Manchester United’s unbeaten streak in the post-Erik ten Hag era ended abruptly on Wednesday evening at the hands of bitter rivals Arsenal.
Second-half goals from Jurrien Timber and William Saliba condemned Ruben Amorim’s side to a 2-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium.
However, it was nothing less than the Gunners deserved, considering they had the Red Devils on the ropes from the get-go.
Unsurprisingly heavily fancied to take three points pre-match on virtually every football betting platform, Mikel Arteta’s team dominated United in almost every aspect of the game.
Forgettable night
Beating a heavily motivated Arsenal side, seeking their first league title in two decades, was always going to be a tall order for the new Red Devils manager.
However, United showed some promising signs, especially in the opening 45 minutes, dealing with Arsenal’s continuous pressure almost effortlessly.
Set-piece situations, on the other hand, caused havoc for Man Utd. Both Arsenal’s goals came from corner kicks, and the visitors were lucky to concede only twice.
It seemed like every corner-kick delivery posed a serious threat, with Arsenal’s towering defenders consistently outmuscling their markers in aerial duels.
Amorim addressed this issue in the aftermath via the Daily Mirror, stating ‘if it’s a corner, they can score.’
Facing his first league loss on the touchline since December 2023, Amorim finds himself in unfamiliar territory, admitting he needs more time to orchestrate Man Utd’s renaissance via ManUtd.com.
What’s next?
United won’t need to wait long for a chance to bounce back from a midweek upset.
Early surprise package Nottingham Forest arrive at Old Trafford on Saturday, seeking redemption for a 3-0 thumping at Manchester City on Wednesday.
However, the Red Devils have a clear upper hand in this fixture.
Man Utd have emerged victorious from their last seven home meetings with the Tricky Trees since a 2-1 defeat in December 1994.
With Nuno Espirito Santo’s out-of-form side losing three of their last four league outings, Amorim’s charges look decent value to maintain their formidable vein of form in this match-up.
Pivotal encounter
December fixtures could determine Man Utd’s fate in the Premier League.
Stranded in the bottom half of the table after a fourth consecutive away league defeat to Arsenal in club history, the Red Devils trail fourth-placed Man City by seven points.
Given the circumstances, overcoming Forest is non-negotiable, particularly with a daunting trip to the Etihad Stadium looming on the horizon.
Despite Man City’s worst spell during Pep Guardiola’s reign, matches at the Etihad tend to be unpleasant for United.
As if the strength of the opposition isn’t stressful enough, Amorim’s men will make this short crosstown journey amid a five-game winless league run on the road.
Critical period
A win in Man City’s backyard would likely be a turning point for the Red Devils.
However, that task is nothing short of Herculean for a project at Man Utd that is very much a work in progress.
Amorim’s lads have far more realistic chances to start piling up points against Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
United cannot afford to drop a single point in those two matches as they’ll lock horns with Newcastle United at the tail-end of 2024.
Nine points would be perfect, but Man Utd could work with seven from this run of fixtures.
Anything less would be a disaster.
Other commitments
Already ruled out of contention for the Premier League title, Man Utd must not lose sight of other competitions.
That particularly relates to their back-and-forth UEFA Europa League campaign.
Despite entering the competition as betting favourites to lift the title, the Red Devils must play a catch-up to secure automatic knockout qualification from the newly formatted league phase.
On the bright side, after commencing their continental adventure with three successive draws, Amorim’s men have won back-to-back games, whittling down the gap on eighth-placed Rangers to one point.
United must continue in a similar vein when they take on Viktoria Plzen in the Czech Republic on December 12.
Elsewhere, they’ll face off against Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals seven days later.
It will be a perfect chance for Amorim’s side to settle the account with Spurs following a humiliating 3-0 league loss at Old Trafford in late September.
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