Manchester United: A Subbuteo-Like Display? Mason Mount's Clarity Questioned

Manchester United's attacking performance in their 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace was likened to watching Subbuteo by Paul Merson. Despite recent victories against Burnley and Palace in the Carabao Cup, Erik ten Hag's team was once again overshadowed by Joachim Andersen's goal, casting a dark cloud over the United boss. With only nine points and a -4 goal difference, this is Manchester United's worst beginning to a Premier League season after seven games.

Watching the game on Soccer Saturday, Merson expressed his opinion about United's play in the final third, stating that it felt too static. He compared it to watching a game of Subbuteo, where at kick-off and half-time, everyone remains in the same position without any movement.

As the manager of prominent football clubs, the pressure is already immense, and it intensifies even more when the neighboring team emerges victorious. In the event that Man City had triumphed today, the intensity would have escalated further... it becomes absolutely imperative for them to secure a spot among the top four this season.

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Mason Mount shows his frustration following a missed Manchester United chance

Merson expressed his observation on Manchester United's gameplay, stating that it lacks a discernible pattern. In contrast, teams like Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, and Manchester City display clear patterns in their play. He specifically mentioned that at United, the strategy often revolves around getting the ball wide and relying on Rashford's individual brilliance for goal-scoring opportunities.

Furthermore, Merson mentioned that placing Amrabat on the left side was not an effective use of his skills, suggesting that he should start in the middle instead. He emphasized the need for United to assert dominance and criticized their slow approach, allowing opposing teams to settle into the game. Merson emphasized the importance of attacking aggressively in the first 20 minutes, which he believes United currently lacks.

The team's performance was underwhelming and they struggled to create many scoring opportunities. They appeared to lack creativity and ideas throughout the majority of the match.

Hojlund was left isolated as the lone striker, unsure if the wingers would deliver crosses or not. This made it difficult for him to contribute effectively as he received limited support. Mount, Casemiro, and Fernandes seemed uncertain about their roles and positions on the field.

Man Utd is currently facing a major concern with yet another defeat. They are incredibly far from achieving success.

I am skeptical about their ability to reverse the situation at this point. It may reach a point where a change in formation becomes necessary. Currently employing a four-man defense, they might have to switch to a three-man defense as a way to introduce variation.

Ten Hag: It's frustrating

Erik ten Hag addressing We: "It was straightforward; we allowed three goals, all of which were from set plays. We lack confidence in our ability to defend against those situations. I believe we had several opportunities in the latter stages of the game, but our decision-making was subpar. The quality of our performance in that phase of the game fell short.

"We didn't deliver our finest performance in the final part of the game."

"Undoubtedly, it's quite frustrating. Despite coming close on numerous occasions, we just lacked the precision and sharpness required to seize the opportunity.

"Each situation is unique; at times, composure is vital, while other times, we need to exhibit clinical finishing. Alternatively, being direct or making an additional pass might be necessary."

"We have to learn to do better in the final part of the game."

On the goal: "It wasn't necessary to make a foul there. Then the ball comes through the box, it's not good defending."

Analysis: Amrabat experiment malfunctions Man Utd

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Sofyan Amrabat made five fouls and was booked up against Jordan Ayew

As a Premier League football manager, Erik ten Hag faces the task of resolving issues, one of which is the injuries of Luke Shaw, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Sergio Reguilon. In an attempt to address this problem, he made the decision to utilize Sofyan Amrabat, a recent addition to the team, in a hybrid role, similar to what he did during Manchester United's successful first-half display against Crystal Palace, resulting in a 3-0 victory.

The Crystal Palace team that faced Manchester United on Tuesday was completely different from the one they faced previously. They played with courage, physicality, and a great deal of enthusiasm upon their return to Premier League action. As a result, Amrabat was given more defensive responsibilities, which proved challenging as he struggled to handle the clever and experienced Jordan Ayew. Ayew's ability to win free-kicks and relieve pressure from his defenders caused Amrabat to commit five fouls against him, bringing his total fouls won this season to 25 - seven more than any other player.

Amrabat continuously fell into Ayew's traps, and in one instance, he received a yellow card for a cynical handball after Ayew skillfully outmaneuvered him. This was yet another forgettable performance in a disappointing season for Manchester United.

What's next?

Following that, the team will face Brentford in their next Premier League encounter, taking place on Saturday, October 7, with kick-off at 3pm.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace face Nottingham Forest on Saturday October 7, live on We; kick-off 5.30pm.