and identity. But Amorim is becoming the leader of a success story at Old Trafford specifically and in the Premier League generally. Man United’s rise to 4th place, relatively speaking, feels like a major turning point for the entire season.

Now, outside observers can dismiss doubts about whether the red team can sustain the footballing values that have been forming for a long time, as they have an easy schedule and maintain the development of their playing quality.

The difference is that Man United has demonstrated the exact football style the 40-year-old coach has built: fast ball circulation, minimizing combination passes in their defensive third to reduce risk, and enhancing quick transitions and direct attacks.

The Red Devils averaged only 1.17 goals per 90 minutes in their first 6 matches but have increased to 2.7 goals in the last 3 games. Man United’s expected goals (xG) in the last 3 wins are lower than in the first 6 matches, but statistics clearly show they are much sharper in front of goal. Another key metric is their average goals conceded per 90 minutes, which has dropped from 1.83 to 1.0.

Man United is ready for all major objectives

Their style has also shifted as they have adopted a more direct approach. In the last 3 matches, they controlled the ball less than 44% on average compared to over 53% previously. For Senne Lammens, 85% of his passes are long balls, compared to 43% and 56% for Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir respectively.

MU’s winning mentality

Man United, almost instinctively, tends to perform well only in big games, though not always, and sometimes struggles against lower-ranked opponents. But this could finally be the moment for the Red Devils to truly "play football" under Ruben Amorim.

The Portuguese strategist has long maintained that one result can be a stepping stone to better things. He might even argue that their performance against Brighton was not better than the display in the loss to Brentford since the team has never changed its football philosophy since Amorim arrived last year.

Positive results and proactive playing style have led to a psychological shift, bringing confidence and restoring the winning spirit that the team had lost for a long time.

The 40-year-old coach’s steadfastness in his football system has paid off; victories do not need to be overly complex and can be refined to maximum simplicity. This has given Amorim confidence that his "conservative" management approach is truly methodical.

Again, this impacts the players’ mindset because they now have a genuine leader to trust, someone who constantly urges them that they can face and defeat the strongest opponents. Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo are seen as symbols of revival, but Amorim was the first to initiate change by creating a more flexible team structure.

Man United is still in the early stages of their revolution, but given the difficulties faced by chasing rivals, they might even consider challenging for the title at this point, being only 6 points behind Arsenal.

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