How much more misery can Manchester United take? - The Athletic

Following a dismal 3-1 defeat to Brentford, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and his teammates offered a forlorn applause to their traveling supporters. The loss extends United's poor away form, with just two points earned from their last eight Premier League away matches. The upcoming schedule presents further challenges with fixtures against Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham, and Crystal Palace on the horizon.

The defeat dashed hopes of achieving back-to-back league wins for the first time under manager Ruben Amorim, who has now lost 17 of his 33 Premier League games in charge, winning only nine. The team's performance is described as "one step forward, two steps back," with defeats like the one against Brentford severely damaging team morale and momentum, outweighing any optimism from sporadic victories.

While there has been a slight improvement this season, it has only elevated United to the level of a mid-table team rather than a genuine contender. The team's record after six games this season is identical to the start of the 2024-25 season, which ultimately led to the sacking of previous manager Erik ten Hag. This parallel raises questions about how long the current trajectory can persist before similar scrutiny is applied to Amorim.

The match itself saw a quick collapse, with United 2-0 down within 20 minutes despite fielding three new attacking signings together for the first time. Amorim admitted post-match that his team played "Brentford's game" and never established control or possession. A key tactical issue identified is United's persistent struggle to control the midfield, a problem exacerbated by the baffling failure to sign a midfielder during the summer's £200 million squad overhaul.